The official new version has been released
By Agnieszka Krawczynski
The B.C. Catholic
The official English translation of the Ukrainian Catholic Church’s catechism has been released. The new volume, distinct from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is a historic document, according to Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk.
It is “the first time in our history that, with the cooperation of the entire church body, a catechism of the particular, Ukrainian Greco-Catholic Church that reflects its identity is being offered,” he said.
“It hasn’t been written by someone else for our church, nor has it been written by only one of its representatives. It is the fruit of the labours and prayers of the entire church.”
The catechism, titled Christ our Pascha, was released in Ukrainian in 2011. The English translation was launched in St. Josaphat Cathedral Hall in Edmonton Oct. 18.
“I was really gratified by the turnout at the launch,” said Father Peter Galadza, who made the trip from Ottawa for the release. The priest, a professor at the Sheptytsky Institute at St. Paul University, helped with the translation from Ukrainian to English.
He talked to The B.C. Catholic about the difference between the universal Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Ukrainian catechism.
“It’s the same beliefs, but presented in different language and in a different structure,” he said. Ukrainian Catholics don’t hold to a different faith than Roman Catholics, they just describe it differently.
“We use different languages, but we are still able to communicate the same reality,” he said.
“There are times when the emphases or the particular points that are being made superficially would seem different. When you dig deeper, you realize we are aiming at the same thing, at least in terms of the fundamental subjects of the faith.”
Christ Our Pascha is divided into three sections: the Faith of the Church, the Prayer of the Church, and the Life of the Church. “This catechism treats questions such as the nature of labour, the meaning of suffering, the contours of freedom.”
Father Galadza added that, “going back to the early 17th century,” the Ukrainian Catholic Church has had its own catechism, but this one is unique. It was not written by some individuals in Ukraine or created by simply translating a different catechism.
Christ Our Pascha was written “using the resources of our church worldwide,” including in Canada.
The volume will also be made available in French, Portuguese, and Russian.
