Ivai, Brazil, 27-30 August 2011: The Patriarchal Commission for priestly formation held a meeting under the leadership of Most Rev. Ken Nowakowski, Eparch of New Westminster, Canada. The commission members includes rectors and formators of Ukrainian Catholic seminaries and houses of priestly formation from Ukraine, Italy, Germany, USA, Canada and Brazil.

The Commission worked on drafting a document on fostering vocations to the priesthood to be presented to the Synod of Ukrainian Catholic Bishops at their annual meeting, this year to be held in Curitiba, Brazil.  Currently there are more than 600 men studying in Ukrainian Catholic seminaries and houses of formation throughout the world.

The Commission members were welcomed to Brazil by Bishop Volodymyr Koubetch, Eparch of Curitiba, Brazil.  Also joining the Commission meetings were Bishop Paul Chomnycky, Eparch of Stamford, USA and Bishop Myron Mazur, auxiliary bishop in Brazil.  Mr. Andrij Waskowycz, president of Caritas Ukraine presented a talk on the role of social service in ordained ministry.

The Commission members held their meetings at the Basilian Father’s novitiate in Ivai.  During their stay in Ivai the Commission members celebrated Divine Liturgy at the local Ukrainian Catholic parish, and also visited the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate’s novitiate also located in Ivia.

Upon the close of the Commission meeting, the members traveled to Prudentopolis, to take part in the V session of the Patriarchal Sobor on Monastic, Religious and Consecrated Life. The Commission will hold its next meeting in the spring of 2012 in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.