Weeklong events marking the enthronement of the seventh metropolitan of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the United States and archbishop of the Philadelphia Archeparchy were held, fittingly, under the theme “From Heart to Heart.” Metropolitan-Archbishop Borys Gudziak, who arrived here from the Eparchy of St Volodymyr the Great in Paris, which serves Ukrainian Catholics in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland, returned to the country of his birth. His homecoming was a week of prayer, celebrations, meetings, conferences and meaningful encounters with the faithful, including during a special Youth Day. Significantly, the City of Philadelphia joined in the celebrations, proclaiming June 2-9 as “Heart to Heart Week.”
We’ve seen wonderful photos and videos of Metropolitan Borys interacting with the faithful of all ages and abilities, as well as with the multi-ethnic residents of Ascension Manor, the seniors’ housing complex located near the archeparchy’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. We’ve seen him meeting with the religious and clergy of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, playing football with children, and speaking one-in-one with countless individuals. These truly were “heart to heart” experiences.
This past Sunday, June 16, we had the opportunity to see the new metropolitan-archbishop during a visit to our local parish, St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Whippany, N.J., where he was joyfully welcomed by parishioners and guests, including uniformed members of Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization (of which Metropolitan Borys is a member) and the Ukrainian American Youth Association. He told the standing-room-only crowd attending divine liturgy that he is moved by the reception he’s received in the first days of his service as metropolitan, and he thanked all for their support and prayers. Metropolitan Borys’s overarching message was one of inclusion, openness, unity, forgiveness and love. “Our potential is great,” he underscored, while offering his vision for the rebirth of the Church through more involvement by all.
Back on June 4, addressing the new metropolitan during the hierarchical divine liturgy and enthronement, the primate of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav, had said the Church in the U.S. must be returned “to the heart of the Ukrainian community,” and added, “We look forward to the renewal of our Church in the United States, the modernization of our Church structures, the revival of the Church’s mission… We look forward to communion with our Mother Church in Ukraine and across the world.”
Metropolitan Borys then commented: “To start a new life at 58 is a huge gift from God and a sacred privilege. I wish to lead the metropolia and archeparchy first of all by listening. This is the land where I was born and baptized, where my parents died and were buried.” He noted that much had changed in the nearly 30 years since he lived in the U.S. and acknowledged that there are “numerous challenges both in the Church and society.” He emphasized: “I believe that the Lord, who called me to this new service, will lead me and the people entrusted to my care. Primarily, I wish to be their brother, father and pastor.”
Recalling that Borys Gudziak, a scholar, founded the Institute of Church History in Lviv; that, first as a layman, then as a priest, he was a leader of the Lviv Theological Academy that developed into the remarkable Ukrainian Catholic University (he continues to be UCU’s president); and that it was under his extraordinary leadership as bishop that the Exarchate of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church in France was raised to the status of an eparchy named in honor of St. Volodymyr, we believe we can expect great things from this new head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in our country.
We welcome Metropolitan Borys and we add our voice to say, “Axios!”