The Dignity and Mission of the Christian Family
[Book Now]
Keynote Speaker: His Eminence Cardinal Mykola Bychok, Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania
His Eminence was born on 13 February 1980 in the city of Ternopil.
He received the Holy Sacrament of Priesthood from Bishop Ihor Wozniak, CSsR on 3 May 2005 in the city of Lviv.
On 15 January, 2020, Fr. Mykola Bychok was appointed by Pope Francis as the Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne.
On 7 June, 2020, the feast of Pentecost in the Julian Calendar, he was consecrated as bishop by His Beatitude Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk in Saint George’s Cathedral, Lviv.
On 12 July, 2021, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul in the Julian Calendar, Bishop Mykola Bychok was enthroned as the third bishop of the Melbourne Eparchy by His Grace Peter Comensoli, Archbishop of Melbourne, in Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, Melbourne.
On December 7, 2024, His Grace Bishop Mykola Bychok, Eparch of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne for Ukrainian Catholics in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania, was elevated to the dignity of Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church by His Holiness Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Synopsis
In October 1997, during a General Audience, Pope John Paul II said, “Whoever promotes the development of the family promotes the development of the person; whoever attacks the family attacks the person.” These words, spoken almost 30 years ago, are extremely relevant today. Today, when society is experiencing a profound moral crisis, it is precisely around the family and life that the decisive struggle for the human person and his dignity is unfolding.
The teachings of the Church have repeatedly emphasised that a strong family is the foundation of a healthy society. It is in the family that a person first discovers God, learns to pray, and learns to respect their neighbours, their native land, and their Church. All of this is part of the deep spiritual roots that the family passes on to its children. Therefore, the family is not just a “centre of formation” but a source of Christian tradition and spiritual continuity between generations.
Date:
Wednesday 3 June 2026
Time:
6.45pm for 7.30pm
Venue:
Mercure Hotel, Limestone Avenue, Braddon ACT 2618
Cost:
$110.00 (Dinner and wine)
Canapes and complimentary glass of sparkling wine on arrival, followed by a two course dinner with a bottle of red and white wine per table and tea/coffee.
RSVP:
11am Friday 22 May 2026
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
0416 823 447
Online Bookings
https://bit.ly/stmf-030626
Previous Forums
Interacting with the Global Church at the Synod
Beyond Tradition: Envisioning the Role of the Catholic Church in a Changing World
Engaging an AI and Metaverse Generation
Freedom of Religion - Developments
