Annual Report. PATRIARCHAL CURIA UGCC 2019

31 The UGCC Catechetical Commission of the Patriarchal Curia a fruitful year. We were blessed to celebrate the Year of the Word of God in 2018, a mutual initiative of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Orga- nizations. The positive effect of this common initiative resulted in the revived interest in Bible studies and led to an increasing number of parish Bible study groups (876 parishes have active Bible study groups). Catechet - ical ministry and Bible study discipleship are of signifi - cant importance for the UGCC. The Synod of Bishops of the UGCC clearly defined strategic directions for catechetical ministry: preparation of a unified program of forma- tion for leaders of bible study groups and catechists of the UGCC; setting a special study-guide for the UGCC Catechism "Christ our Pascha"; preparation of new catechetical resources materials for different age groups. Catechetical Commission has been working dili- gently on implementing the Synod’s decisions. The Commission, in cooperation with the Catechetical-pedagogical institute of the Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU), has been offering a catechetical 3 year program in four different locations: Lviv (Lviv archep- archy), Kyiv (Kyiv archeparchy), Zhovkva (Sokal-Zhovkva eparchy) and Lutsk (Lutsk exarchate). At the end of 2019, there were 200 students enrolled at catechetical pro - grams. There is still a need to offer distance learning, especially for busy laymen and laywomen, who want to become catechists. We prepared a special unified program of formation for catechists, which now is available via online study using CMS distance learning tool. The program has been prepared through the mutual efforts of the employees of the Catechetical com- mission, the Department of Bible studies and Theological Department of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. Our online 3 year program offers an option in addition to receiving a diplo- ma in catechism to have a minor degree in the following areas: leader of bible study group; animator of the parish youth groups (in partnership with the Youth Commission); teacher of moral theology; family counsellor (in partnership with the Commission on Family); media specialist; cantor (in partnership with the Liturgical Commission).