Roman Catholicism in Ukraine

The Catholic Church in Ukraine is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome. Present Archbishop is Mieczysław Mokrzycki (ordained on September 29, 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI). [ [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bmokr.html Catholic Hierarchy Portal News] ]

There are about four million Catholics in the country — about 8% of the total population. Roman Catholic church in Ukraine, by 2007 information, has 905 communities, 88 monasteries, 656 monks and nuns, 527 priests, 713 churches (74 churches are being built), 39 missions, 8 educational institutions, 551 Sunday schools, 14 periodical editions. ["Parafiyalna Gazeta, N 24, December, 2007"] [ [http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/major.religions/roman.catholic/ RISU Information Service] ]

The faithful of Ukraine follow several rites — the Ukrainian Rite, the Latin Rite and the Ruthenian Rite. Before World War II the Armenian Rite also had a notable presence.

During the next five years after the end of WWII, Stalin’s government in Ukrainian SSR killed 3600 Ukrainian Catholic priests and closed or razed 1000 Ukrainian Catholic temples, according to a Vatican report released in 1950. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,812899,00.html The Other Side of the Curtain] , "TIME Magazine", August 07, 1950]

The majority of Ukrainian faithful belong to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The Latin Rite in the territories of modern Ukraine has been strongly associated with Poland and Poles.

In 2001, Ukraine was visited by Pope John Paul II, who held official and informal meetings in Kyiv and Lviv. [ [http://www.zenit.org/article-16430?l=english Ukraine Remembers Visit of John Paul II] , Zenit News Agency] Obviously the Roman Catholic and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Churches warmly greeted a visit from their spiritual father. Non-Catholic religious communities expressed hope that the visit would encourage a spiritual and cultural renewal in a country troubled by economic and social problems. [ [http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/religion.and.society/papa.visit/ Ukraine responds to the Papal Visit] ]

Catholic charity Caritas Spes (by 2007 information) functiones in 12 regions of the country, has 40 centers engaging 500 employees and volunteers. [http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/religion.and.society/interview/article;17653/ Interview with Caritas-Spes Head of Ukraine, RISU Portal] ] It runs six family-style homes for orphans with 60 children, financed health rehabilitation camps situated in environmentally healthful areas around Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Transcarpathian regions, benefits 2,500 children each year. About 12,000 Ukrainian children, mainly victims of Chornobyl, orphans, and children from poor families, had their health improved in this way in 2002-2007. [http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/religion.and.society/interview/article;17653/ Interview with Caritas-Spes Head of Ukraine, RISU Portal] ]

Hierarchy

See: List of Roman Catholic dioceses in Ukraine

Roman Catholic Cathedrals in Ukraine

* Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, in Kamyanets-Podilsky
* Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Kharkiv
* Cocathedral of the Merciful Father, in Zaporizhia
* Cathedral of St. Sophia, in Zhytomyr
* St. Alexander’s Cocathedral, in Kyiv
* Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, in Lutsk
* Metropolian Cathedral Basilica of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM Assumption), in Lviv
* Cathedral of St. Martin of Tours, in Mukacheve
* Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Odessa. [ [http://www.gcatholic.com/churches/data/cathUA.htm GCatholic Directory] ]

ee also

*Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lviv
*St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Cathedral, Kiev
*Superior Institute of Religious Sciences of St. Thomas Aquinas
*Ukrainian Catholic University

References

External links

* [http://www.rkc.lviv.ua/ The Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine (the latin rite)]
* [http://www.nuntiatura.kiev.ua/nuncio.files/nunciature_eng.htm APOSTOLIC NUNCIATURE IN UKRAINE]
* [http://www.uadelegatura.oblaci.pl/ Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) in Ukraine]
* [http://www.kapucyni.org.ua/ind_en.html OFM (CAP) Page in Ukraine]
* [http://www.ofm.org.ua/ OFM in Ukraine]
* [http://www.jesuit-ua.org/english.htm Jesuits in Ukraine]
* [http://www.dominic.ua/eng/ Dominican Vicariate General of Russia and Ukraine] en icon pl icon ru icon uk icon
* [http://www.public.ua.net/~kairos/main_eng.htm Catholic Publishing House "Kairos"]
* [http://www.clemens.iatp.org.ua/e_kontakty.html Parish of St. Clemens in Sevastopol]
* [http://www.caritas-spes.org.ua/enindex.htm Caritas SPES in Ukraine]
* [http://www.wolanie.regle.pl/ Volannia z Volyni ("Voices Raised from Volyn")]
* [http://www.socium.org.ua/ Socium Magazine]
* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/ua.html Catholic Church in Ukraine, on Catholic Hierarchy Site]
* [http://avemaria.at.ua The Blessed Virgin Mary Annunciation Parish in Sumy]
* [http://caritasspessumy.at.ua Roman-Catholic Religious Mission "Caritas Spes Sumy"]