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MichelleByrne
Guest
I’m so glad to have found this, it is very interesting. I will have to come back and read about it. I’m just finishing a Solzhenitsyn book.
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mardukm
Guest
Dear John,
Blessings
“Jap” and “Nip” are considered disrespectful terms when referring to the Japanese. Besides, there is a Forum rule that states that one shouldn’t abbreviate names of groups.
Blessings
M
mardukm
Guest
I thought this new piece of news would be relevant for this thread.
The rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University has reported that he received a visit from a representative of the state security agency-- the former KGB-- who ordered him to sign a statement acknowledging that some student protests could be interpreted as provocations, and result in criminal charges. The rector, Father Borys Gudziak, said that the official’s visit was a bid at intimidation; he noted, too, that his telephone line has been tapped.
catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6433&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CatholicWorldNewsFeatureStories+%28Catholic+World+News+%28on+CatholicCulture.org%29%29
Brother KyivAndrew, can you (or any other knowledgeable member) offer us some background info on this matter? Is there some ulterior motive directed specifically against the UGCC here?
Blessings
The rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University has reported that he received a visit from a representative of the state security agency-- the former KGB-- who ordered him to sign a statement acknowledging that some student protests could be interpreted as provocations, and result in criminal charges. The rector, Father Borys Gudziak, said that the official’s visit was a bid at intimidation; he noted, too, that his telephone line has been tapped.
catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=6433&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CatholicWorldNewsFeatureStories+%28Catholic+World+News+%28on+CatholicCulture.org%29%29
Brother KyivAndrew, can you (or any other knowledgeable member) offer us some background info on this matter? Is there some ulterior motive directed specifically against the UGCC here?
Blessings
K
KyivAndrew
Guest
Hi Brother Marduk. Sorry I haven’t been on boards for awhile but I was going to start a thread on this particular topic.
After the last presidential elections in Ukraine, the winner was Vladimir Yanukovych who comes from the eastern heavily russified Donetsk region of Ukraine. The clan that runs that province is pretty brutal. Yanukovych is pro-Kremlin and was the most vocal politician/supporter of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine (i.e. the Moscow Patriarchate has called its church in Ukraine the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (MP) though it is Ukrainian in name only and basically toes the Russian imperial line unfortunately).
After his election, Yanukovych has gone on to attempt to stifle freedom of press and assembly; similar to what Putin has done in Russia. He has also appointed an education minister Tabachnyk who really doesn’t believe Ukraine a nation and also pokes fun at western Ukraine - the area where the Ukrainian Catholic University is located. Yanukovych’s Finance Minister cannot speak Ukrainian and only speaks Russian.
Not that this necessarily means something, but when it is accompanied by coercive anti-Ukrainian measures, the Ukrainian Catholic Church may find itself in a precarious position with no defense against President Yanukovych if he begins stifling all opposition to his policies.
For instance, he has closed the Secret Police archives on the Ukrainian terror/famine of 1932-33 saying ridiculously there is nothing left to learn. The journalist Anne Applebaum was to have written on this subject for the Harvard Ukrainian Chair but I am not sure what will happen now if the old secret police archives get closed just as they are closed in Moscow for this time period.
Father Gudziak basically sent out this memorandum to have his bases covered so that if the new President of Ukraine does indeed decide to go back to the old days before the Orange Revolution when students in universities could be blackmailed into supporting anti-Ukrainian rulers, at least Father Gudziak is making sure those Ukrainian Catholics and ALL Catholics in the West realize what is occurring. Yanukovych will have to think twice of about using the secret police then.
Unlike in 1946, the internet is in existence now. Nothing might further become of this or, if Yanukovych attempts to turn all of Ukraine into a pro-Kremlin illiberal state, at least the West will know what is going on this time. So we will have to wait and see how things play out.
Thanks for asking brother; the more Catholics who realize the position of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the better its chances for its well-being.
God Bless.
K
KyivAndrew
Guest
Brother Marduk, I will start a new thread with the text of the rector’s memorandum so as allow discussion of this matter.
J
John_Pascendi
Guest
Yes good for you…when the Hungarians revolted against Soviet tyranny ,Oct.1956,Eisenhower was silent and did nothing to help,even after Cardinal Mindszenty was freed from prison and escaped to the US Embassy!..and so thousands were killed by troops sent in by the butcher of budapest…I can still hear those plaintif calls for help by the Hungarian freedom fighters…'is there anyone out there…help…we need help" and thus it als was as just this topic covers. Stalin (whom FDRoosevelt termed…good ole Joe…)was responsible for the murder of some 43 million innocent people. …Pas
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