Newsletter 13: 22 October 2024

Dear Colleagues,

“The thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the Church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars! You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else. Heal the wounds, heal the wounds. ... And you have to start from the ground up.”

Pope Francis 2013

The recent nomination by Pope Francis of Bishop Mykoloa Bychok to become Australia’s next Cardinal has been welcomed by the Chair of the Australian Bishops Conference, Archbishop Tim Costello of Perth. Archbishop Tim wrote:

“It is with great joy that the bishops of Australia congratulate Bishop Mykola Bychok CSsR, on his nomination as one of the new cardinals to be created at the next consistory in Rome on December 8. Since being appointed as the Eparch (bishop) of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia, Bishop Mykola has won the affection and admiration not only of his own people but also of the bishops of Australia. He is a valued member of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. As we congratulate him on this new appointment we are reminded again of the terrible suffering of the people of Ukraine. This appointment will bring great joy to Ukrainian Catholics here in Australia and indeed throughout the world. We unite with them in praying for an end to the war in their homeland and for the establishment of a just peace.”

The nomination has received attention in the broader media for a variety of reasons. Historically in Australia, the Bishop nominated by the Pope to be a Cardinal has held the position of Archbishop for a geographical Diocese. Among the 21 Bishops nominated in 2024 as new Cardinals from across the globe, 12 are currently Archbishops for geographical Dioceses. The nomination of Bishop Mykoloa by Pope Francis gives cause to reflect carefully on Australia, the world, and the Catholic Church.

There are five Eparchies in the Australian Catholic Church, which along with the Military Ordinariate and Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross are considered non-geographical Dioceses in the Australian Church. The Eparchies are:

Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne (Ukrainian)

Eparchy of Saint Michael of Sydney (Melkite)

Eparchy of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Melbourne (Syro-Malabar)

Eparchy of Saint Maroun of Sydney (Maronite)

Saint Thomas the Apostle of Chaldean Catholic Diocese (Chaldean)

The vibrant Catholic communities of these Eparchies are Australians whose families have come from many different countries including Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Jordan, India, Egypt, and Ukraine. The existence of the Eparchies is a reflection of the strength of modern day, multi-cultural Australia. The rich histories of the “Eastern” Catholic Churches reside within the context of seismic shifts in geo-political influences and sovereignty throughout the centuries. Their unbroken fidelity to the earliest known language of Christian prayers and celebrations of the Eucharist, exemplify and give testimony to the strength of faith and trust in God among generations over two millennia.

Pope Francis has consistently presented a vision for the Church as “a field hospital after battle”. The poignancy of the image today is confronting as the conflicts in Lebanon, Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine rage on. Francis has also urged us to consider ourselves as sisters and brothers of the one human family, and for our engagement with all of creation to be motivated with the instinctive love and charity we share among loved ones. In commenting on his nomination, Bishop Mykoloa highlighted the role of Cardinal is to serve the Pope, and provide advice by being attentive to the needs of the Church in the world today. Importantly, Bishop Mykoloa asked us to pray.

“We are blessed to be living in this country free of war and conflict, which has become a place of peace and hope for many refugees and migrants. I acknowledge with gratitude the countless messages of encouragement. Thank you for this continued support, not just for myself but for the peoples of Ukraine.

Today, I have brought something very precious to me. This flag is a relic of bravery – and bears the blood and marks of my fellow Ukrainians tortured in defending their homeland. It is a symbol of hope for all who suffer persecution, loss, displacement and the pains of war. It is also a stark reminder that the marginalised can never be forgotten.

Here today under the patronage of Saints Peter and Paul – the great witnesses and martyrs of the Church, I ask for your prayers as I embark on this new journey. But importantly, I ask for your prayers for those who are most in need.”