Annual Report. PATRIARCHAL CURIA UGCC 2019

68 Professional Development of Clergy and Religious Commission on Clergy Commission on Religious Personnel Development Commission Profess ional Development of Clergy and Rel igious Religious persons form the core of the Church community. They are those who in a special way reflect the words of Christ: "You are the salt of the earth" (Matt. 5:13) . In the modern secular world a vocation to the religious life is a special gift which needs to be nurtured and supported The Patriarchal Commission on Religious The Patriarchal Commission on Religious is responsible for the develop- ment and nurturing of religious and consecrated life in the UGCC. It provides coordination and networking among the religious orders in the UGCC through meetings of superiors and joint events for the religious. Reporting about the activity of the Commission to the UGCC Permanent Synod in Oct. 2019, Head of the Commission on Religious His Excellency Mykhai- lo Bubniy, Exarch of Odessa, noted: "We are called to be ‘helping hands’ to the Head of our Church". The very essence of religious life requires constant education and formation of religious persons. For this reason, the Commission pays special attention to systematic formational meetings and courses on continuing formation for those responsible for formation in religious orders.