Cooperation of catholic prison chaplaincy of European Region.

European Conference of the International Commission of Catholic Prison Pastoral Care (ICCPPC-Europe) held in Rome 13 – 16 January, 2011. Since 2003, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church had just an observer status in the organisation. But from 2007 the UGCC got membership in the Commission. The common decision of the ICCPPC-Europe representatives agreed that the next European Conference of Catholic prison chaplaincy would be organized in Ukraine, January 2012.

The meeting was held under the leadership of Bishop Terence Bryan (UK), who gives the ecclesiastical support to the ICCPPC. The participants of the Conference presented their reports about prison pastoral ministry in their countries. They elaborated proposals for changes to the organization's Charter to be in accordance with the Canonical Law of the Church. They proposed candidates from the European Region for the board of the ICCPPC before elections at the XIII World ICCPPC Congress in Yaoundé (Cameroon), August-September 2011. Ukraine was represented by two delegates: from the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC - Fr. Constantin Panteley and from RCC Bishop Conference in Ukraine - Fr. Grzegorz Draus.
The current President, Dr. Christian Kuhn reported about contribution of the ICCPPC at XII UN Congress for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (Brazil, 2010) - the recommendations to ensure the religious rights of persons behind bars.

Rev. Constantin Panteley invited chief chaplains of European countries to use pastoral resources of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church abroad. This potential is especially useful regarding mass labor migration process from post-Soviet countries. End of the Conference coincided with World Day of Migrants and Refugees, when His Hollyness Pope Benedict XVI made an appeal in which he expressed sympathy for the fate of millions of people who leaved their homes in search of better lives.


In January 17 at the office of Bishop Dioniziy Liakhovych, the Apostolic Administrator of the UGCC in Italy, was held the meeting of chaplains of the Church. Fr. Constantin Panteley made suggestions regarding prison pastoral care. Sr. Emily (Vandych), SSMI, told about her experience of care about Ukrainian women in migrant detention center in Italy. These centers were established for detention of illegal migrants up to 6 months for the identification of person prior to deportation from Italy. An illegal migration is aggravating circumstance in case of crime. Although such centers are no prison facilities, conditions of detention are still quite heavy. So, there is another field for pastoral work.

Correctional facility of Kolomyja received spiritual literature

On the eve of the New Year 2011 and the Christmas holidays a large collection of spiritual literature, including works about the lives of saints, about the history of church, was given to the Kolomyia correctional facility.

Bishop Mykola Simkaylo of Kolomyia and Chernivtsi shared his Episcopal blessing and more than thirty copies of the New Testament with the imprisoned.  
The administration of the colony welcomed the initiative of the church which, they said, gives an important motive for correcting the prisoners and carries a deeply educational character.
Senior chaplain of the eparchy Fr. Oleksiy Kuibida and Fr. Vasyl Pertsovych distributed the spiritual literature on December 30 in the Church of Christ the Savior, which is located on the territory of the colony.
The prisoners themselves had asked for more spiritual literature for their library.
It is necessary to thank the parishioners of St. Josaphat in Kolomyia, who gladly responded to the request of the convicts and generously shared their Christian literature and showed mercy to the convicted criminals.
Today there are about 800 people in the Kolomyia facility and close to one hundred take part in Divine Liturgies, which are celebrated on Sundays and on holidays.