EDITORIAL: A beautiful rebirth (11/04/01)

EDITORIAL

A beautiful rebirth

On the desk in front of us are a brochure and a catalogue - it could best be described as a college catalogue - from a unique institution in Ukraine, the Lviv Theological Academy, as well as the most recent annual report of the U.S.-based Ukrainian Catholic Educational Foundation. All are beautifully designed and all reflect a beautiful rebirth in Ukraine.

The LTA was originally founded back in 1928 by Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky of Lviv, who saw the academy as the first step toward establishment of a Catholic University in Ukraine. The Lviv Theological Academy flourished for 10 years; however, after the Soviet invasion of western Ukraine in 1939, classes could no longer be held. In 1944 the Soviet Communist authorities, who had attempted to eradicate all Ukrainian Churches, ordered that the LTA be dissolved.

Decades later the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, which the Soviets had attempted to destroy - but succeeded only in driving underground, into the "catacombs" - was reborn. The Church was legalized in the wake of the tremendous changes shaking the foundations of the USSR, and in 1994, three years after Ukraine's independence was declared, the LTA was revitalized. The institution feverishly resumed its work, albeit in a new world.

According to the LTA's rector, the Rev. Dr. Borys Gudziak, most of its work had to begin from scratch. The academy faced "formidable challenges," he wrote in a recent report from Lviv; during the term of his predecessor, the Rev. Mykhajlo Dymyd, the LTA "moved from a diminutive shelter to an expansive but dilapidated building that today has been renovated into one of the most handsome academic structures in this great university town."

The first class of students graduated from the reborn academy in 1999. The LTA degree has been recognized internationally, and many of the academy's graduates have earned scholarships for advanced study abroad. Today the student body of LTA is composed of 1,200 students and the LTA library has grown to 70,000 volumes. The LTA conducts academic research in various fields and encompasses special institutes on Church history, theological terminology and translation, neo-Latin studies, religion and society, Christian marriage and family, liturgical studies, canon law and catechetical pedagogy.

Today the LTA is seen as the center of the intellectual and spiritual life of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. And thus, the Lviv Theological Academy is progressively moving closer to the realization of its founder's original goal.

During his visit to Ukraine, Pope John Paul II made a brief, but highly significant stopover at the LTA in recognition of its importance to the rebirth of both the Church and Ukraine; he blessed the cornerstone of the future Ukrainian Catholic University the next day during the Byzantine-rite papal liturgy celebrated in Lviv.

It should be noted that many here in North America had a chance recently to hear the good news about the LTA's work as the Rev. Dr. Gudziak paid visits to several of our communities. But many others did not have that chance, ergo this editorial.

In the United States there is a foundation whose aim is described as "rebuilding the Church in Ukraine." The Chicago-based Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation notes that it "informs Americans about the academic and financial needs of the Ukrainian Catholic Church and its educational institutions in Ukraine," and develops endowments and educational resources. In addition, it conducts fund-raising activity to support those institutions, foremost among them the LTA - soon to be the Ukrainian Catholic University.

Cardinal and Archbishop Major Lubomyr Husar has noted: "Priests and laypeople alike will prepare to become better citizens at this university. This is a great matter for the Church, for the state and for all Ukrainian society. Becoming a hearth for Ukrainian learning, the Ukrainian Catholic University will give our people the opportunity to nurture those talents which God has given."

With the support of all who believe in this great cause, the dream of the great Metropolitan Sheptytsky, who passed away 57 years ago on November 1, will become reality.

For additional information readers may contact: Ukrainian Catholic Educational Foundation, 2247 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60622-4828; telephone, (773) 235-8462; fax, (773) 235-8464; e-mail, [email protected]; website, www.ucef.org.

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