«The Church cannot remain on the sidelines when it comes to young people». Bishop Bryan Bayda’s speech at the Forum on Youth Pastoral Ministry of the UGCC in Rome

Young people do not need to be “brought back” to the Church — they need to be engaged in dialogue. This was one of the key messages of the Forum on Youth Pastoral Ministry of the UGCC in Rome: to listen, avoid imposing ready-made answers, and be present with young people where they are today.

— Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Jn 8:12

Jesus Christ is the light of the world. We are the lampstands of that light. We are called to be living icons for others. What a tremendous vocation! You and I are called to be Missionary Disciples of Christ in the world, to reveal the love of God the Father which defines our human dignity.

The Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the shepherds of many faithful, care for the youth of our church and their faith. Discerning the will of God, our Patriarch and the Synod established this commission to watch over and develop this treasure, this new generation of lampstands, to vigilantly exemplify what it means to serve as a light to the world.

This commission is part of the Patriarchal Curia and a long-standing tradition of leaders that spans generations. They had and continue to have a vision to nurture and protect such a fine and rare treasure. The Patriarch refers to this as “one of the greatest treasures of our Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church — the young believers”.

In my brief service as head of the commission, I have encountered and worked with people who are highly talented and motivated to guard and develop these lampstands, to find new ways to shine the light of Christ in a world that can be very windy and very dark at times.

There have been numerous waves of immigration from Ukraine to Brazil and Argentina, Canada and the United States of America, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, England, Poland, Austria, Serbia, Portugal, Germany, Spain, France, Italy and other European countries.

Often the migration of elders and youth happened at difficult moments in the history of Ukraine, such as the war that is raging at this time. Some have been called to defend Ukraine in their home village or city or on the front, while others are preserving our heritage in other countries around the world.

The mystery vocation from God is not always clear, but people valiantly struggle to follow the voice of the Holy Spirit and do God’s will no matter where they are found.

The challenges of preserving our faith remain difficult no matter where one grows up. The more intense the aggression from Putin grows, the deeper grows the resilience and resolve of our people in Ukraine and abroad.

New challenges are faced both in Ukraine and in foreign countries where millions of displaced Ukrainians temporarily live or have lived for over a century. Every day we remain aware of our national identity as Ukrainians as it continues to adapt to a changing world.

Understanding and preserving our spiritual, cultural, and national identity is important since our culture and heritage are at the service of our faith. The context of our freedom to serve God in our brothers and sisters is challenged in Ukraine and in foreign lands.

We learn to understand first-hand the difference between assimilation and integration. Assimilation is the temptation of completely blending into a new society, culture and way of life while forgetting where you came from. Beware of assimilation. Rather, as Taras Shevchenko wrote:

“Learn, read,

And learn from others,

And do not shun your own.”

Integration is more like learning and preserving the spiritual heritage of our ancestors. Like an oak tree that is transplanted, it takes new roots in a new location to survive. Different soil might force the tree to send out deeper roots, but the oak tree never loses its identity as an oak tree. Simultaneously, the oak tree is the same and yet different as it has adapted to new challenges.

This is why enculturated evangelization becomes more important than ever. Our Byzantine, Greco-Catholic, Kyivan faith and spirituality inspires others to celebrate and worship God in a rich and fruitful way.

Symbols of our faith, culture and national days of remembrance at various seasons of the calendar year continue to enrich us. At the same time, for others, it is the first time they see a harmonious trinity of Culture and Nationalism that serve our Faith in Jesus Christ. Our Byzantine Ukrainian icons are lamps of our faith and we are called to become living icons for others as well.

As we demonstrate how culture, heritage and language celebrate God’s presence among us for more than millennia, others will learn to see the presence of God in their own unique histories. Their language and culture of their land will reveal the presence of God as far back as one can remember.

Thus, God makes clear your vocation and mine — to minister to fellow Ukrainians, keeping our faith buoyant through heroic acts and witnessing to the gift from God of human dignity that no evil can erase. This human dignity is the indwelling Trinity in each of you, shining like lampstands around the globe.

Shortly before Pope Francis died, we were blessed to have a Zoom meeting with him on February 1, 2025. During this powerful moment, when the Vicar of Christ reached out, he urged us to be Missionary Disciples.

When we are faithful to God’s call, either at home or abroad, we respond to our vocation to holiness as we witness to our faith through our culture and nationalism.

Let us meditate on how Mary, the Mother of God, is an icon of Christ, a lampstand for others without faith.

May our gathering here in Rome these days rekindle lamps of faith. May each of you carry this light home to others and inspire them to be living icons of Christ.

Through the intercession and protection of the Mother of God, may you follow Jesus Christ so that every man, woman and child will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.