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The Catholics of Dnepropetrovsk have got a new bishop and a number of old problems |
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02.04.2009 |
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This year Ukrainian Catholic Bishops’ conference was dedicated to the problem of saving the Temple in Dnepropetrovsk from Lazarenko’s “American” company. The meetings of the heading body of the Roman – Catholic Church had early taken place only in the capital of Ukraine or in its western regions. This was the first time for Dnepropetrovsk in its history to see such a number of Catholic Hierarchs and to become a place of meeting for them. The conference and the solemn public worship were held by the new head of Ukrainian Catholics – Mechislav Mokshitsky, the archbishop – metropolitan of Lvov. As the worship was held right at the gates of closed church, one might call it really public. Mechislav, the member of higher orders of clergy, replaced elderly cardinal Yavorsky at his rostrum in Lvov. Before it he used to work as a private secretary for the Popes Joann Pavel II and Benedict XVI. He is a doctor of theology; besides the new archbishop is 48 years old, which is unusually young for the church leaders in Ukraine. Catholic parishes of Dnepropetrovsk and Dnepropetrovsk region are the part of Kharkov and Zaporozhe diocese of Roman Catholic Church, which is uniting the Catholics of seven regions of Eastern Ukraine. During this conference it was announced of retirement of Stanislav Padevsky, the bishop of Kharkov – Zaporozhe diocese (unlike the clergy of Orthodox Church, the Catholic hierarchs have to retire after they have reached some certain age. The new Catholic Bishop of the Eastern part of Ukraine was assigned Marian Buchek, who was earlier a coadjutor-bishop of the diocese. It was set that the conference takes place on the 21st of March, st. Joseph day, as he is the saint protector of Dnepropetrovsk temple, which the Catholics are unable to return to the believers. The VIP guests answered the journalists’ questions, made a religious procession through Karl Marx Avenue and had a traditional mass under the fence which made our country “famous” in all the Christian Europe. Mechislav Mokshinsky, the archbishop told why it was Dnepropetrovsk, which was chosen for the place of the regular conference:
- We have come here to express our solidarity to Capuchin priests, who serve the Lord here and to the believers, whom today we will pray with. Besides, we want to address the local authorities and all good-will people so that they could understand our request and give us a helping hand.Stanislav Shirikoradnyuk, the bishop:- There are laws in Ukraine that claim that the cultic buildings should be returned to the Church. Yet, not a single Catholic temple was returned in a peaceful way. People managed to return the temples only if they were very persistent, and tried their best to achieve their goal. And in the places, where they just used to pray and waited for the law provision they are still waiting and it seems that they will have to wait a lot in future. Besides, the Catholics never got back the temples – they got ruins, the building was almost destructed, like the one in Dnepropetrovsk and then they gave these ruins back to the Catholic Church. We asked: Your Grace, most of Catholic priests came to Ukraine from Poland. In Poland most population are Catholics and the Orthodox Church there is very small. What are the relations like between the Orthodoxies, the Catholics and the state? Do the Polish Orthodoxies face the same problems as the Catholics in Dnepropetrovsk? Marian Buchek, the bishop:
- The Orthodox Church in Poland has got seven eparchies, while people here tell that Poland is a wholly-catholic country. We haven’t got any misunderstandings between the Orthodoxies and the Catholics. Each country has a law about the freedom of worship, which regulates relations between the church and the state. If the state is unable to make a decision, which is based on Law, then the community which rights are violated may take the claim to the international court. But we don’t want this happen.
Is this a just trial? On the19th of February the Supreme Economic Court of Ukraine has satisfied the appeal of the Catholic diocese and has recalled the decision, made by the subordinate degrees of jurisdiction, who had decided that it is corporation “Dugsbery. Inc.” That has the right for property for the church building. The case was returned to the economic court of Dnepropetrovsk region. None of the local authorities met the VIP clergy guests. Are they ashamed?
According to the information, given by UNIAN, the Roman-Catholic community has brought a claim against «Dugsbery, Inc. » corporation (USA) and Dnepropetrovsk Regional Council. The Catholics want them return the Roman-Catholic building, which had been built in the 70s of the nineteenth century. The court has granted Dnepropetrovsk Regional State administration’s petition about taking them to court as the third side without any private claims.
GRIGORY GLOBAGOROZHANIN newspaper |
