The first pan-Canadian meeting of representatives of the youth pastoral ministry of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church took place with the participation of Metropolitan Lawrence Huculak of Winnipeg and the bishops of the Winnipeg Metropolia. The event brought together clergy, religious, and youth leaders involved in ministry to young people across Canada.
This was reported by the Patriarchal Commission on Youth Affairs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
Organized by the commission, the meeting focused on analyzing the current state of youth ministry, exchanging experiences among eparchies, and exploring avenues for pastoral development in contemporary Canada—particularly in the context of the new wave of Ukrainian migration caused by the war.
The meeting opened with remarks from Bishop Bryan Bayda, chairman of the Patriarchal Commission on Youth Affairs. He emphasized the need to be mindful of the diversity within Canada’s youth community and to seek appropriate approaches to ministering to young people from different generations of Ukrainian descent.
During the meeting, Bishop Bryan Bayda and the commission’s vice-chairman, Fr. Roman Demush, presented the commission’s main areas of activity, its international initiatives, formation programs, and the challenges currently facing youth ministry in Ukraine and the diaspora.
Representatives of the eparchies shared their experiences in implementing youth projects, including summer camps, prayer meetings, sports events, volunteer initiatives, catechesis, and cooperation with schools and chaplaincy structures. Participants emphasized the importance of personal mentoring and of creating communities where young people feel a sense of belonging to the Church.
Special attention was given to developing youth spaces within parishes and creating environments that foster communication, formation, and spiritual growth.
Participants conducted a collective SWOT analysis of youth ministry in Canada, outlining its strengths, challenges, opportunities, and threats. Noted strengths included the experience of youth leaders, the availability of formation materials, and the support of Church and community organizations. At the same time, they identified insufficient cross-eparchial coordination, a lack of resources and volunteers, secularization, and the gradual loss of young people’s connection to Church tradition as the main challenges.
Participants emphasized that youth ministry must go beyond organizing events to help young people encounter Christ through personal spiritual experiences, prayer, and active life within the Church community.
To conclude the meeting, the Patriarchal Commission on Youth Affairs introduced new formation resources, youth leader training programs, and spiritual preparation materials for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul. Attendees also discussed the possibility of hosting a pan-Canadian UGCC youth gathering.
Source: UGCC Department for Information
