Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Bishop Mykola Bychok: “I call on the bishops of Australia to support the initiative to exchange prisoners ‘all-for-all’”
May 4, 2024
On May 3, Bishop Mykola Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, delivered a speech at the Plenary meeting of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, during which he called on those present to support the “all-for-all” prisoner exchange initiative.
Currently, about 8,000 servicemen and 1,600 civilians are in russian captivity, in inhumane conditions. It is also known that among the prisoners there are 10 Ukrainian clergy, in particular UCC priests Fr. Ivan Levytskyi and Fr. Bohdan Geleta.
In his traditional Easter message, “Urbi et Orbi”, the Holy Father Francis particularly called for respect for the principles of international law and expressed hope that a total exchange of prisoners between russia and Ukraine will take place.
Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church His Beatitude Sviatoslav, in a weekly video address in the 115th week of russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, on the eve of Easter according to the Julian calendar, called for the exchange of “all-for-all” proposed by Pope Francis, at least with regard to three categories of Ukrainians: women, medical workers, and clergy. His Beatitude Sviatoslav invited religious and public organisations, regardless of ideological orientation, to join this initiative.
Carrying out his pastoral ministry as a bishop for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, Bishop Mykola Bychok uses every opportunity to spread the truth about the war in Ukraine, share the pain and experiences of our people, and find support. And it bears fruit. For example, in August 2023, a delegation of bishops from Australia visited Ukraine. As one of its participants, Archbishop Peter Comensoli later emphasised: “It was Bishop Mykola Bychok’s regular reports and appeals to Australian bishops about the situation in Ukraine that inspired me and other bishops to visit Ukraine, in particular Lviv, Kyiv, Irpin, and Bucha. We heard first-hand of both the pain and loss — and of the great courage and hope held by the Ukrainian people.” After this visit, the Archdiocese of Melbourne, headed by Archbishop Peter, organised a collection and presented Bishop Mykola with a donation to support those displaced by the war in Ukraine and those who have sought refuge in Australia.
So this time too, when the Bishop Mykola had the opportunity to speak at the Plenary meeting of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, which takes place twice a year, in May and November, and in which all Catholic hierarchs of Australia participate, he appealed to those present to support such an important event for Ukraine: the initiative of the Holy Father Francis and His Beatitude Patriarch Sviatoslav regarding the exchange of prisoners “all-for-all”. “Let us do everything possible to make the exchange of all prisoners from both sides a reality,” urged Bishop Mykola.
