Annual Report. PATRIARCHAL CURIA UGCC 2019

25 The main theme of the Synod was: "COMMUNION AND UNITY IN THE LIFE AND MINISTRY OF THE UKRAINIAN GREEK-CATHOLIC CHURCH" . In the presentation of the main theme, His Beatitude Sviatoslav pointed out the very special nature of the UGCC which is a particular Church sui iuris which possesses a millennial heritage of the Christian faith inculturated in the Ukrainian tradition and, at the same time, is a global Church (for it became a mother for peoples of other nations and cultures throughout the world). This main theme is reflected in The Pastoral Letter of the Synod of Bishops . Through this letter the Synodal Fathers emphasized the importance of the unity-communion with the Successor to the Apostle Peter as well as internal unity and solidarity. "Can the Edmonton Eparchy say to the Donetsk Exarchate: ‘I have no need of you!’? Can the Chernivtsi Eparchy say to the Curitiba Metropolia: ‘Your problems don’t concern me!’? Can the Melbourne Eparchy say to the Crimean Exarchate: ‘I don’t know you!’?" We could ask ourselves many such questions, each according to their own conscience. However, the response to each of them should be the same — an em - phatic "No!" The Synodal Letter also highlights the important task of the Head and Father of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church who is both the symbol and servant of her global unity, communion and development. "The Head of our Church is given the particular task of the pasto- ral care over all the faithful of our Church, especially over those who reside outside its pastoral structures." Pope Francis shared with the Synodal Fathers his reflections on the notion of synodality: "Today there is a danger to mistakenly believe that the Synod- al way is gathering opinions in order to meet and reach some understanding in the future. We need to discuss matters, to have disputes as it usually occurs, but it is not Parliament. The Synod does not mean to reach some kind of understanding, as in politics. The Synod does not mean to conduct socio- logical surveys, as some might believe, saying, we will order a poll of the laity to find out what should change. You must know what your laity think, but the Synod is not a poll, it is something else." The Pope stressed that " if there is no Holy Spirit, there is no Synod. If there is no Holy Spirit, there is no synodality." The members of the Synod of Bishops thanked the Holy Father for the support of our Church in Ukraine and in the diaspora. Our faithful especially appreciate the contribution of the Pope of Rome and the Apostolic See in promoting peace and pro- viding humanitarian aid during the aggression and the ongoing war in eastern Ukraine. The Pastoral letter of the Synodal Fathers stresses the importance of the unity- communion with the Successor to Peter the Apostle as well as internal unity and solidarity