Resolution 350 - Celebrating the Establishment of the State Council of Ukraine

      WHEREAS, at the 125th Supreme Convention held in 2005 in Chicago,  the late Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, His Eminence Lubomyr Cardinal Husar, expressed his fervent desire that the Knights of Columbus be established in Ukraine to provide the Catholic men of his country the proper formation to serve the Church as lay leaders; and

      WHEREAS, in May 2012 His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč and the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and His Excellency Mieczysław Mokrzycki, Archbishop of Lviv, joined the Knights of Columbus during historic First and Second Degree ceremonies in Ukraine, conveying the message of charity and unity that have become the essential hallmarks of the Order’s development in Ukraine; and

      WHEREAS, during his report at the 131st Supreme Convention held in San Antonio, in 2013, the Supreme Knight announced the expansion of the Order into Ukraine with the establishment of Saint Volodymyr Council 15800 in Kyiv and John Paul II Council 15801 in Lviv; and

      WHEREAS, in November 2013 when the “Revolution of Dignity” in Ukraine led to various protests and rallies in Kyiv that resulted in the death of more than 100 people and many injuries, Ukrainian Knights acted immediately to tend to the wounded, provide food and warm clothes, intercede for those who were arrested, and assist families of people who died; and

      WHEREAS, in 2016 the Board of Directors recognized the growth of the Order in the country when it officially designated Ukraine a territory of the Knights of Columbus; and

      WHEREAS, over the past two years, membership in Ukraine has grown to more than 1,000 members across 25 local councils, leading the Board of Directors, pursuant to Section 11 of the Constitution and Laws, to direct the Knights of Ukraine to establish a State Council.

      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we congratulate the members and families of the Knights of Columbus in Ukraine and pledge to them our support in their effort to answer the charge of Cardinal Husar to “raise the spirituality” of their people and “show them the real face of the Church…as it should be.”