Well-wishers greet Cardinal Lubachivsky on the occasion of his 84th birthday (07/19/98)

Well-wishers greet Cardinal Lubachivsky on the occasion of his 84th birthday

Press Service of the Patriarchal Curia of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

LVIV - Cardinal Myroslav Ivan Lubachivsky, primate of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC) celebrated his 84th birthday on June 24. His day began with the celebration of the divine liturgy in his chapel with his auxiliary Bishop, Lubomyr Husar, and the chancellor of the Patriarchal Curia, the Rev. Michael, concelebrating.

Throughout the day guests and well-wishers stepped in to bring him greetings and various gifts. Among them was Archbishop Antonio Franco, the Vatican's papal nuncio to Ukraine, who had flown in from Kyiv the previous night to attend the celebration. He presented the cardinal with a cake he had brought from Kyiv and greetings on his own behalf as well as from Pope John Paul II and the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

Telegrams, cards, letters and massive bouquets of flowers were brought to Archbishop Major Lubachivsky who graciously accepted them all, making comments with his trademark wry sense of humor. Other greetings, coming from Rome, Australia and Germany, included messages from the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe and various Greek-Catholic and Roman Catholic bishops from around Ukraine.

The representative of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church for external affairs, Msgr. Dr. Iwan Dacko, sent a greeting from Bavaria. He wrote:

"... By the will of God, Your Beatitude became the head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church at the time when Ukraine became sovereign and freedom was restored to our Church. You lead this Church at a turning point in time when [the UGCC] is coming into itself and realizing its potential as foreseen by your predecessors, the Servant of God Metropolitan Andrey and Patriarch Josyf.

"You worthily fulfill your duties and, with the humbleness and patience, which the Lord now grants you, you have become an example for us all that great accomplishments require great sacrifice and adversity.

"[We] thank Your Beatitude for this good example..."