Alle sind wir Sünder, obwohl nur wenige von uns Verbrecher sind, - Seine Seligkeit Lubomyr über den Tag der besonderen Pastoralsorge und des Gebetes für die Strafgefangenen

Den Sonntag des verlorenen Sohnes, der in diesem Jahr am 20.Februar gefeiert wird,  bestimmte die Bischofssynode der Ukrainischen, Griechisch-Katholischen Kirche als den Tag der besonderen Pastoralsorge und des Gebetes für die Strafgefangenen. Anlässlich dieses Tages schrieb Seine Seligkeit Lubomyr am 14. Januar 2011 einen Pastoralbrief an die Geistlichkeit und die Laien der UGKK und an alle Menschen guten Willens.
„Ich möchte eure Aufmerksamkeit auf das Schicksaal unserer Landsleute lenken, an die wir nicht so gerne denken wollen, oder wenn wir an sie denken, dann nicht so gut. Es handelt sich um die Männer und Frauen, die jetzt im Gefängnis oder in Untersuchungshaft verweilen, kurz gesagt, um die, die ein Verbrechen begangen haben, oder denen es vorgeworfen wurde. Von solchen Menschen sagt man oft: „Die haben es verdient“, - so bemerkt der geistliche Führer der UGKK im Vorwort seines Schreibens.
 
Nach Meinung Seiner Seligkeit Lubomyr gebe es keinen Staat in der Welt – auch unter den höchst  entwickelten – in dem  keine Verbrecher begangen werden , wie es auch keinen Menschen gibt, - auch unter denen, die alle Gebote Gottes halten – der nicht sündige. „Alle sind wir Sünder, obwohl nur wenige von uns Verbrecher sind. Ein Verbrechen sei Tatsache unserer Wirklichkeit, aber wir verstehen und wissen nicht immer, welche Einstellung wir dazu haben sollen, wie wir uns den Verbrechern gegenüber benehmen sollen und wie die Verbrecher selber den Zustand ihrer Seele betrachten sollen“ , - erklärt der emeritierte Großerzbischof.
„Auch wenn diese Leute mit Recht verurteilt wurden, weil sie einen großen Fehler begangen hatten, oder auf einem Irrweg waren; so leiden sie jetzt doch und brauchen unsere Hilfe, wie Jesus Christus gesagt hat, sie brauchen unser Mitleid“, - erklärte Seine Seligkeit Lubomyr. Wenn es die Gelegenheit gäbe, - so schreibt er, - sollten wir die Gefangenen besuchen,  besonders wenn es unsere Nächsten oder Bekannten sind.
 
Dabei betonte Seine Seligkeit Lubomyr, wie wichtig das Gebet ist: „Für alle Häftlinge sollen wir unsere Gebete zum Herrn richten, damit ihre Zeit in der Gefangenschaft für sie zur Besinnung werde, damit sie das begangene Böse bedauern können und sich vornehmen diesen Fehler in ihrem Leben nie mehr zu wiederholen“.
Der geistliche Führer der UGKK bat auch darum, im Gebet auch die Kapläne, Priester und Volontäre nicht zu vergessen, „die mit voller Hingabe arbeiten, um die Strafgefangenen geistlich zu unterstützen und ihnen zu helfen den richtigen Weg zu finden“. Ebenfalls sollen wir all die Mitarbeiter in der Rechtsprechung nicht vergessen, die „die eine nicht leichte Aufgaben erfüllen, indem sie jeden Tag die verletzten, menschlichen Schicksale berühren“.
 
Presseabteilung der UGKK

All of us are sinners, even though only a small percentage of us are criminals, - His Beatitude Lubomyr about the Day of special pastoral attention and prayer for prisoners.

The Sunday of the Prodigal Son, which every year falls up to two weeks before the Great Lent, Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has defined as a Day of special pastoral attention and prayer for prisoners themselves and the other victims of crimes. The Gospel Reading on this Sunday (Luke 15:11-32) lays out one of the most important themes of the Lenten season: the history of falling into a sin, realization of one's sinfulness, the road to repentance, and finally reconciliation, each of which is illustrated in the course of the parable. The UGCC Synod invokes to remember in prayers workers of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine, chaplains and volunteers.

The Sunday of the Prodigal Son, on February 20, 2011, His Beatitude Lubomyr wrote a pastoral letter to clergy, laity of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to and to all people of goodwill.

“I would like to draw your attention to the fate of our compatriots who we try not to mention. Even if we do think about them, we do it in a not very benevolent way. I am referring to those men and women who are now serving sentences in prisons, or are being kept in detention confinement cells; in short, I speak of those who are imprisoned for committing a crime or suspected of wrongdoing. It is often said about these people: it is their fault, they have what they deserved.” – makes a preface to his letter the spiritual leader of the UGCC.

According to His Beatitude Lubomyr, there is no country in the world - even among the most developed ones – where no crime is committed. Likewise, there is no person - even among those who want to keep all God’s commandments - who does not sin. “All of us are sinners, even though only a small percentage of us are criminals. Crime is an indisputable fact of our reality. However, we do not always understand and know how to treat it, how to treat criminals or how criminals themselves should consider the state of their souls,” – explicates the Major Archbishop-emeritus.

“Even if these people are justly convicted because they made a big mistake, stepping on the wrong path, they are facing sufferings. They need our help, in the words of Jesus Christ - our compassion” – expounds His Beatitude Lubomyr. Thus, when we have an opportunity – let us visit them, especially when it is related to our relatives and friends.

His Beatitude also highlights the importance of the prayer: “For all of them, without exception, we should lift up our prayers to God praying that the time when their freedom is limited would become an opportunity for them to reconsider their lives, to feel sorry for their wrongdoings and to make a firm decision not to repeat the same mistakes.”

In addition, the spiritual leader of the UGCC invokes to remember in our prayers and support chaplains, clergy and volunteers “who work with great dedication to provide spiritual support for prisoners, helping them to step on the right path.” Let us not also forget about workers of the Penitentiary system of Ukraine “who perform difficult tasks, because every day they are near of broken human destinies. ”.

Prison Art.

Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.
(Psalm 142.8)

An exposition of works of decorative and applied art of prisoners was opened on 8 Februar, 2011, in the museum in Stry, region of Lviv.  The exhibition "Transformation by God's Love" is conducted by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) in cooperation with the Penitentiary Service of Ukraine. The initiator of the Exposition in Stry is Most Reverend Taras Senkiv, OM, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese Stry.

Bishop Taras Senkiv told during the opening ceremony: “This exhibition I would like to call “a meeting of two worlds” - of a world in which we live and of a world of those who, rightly or wrongly, have occurred "in another dimension”. As long as a man lives on earth, he always has a chance for conversion. But for us as a caution should sound the words of Jesus Christ: "I was in prison, and ye visited me not." Society has, in a large extent, responsibility for everyone and for its destiny, and, in particular, for people that made a mistake. Indoor space of prisons is not a space for revenge. Today we see how people deprived of their liberty, try to talk about their intrinsic state. So let this exhibition be an eloquent call for us, there are people who are suffering and who need our attention. Soon we will reflect on the parable of the prodigal son. This is a story about a young man went astray, but then turned, came to his father, who never ceased to love him. Let us pray for them, let us be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful.”

Eparchial prison pastors were present as well. Rev. Ihor Ilkiv, chaplain of penal institution of Mykolayiv, marked: "I'm sure, we should talk about prison more, because the more life behind the walls is closed to us, the more we are closed to people who are there. Usually we treat them with caution, we are not ready to meet them at liberty, and we are ready to overcome the internal barrier. As you can see, pictures present scenes of life quite earthy and real. "

Rev. Andrew Zaritsky, chaplain of prison facility #110 with over three hundred inmates, added his comment: "The main mission of chaplain - to bring Christ, help prisoners to understand God's word, to percept God's presence among us. This exhibition is showing us that there are many good and talented people among prisoners.

The project aims to promote understanding between the society and imprisoned people through art and to familiarize the wide circles of public with steps of reformation of the penitentiary system in the context of the prison pastoral ministry of the Church. With the assistance of the State Penitentiary  Service of Ukraine, 148 works of 142 authors were passed from penitentiary institutions of all regions of Ukraine. The exhibition was already shown in Kyiv, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Truskavets and Drohobych.
The most important objective of the pastoral ministry in prisons is reviving people who committed crimes and are in conflict with the law and society. Thanks to art, the prisoners have a possibility to feel the spiritual connection with the society and to be revived spiritually.

Cardinal Lubomyr Huzar called Ukrainians to support convicted fellow citizens in their aspiration for the light. The pictures by the convicts represent their vision of the world: this shows that their souls are inclined to light, that they feel human dignity. "We should support our citizens in that. Let us try, because they can behind bars and barbed wire create something wonderful, make adequate steps towards their neighbors in order to transform the life and world with the love of the heart and richness of the soul," stressed the patriarch as he described the exhibition.

<a href="http://risu.org.ua">Джерело публікації: risu.org.ua</a>