Annual Report. PATRIARCHAL CURIA UGCC 2019

52 In 2019 the Department of military chaplaincy of the UGCC focused on three areas of work: formation of a network of military chaplains; increasing the psychological and spiritual resilience among army veterans and their families; cooperation with the state institutions in the area of legislation, helping the most vulnerable groups affected by the Russian aggression in Ukraine and healing the wounds of the war. "By His wounds we were healed ", quoting from the book of the prophet Isaiah, the Synod of Bishops of Major Archbishopric Kyiv-Halych of the UGCC has made a special appeal to the clergy and the faithful for the healing of the wounds of war. Jesus Christ turned his suffering into the redemption of humani- ty, and we can not avoid the wounds afflicted by the war, but rather open our hearts and minds to the healing process. 87 UGCC military chaplains have been serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine providing spiritual support to over 68 000 soldiers The Department of military chaplaincy of the Patriarchal Curia of the UGCC has been overseeing the service of military chaplains in the war zone providing training, formational support and supervision of the chaplains. The Department has been coordinating the activities of 87 UGCC military chaplains (37 employed by the Ministry of Defense and 50 voluntary chaplains) who have been serving in the Army providing spiritual support to over 68, 000 soldiers. The work of the Department is focused on the formation of values in the army through the enhancement of the pasto- ral care and spiritual support of those who face challeng- ing situations. The Department has succeeded in providing priests-chaplains with the skills, necessary to answer current and assumed new challenges in their ministry, and to serve as a role-model for the chaplaincy service for other Chris- tian denominations in Ukraine. Joint all-Ukrainian meetings of chaplains, in addition to the provided trainings, contributed to the development of the strategies of these services and to better coordi- nation of the activities of chaplains throughout Ukraine. The Department has also laid a basis for the future development and growth of the chaplaincy service within the UGCC through a formation of seminarians by teaching them about the specific need of pastoral care in particular challenging situations. Such courses help change the attitudes of future priests towards chaplaincy service, overcoming existing stereotypes and motivating them to join chaplaincy service. The Department has developed an appropriate system of preparation of clergy, providing f ormation to military chaplains serving in military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as well as to reserve chaplains (seminarians that applied for future military chaplaincy service and are members of the Centers of the pastoral care of the military of 5 major seminaries). Two one-day trainings were conducted within the framework of a Pilgrimage and a Congress that took place on Sep. 20, 2019 in Zarvanytsia entitled "Soldiers of God’s Platoon." 53 persons in total — 24 military chaplains (staff and reserve) and 29 seminarians — participated in these events. Soc ial ser v i ces for people in need