“With great joy I greet today His Eminence Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the new Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych, together with the bishops and faithful who accompany him. I assure my constant prayer to the Blessed Trinity to bless you with gifts, to keep in peace and love the dear Ukrainian people,” with these words Pope Benedict XVI began his greetings to the faithful and the church hierarchy during the general audience March 30, 2011, Vatican Radio reports.

Adressing the new head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church personally, Pope Benedict said: “Your Eminence, the Lord called you to ministry and guidance of the noble church of the people, which over a thousand years ago was christened in Kyiv. I am sure that you, enlightened by the Holy Spirit, will lead your church, carrying in her faith in Jesus Christ, according to your own traditions and spirituality in communion with the Holy See, which is the hub of the visible unity, for which many sons and daughters did not spare even to give their lives. In these moments I recall our beloved brother His Beatitude Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, distinguished Major Archbishop. With the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God I pray for God’s blessing for you, your bishops, priests, monks and nuns and all the faithful.”

Together with the head of the UGCC today’s general audience was attended by the following bishops: Ihor Voznyak, CSSR, Archbishop of Lviv, Lawrence Huculak, OSBM, Metropolitan of Winnipeg (Canada), Stefan Soroka, Metropolitan of Philadelphia (USA), Bogdan Dzyurakh, CSSR, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops, David Motiuk, Bishop of Edmonton (Canada), Volodymyr Viytyshyn, Bishop of Ivano-Frankisk, Ken Nowakowski, Bishop of New Westminster (Canada), Vasyl Semeniuk, Bishop of Ternopil. Together with numerous representatives of religious communities were Father Basil Koubetch, Protoarhymandryt Basilian Order of St. Josaphat and Sister Jenis Solyuk, General Superior of Sisters of Mary Immaculate, as well as diocesan priests, seminarians and lay people.

Source: http://risu.org.ua/en/index/all_news/catholics/ugcc/41529/