Cardinal Mykola Bychok to the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Virgin Mary in Rome: “Be Close to the Suffering People of God”

The newly proclaimed cardinal concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with Bishop Dionysiy Liakhovych, Exarch for Ukrainian Greek Catholics of the Byzantine Rite in Italy; Bishop Bohdan Dziurakh, Exarch for Ukrainian Greek Catholics in Germany and Scandinavia; Bishop Mykhailo Bubniy, Exarch of Odesa-Crimea; Bishop Iryney Bilyk, Canon of the Pontifical Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; and Fr. Simon Ckuj, Protosynkellos of the Melbourne Eparchy.

During the homily, His Eminence reflected on the Gospel passage about the healing of a blind man who, after meeting and touching Jesus, could “see clearly and far away.” At the end of the sermon, the bishop wished the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Virgin Mary to be close to the suffering people of God, following the example of Blessed Josaphata.

In her welcoming remarks, Sister Sofia Lebedovych, Superior General of the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, assured Cardinal Mykola of her prayers and wished him trust in the Lord, the zeal of the prophet Elijah, the wisdom of Moses, and that there would never be a shortage of those who would hold hands in prayer.

In memory of this visit, the sisters presented Cardinal Mykola with an icon of Blessed Josaphata, patroness of the Sisters Servants, painted by Sister Olena Mankut from the Province of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Poland.

This article is based on materials provided by the Sisters Servants of the Immaculate Virgin Mary.

See also

January 7 Pastoral visit of Bishop Mykola to Tasmania, January 25–26 January 5 Solemn opening of the Jubilee Year in Melbourne December 30 Bishop Mykola to the members of the CYM in Buxton: “We remember all those who are fighting for independence at this very moment”