Ukrainian Catholic ChurchAustralia, New Zealand and Oceania
Leo XIV: “Thank you to the congregations that provide religious for episcopal ministry”
June 27, 2025
On Thursday, June 26, Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok, Eparch of Melbourne, together with Redemptorist bishops from around the world, participated in a private audience with Pope Leo XIV. The meeting took place within the First International Congress of Redemptorist Bishops, which is being held in Rome from June 22 to 28, 2025.
This historic congress, organised by the General Government of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer on the occasion of the Jubilee Year, brought together 31 bishops from among the 59 Redemptorist hierarchs who serve in various countries around the world.
In his address to the participants of the audience, Pope Leo XIV thanked the Redemptorist and Scalabrinian Congregations, who were also present at the meeting, for their willingness to share their religious for episcopal ministry, especially in times of shortage of vocations. "The Church is grateful to your congregations, from which it has requested a considerable sacrifice in appointing bishops from among their members. At the same time, however, it has given your congregations a tremendous gift, because service to the universal Church is the greatest grace and joy for any religious family," said the Holy Father.
The Pope also emphasised the importance of the charisms of the Redemptorists and Scalabrinians, in particular their ministry to migrants and the evangelisation of the poor. These charisms, he said, are particularly relevant in today's world and are a source of spiritual enrichment for both the bishops themselves and for all God's people.
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has the largest representation at the congress. The delegation includes Cardinal Mykola Bychok, Bishop Bohdan Dzyurakh, Bishop Yaroslav Pryriz, Bishop Mykhailo Bubniy, Bishop Petro Loza, Bishop Bryan Bayda, and Bishop Michael Smolinski.
As part of the congress, on June 27, there will be a celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help with the participation of Cardinals Joseph Tobin and Mykola Bychok. The programme also includes participation in jubilee events in the Vatican and discussion of current challenges to episcopal ministry in the spirit of the spiritual heritage of St. Alphonsus.
Source: Vatican News
