Bishop Mykola Bykok, cardinal-elect of the Diocese of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, spoke to Vatican News about his responsibility and faith in this time of war.
Vatican News
Ukraine, Thursday, October 17, 2024 (REI): “Peace in the world will come only when there is peace in the hearts of people, a true peace that comes from the love of Christ.”
In an interview with Vatican News, Cardinal-elect Mykola Bykoc, bishop of the Diocese of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne for Ukrainian Catholics in the RSCS, Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, expressed this faith while living amid wars throughout the world. He highlighted the church’s role in working for peace, especially in his native Ukraine.
During the conversation, the Ukrainian-born future cardinal spoke of his spirituality, models of faith and responsibility in this time of war.
“The Church must be active in becoming a mediator of a just peace, not only in Ukraine but also in the Middle East and other parts of the world where there are ongoing wars and conflicts,” he stressed.
Cardinal-designate Bykoc also described how he has been inspired by previous Ukrainian cardinals, his conviction that the Church’s highest priority and his pastoral concerns in Oceania must be service to the faithful.
At the Angelus on Sunday, October 6, Pope Francis named him one of 21 new cardinals, making him the youngest member of the College of Cardinals at the age of 44.
Q: Cardinal-designate Bicoc, how did you receive the news that Pope Francis has named you cardinal and how do you see your responsibility in this time of war?
Cardinal-designate Baycock: I received this news while visiting our parish in Brisbane. It was dinner time when my phone was off. When I turned on my phone, I was inundated with messages. To be honest, at first I thought it was a joke. It took some time to understand this.
I understand that this appointment imposes upon me a great responsibility, responsibility for the life and future of our entire Church. Knowing the difficult times our Ukrainian people are experiencing because of the war, I will continue to inform the Catholic world about what is happening in our country and will constantly remind them of Ukraine.
Question: What experience of yours, past or present, has best prepared you for the role of advisor to the Pope?
I was not entirely prepared for this appointment. I will say. Even while studying at the seminary, he was not prepared to be a bishop. We were not prepared to become bishops or cardinals. In the Catholic Church, a Cardinal is an honorary appointment in the service of the Pope. It is an advisory role that requires me to be attentive to the needs of the church in today’s world.
At the moment I do not know what role or responsibility the Pope has entrusted to me and what he has put on my shoulders, but I know that there will be a great opportunity to have direct contact with the Pope. I am here Archbishop Sviatoslav [शेवचुक] [यूक्रेनी ग्रीक काथलिक कलीसिया के प्रमुख] I would like to quote that we will speak with one heart and one mouth to Pope Francis, to the Catholic Church, to the world and to the global community.
Question: Pope Francis often calls for an end to the suffering of Ukrainian martyrs. In your opinion, what is needed to concretely work towards this goal?
After the Angelus last Sunday, the Pope twice mentioned the martyrs of Ukraine and expressed his deep concern about the situation in the country. He said: I call on the people of Ukraine to stop dying from the cold, to stop airstrikes against civilians, because they always suffer the most, and to stop the killing of innocents.
The Vatican and the Pope have taken many positive steps to stop the war. As you know, the Holy See is committed to releasing the prisoners, to pray for the victims, the wounded and the missing without a trace. Much has been done, but much more can be done in the future.
Question: A look at your spirituality: How do you personally maintain faith and hope despite disappointment? Can you tell us about your spirituality and how you discovered your calling?
I discovered my calling to follow Christ at the age of 15, while I was still in school. The Redemptorist priests helped me recognize my vocation because it was in their parish that I became a regular minister of the church. Later I began serving and traveling with the Fathers in missions and spiritual practice. What impressed me most was his example of life and his great zeal in preaching the Word of God. Their dedication to serving God and being admired and admired by people later transformed, for me, into a strong desire to become one of them.
Through the stories of my first spiritual mentor, Father Mikhailo Shevchishin, I learned about the veterans of our Church, the service of our fathers and brothers in the Underground Church, and their resilience and courage in the difficult circumstances of that time. Instead, my second spiritual mentor, Father Volodymyr Vons, a representative of the younger generation of Redemptorists, became for me a living example of how one can dedicate one’s young life completely to God. To this day, the Redemptorist Order is very important to me as a bishop and in the future as a cardinal.
Question: Ukrainian cardinals have left their mark on history, especially Cardinal Lubomir Husar. Is there anything in particular that has impressed you about his leadership or his way of dealing with the difficulties facing the country?
Cardinal Lubomir Husar was an extraordinary man. On the one hand, he was patriarch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and, on the other, he was also a cardinal. They always managed to maintain simplicity and accessibility. He has a very famous quote, which I would like to quote: “My dream in life is to be a human being, but I am not 100% sure what it means to be a human being, although it is still my dream and my prayer that I become in one. Okay, let me be a normal person.” These words of the cardinal will help me a lot in my ministry.
Question: What are your biggest apostolic concerns in Australia and what do you think should be the biggest priorities for the church as a whole?
I think there are two priorities. The first priority represents me as a Ukrainian cardinal. The Church must be active in becoming a mediator of a just peace not only in Ukraine but also in the Middle East and other parts of the world that are experiencing wars and conflicts. Secondly, we must combat worldliness. As a priest serving in the United States and a bishop in Australia, I have seen how worldliness has affected society and the Church.
We are called to be missionaries to help people rediscover the love of God and His Son Jesus Christ, so that they can see the Church come to life in the most beautiful way through the sacraments, confession and the Holy Eucharist. know God. Of course, these two are interconnected. There will only be peace in the world when there is peace in people’s hearts, a true peace that comes from the love of Christ.
“The Church must be active in becoming a mediator of a just peace, not only in Ukraine, but also in the Middle East and other parts of the world that are experiencing wars and conflicts. Secondly, we must combat worldliness.”
Q: Do you have concrete suggestions on how to spread faith among people?
First, we must show Christ alive through our lives, because when others see our lives, they will understand the truth within us, especially in countries that are secular. There it is especially important that we have a direct relationship with Jesus, whom others can find in us.
Q: Finally, by becoming a cardinal, you will become the youngest member of the College of Cardinals. Speaking of young people in the church, what do you think is the best way to show young people that Christ is worth following, enabling them to overcome the contradictory messages spread in society that are generally apathetic, worldly or sometimes hostile? to faith?
The best way to show Christ to young people is to live the ideals of Jesus Christ in our personal lives, to be close to people, especially those who are abandoned and marginalized.
Question: Anything else you would like to add?
The Pope wants us Cardinals to be more servants than His Majesty. May God help us fulfill these new duties. Please pray for us.
