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.
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.
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