Ukraine - En

Acts of the 7th European Assembly of Lay Dominican Fraternities Annex IIu

Lay Dominicans in Ukraine

Content




Introduction • Some historical facts • OPs: general statistics




Fastiv - the “Ukrainian Bethlehem” of modern Dominican family The Mukacheve Fraternity is an advanced prayer post in the Western Ukraine The Kyiv Fraternity. Service to the Word • In focus: St. Thomas Aquinas' Theological Institute • In focus: KAIROS Publishing House and “Parafijalna Gazeta” • Other activities





Map of Ukraine

“The geographical center of Europe”

Area - 603.7 sq. km Total population - 47 million About 6 million - Catholics In 1991 it was possible to hear such questions...

"Really Catholics are Christians too?"

…or such answers: “- Do you believe in God? – No, I’m a doctor”. (It’s typical thinking for Soviet people)

Orange Revolution: made in Ukraine, Dec. 2004

The aspiration and courage of the people of Maydan square is wonderful, and their presence is God’s miracle. But without faith, without meeting with God, without a conscience, all will be lost… Photo by Kirill Chubotin

Some facts about the history of Fr. Dominicans in Kyiv







1228 – arrival of St. Hyacinth (Jacek) to Kyiv At the same time a former Benedictine church (built on Obolon in XIth century by Irish missionaries) was given to the Dominicans For five years Jacek led a missionary community in Kyiv 1233 – The Dominican mission left Kyiv in accordance with Prince Volodymyr’s request

Some facts about the history of Fr. Dominicans in Kyiv






1235 – Dominicans returned to Kyiv and stayed in the city until Batu Khan's attack 1240 – Senior Dominican brothers Albert and Dominic and others were taken prisoners, 90 brothers died. It is believed that during these events one of Jacek's miracles happened: he carried a statue of the Blessed Virgin across the Dnipro river 1648 – the Russian Province has almost 50 monasteries

St.Hyacinth (Jacek, 1183 – 1257)

One of the lost Dominican sanctuaries. At the beginning of the XVIIth century, in Kyiv, on Podil, Dominicans established a monastery and built the church of St. Nicholas. In 1651 this church was desecrated, but within a short time rebuilt and consecrated as an Orthodox church of St. Peter and St. Paul.

In 1934 Soviets destroyed the church (Photo – late 1920’s).

Some facts about the history of Fr. Dominicans in Kyiv


1649 – Catholic churches

of Kyiv were ruined by Bogdan Chmelnytsky (according to historian Zakrevsky)
1799, 19 April – According to the decree of Emperor Paul I, on Pechersk, near New Bazaar, the wooden church of the Virgin Mary was founded, where 250 Dominican and Uniate

Dominicans in Kyiv


Our presence in Kyiv is closely connected with the formation (22.07.1993) of the General Vicariate for Russia and Ukraine, whose patron is Michael Archangel




Kyiv is the centre of the Vicariate. The General Vicar lives here, and the Curia of the Vicariate is also situated here.

St. Michael – patron of Kyiv and the Dominican Vicariate

With General Vicar Mariusz Wozniak OP, Fr. Maciej Rusiecki OP

Visit of our Master General Timothy Radcliffe OP

The Chapter, 2005

Holy Mass. St. Hyacinth Chapel

Consecration of the Chapel

OPs in Ukraine: general statistics

There are 50 members, incl. 42 with final vows, (9 brothers and 41 sisters).


They were united in three fraternities - in Fastiv, Mukachevo and Kiev

Fastiv is the “Ukrainian Bethlehem” of modern Dominican family


At the beginning people started to be united around missionaries from Poland fr. Zighmund, OP and s. Kazimira. They helped to recreate a church which had been destroyed by the Soviet authority.




The OP community in Fastiv was founded on September, 14, 1992. At this time it totalled 10 Lay Dominicans. In Fastiv there came Lay Dominicans from Kiev, Vinnitsa, Popelnia, Bila Cerkva, Bojarka and other settlements.




Fastiv is the “Ukrainian Bethlehem” of modern Dominican family




On October, 4, 2006 it was registered as the St. Ekaterina of Siena Fraternity. There are 18 members, incl. 16 with final vows (2 brothers and 16 sisters).

Holy Mass, prayer and bible meetings, pilgrimages, conferences managed by Vladimir Savinskij, OP make a basis of formation for Lay Dominicans

OPs Promoter and Fastiv Fraternity Assistant – fr.Wladimir Savinski, OP

Fastiv is the “Ukrainian Bethlehem” of modern Dominican family

The Mukacheve fraternity, an advanced prayer post in Western Ukraine


The Mother of God of the Rosary Community was established in Mukacheve in 1995 (on 8.04.95 12 persons made vows).




Svorad Jan Duda, ОР has been the fraternity assistant since 2000. There are 18 members with final vows (1 brother and 17 sisters), and 3 postulants.

The Mukacheve fraternity, an advanced prayer post in Western Ukraine




The love of Christ makes us able to open our hearts to the poor and needy.




Lay Dominicans with Caritas workers visit patients in hospital branches (gerontology and oncology) and also lonely old people.




Some people provide Catholic teaching in schools, or work with young people. Everyone is engaged in adult evangelization.

Anna Tjagur, OPs President in Ukraine presents the activities of the Mukacheve fraternity

The Mukacheve fraternity, an advanced prayer post in Western Ukraine

Christ from Volyn

∗

Monthly meetings. Rosary prayer, mass, reflection about St. Catherine's “Letters”, lectures on the history of the Order, the lives of Dominican saints, agapa.




Work with new members, for spiritual growth, and formation of new groups are carried out

The Kyiv Fraternity. Service to the Word


At the beginning the group belonged to the Fastiv Brotherhood In 2000 it became independent There are 14 members (6 brothers and 8 sisters), incl. 8 with final vows in the Kyiv Fraternity. Fraternity Prior – Br. Mark Sorokin, OPs

St. Hyacinth is a Fraternity patron

The Kyiv Fraternity. Service to the Word




Fraternity Assistant – Fr. Dominic Simon OP




All the members of the Kiev fraternity except one have a high education. Four candidates of sciences are community members.

Our tertiaries – laity Dominicans: the oldest and the youngest. Mrs. Radoslava Chornucha and Slavomir

The Kyiv Fraternity. Service to the Word

Fraternity together with Father Assistant in the Chapel

Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute








St. Thomas (1224 – 1274)

The College of Catholic Theology established in 1992. On May 5, 2000 it became the Institute of Religious Sciences. It enables students to receive a University masters degree in Religious Sciences that is conferred by the "Angelicum" – St. Thomas Aquinas Papal University in Rome.

Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

Consecration of the Institute: abp. Eterovych, Fr. T. Radcliffe OP, September 2000

Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

Teachers and students


The significant part of the Kiev fraternity was trained at the Institute. Four Lay Dominicans are faculty members and teach some theological disciplines

Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

The new building of the Institute and Monastery in Kiev. Main facade from the side of Yakira St.

Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute The lecture "Dominican presence in Kyiv" by our expert on Dominican history Olexij Braslavets, OPs , August 18, 2007

During the lecture…

Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

St. Dominic's Day celebration, August, 8, 2002

Our area of activity: St. Thomas Institute

Institute: "Righteous of our time", meeting dedicated to Mother Teresa of Calcutta (2000)

A Meeting lasts…

"Aggiornamento” Center



carried out the open seminars cycle “In focus of the Catholic social thought”. cooperates with teachers and authors from "Angelicum" and other universities (Italy, USA, Philippines, etc.)

In focus: KAIROS Publishing




KAIROS (from Greek – "blessed time") Publishing House was established in 1993 by Kyiv St. Thomas Aquinas College of Catholic Theology. According to the Decree of Zhytomyr Bp. Jan Purvinsky of 23. 11. 1993, the College received publishing rights. On 19.01.1994 KAIROS Publishing was handed to Dominicans.

In focus: KAIROS Publishing

Nuncio Abp. Eterovych consecrated KAIROS Publishing premises on 27/16 Spaska St., 2004.

In focus: KAIROS Publishing

Iryna Jermak, OPs one of the "Parafialna Gazeta" staff editors

In focus: KAIROS Publishing

"Parafialna Gazeta" editorial staff. Spring 2007

In focus: KAIROS Publishing

Master General Fr. Carlos OP and Fr. Wojciech Giertych OP and our "SOCIUM"

Publications




The edition of our own newsletter "AVE" (editor I.Ermak, OPs )




Publications in magazines: "Naturalis", “Politics and culture ”, "Collegia" (Editorial group members - O.Slobodjan and O.Jakovina, OPs)




Brochures on the Social doctrine of the Church


Publications, conferences and the

statements devoted to preparations for the Visit of Pope John Paul II to Ukraine

Translations and Documents Development




Translation into Ukrainian of the Dominican prayers, necessary paragraphs of the Canon Law Code.




Translation and edition of the international Charter of Lay Dominicans (January, 2001).




Development of the OPs Directory.

OPs meetings…

During Holy Mass

Formation

Mark Sorokin, OPs delivering a seminar, 2000

Prayer meetings




Creation and management of round-the-clock prayer group "Straz honorowa " at St. Nicholas Church in Kiev.




Conducting the prayer group of the Heart of Jesus at St. Alexander Cathedral

Prayer meetings

In the Chapel

Prayer meetings

Fraternity members having a celebration in the Chapel

Agapa

Sharing a meal

Christian video club “Talent before God”

Christian video club “Talent before God”


This

is not the end…


History Stained-glass window, view from within

goes on…