“The Ukrainian people are deeply exhausted”
The head of the Catholic Church in Ukraine meets with Aid to the Church in Need to discuss the challenges the country faces.
On the feast day of St. Nicholas, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, met with representatives from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) at his headquarters in Lviv. The main challenges facing Ukraine today, and how best to support the country at this critical time, were topics of discussion.
Words of hope are essential in a country ravaged by war, the Major Archbishop said, confirming the impressions of the ACN delegation during its weeklong visit to Lviv and Kyiv. Even where signs of war are not visible, its effects are always present in the minds and hearts of Ukrainians.
A visit with a therapeutic effect
“Ukrainians are feeling very, very tired. People are exhausted, because there is no sign that the conflict is coming to an end,” said Major Archbishop Shevchuk. “The population is terribly traumatized by the war, and the key question is how we are going to deal with this trauma. The future of the country is tied to this issue. Around 80 percent of the population has been affected by this war: some are physically injured, but above all, they are wounded in their souls. And then there is psychological trauma, which I witness firsthand. Whenever I travel, I can’t sleep for several nights, while my brain gets used to the sounds around me. As a Church, one of our main responsibilities is to care for our priests. More than 50 percent of them have told us that they are worn out.”
“In this context, ACN’s visit and its commitment to Ukraine have had a therapeutic effect for us. More than the humanitarian help, what is vital is the human relationship. I can share with you my pain, but also my dreams.”
“The war we are experiencing now in Ukraine is no longer an open war, or a direct attack. It is a war of attrition. How can we keep ourselves from collapsing from exhaustion? Only authentic love never tires from the struggle. Authentic values are what will help us overcome despair,” he stressed.
The fear of being forgotten
Major Archbishop Shevchuk also highlighted the gravity of the situation during this second winter of war, especially for the country’s electrical grid. In 2022, about 60 percent of the country’s electrical infrastructure was destroyed, and it is estimated that up to 75 percent of Ukrainians will depend on generators for electricity and heating this winter.
On December 2nd, in a reminder of how urgent the situation still is, Kyiv suffered one of the war’s most devastating bombing attacks to date. According to the Major Archbishop, Ukrainians are worried that the world will forget about their war, which could lead to a drop in humanitarian aid and leave the population in dire need.
Reconciliation and forgiveness
The war in Ukraine has created division and resentment in society, and pain has become a daily reality for many Ukrainians. “Today, there is a dividing line, depending on the experience one has had of the war,” Shevchuk explained. Families have also suffered from these divisions. There is a rupture between those who left the country and those who stayed, between husbands on the frontline and their evacuated wives, and between those in the west of Ukraine and those in the east.
The Major Archbishop emphasizes the importance of working together to overcome these differences and build a new society based on respect and tolerance. “The feelings of abandonment and resentment are sociological weapons of war. It is easy to look for a scapegoat, for someone to blame for everything,” he said.
Amid the adversity, Major Archbishop Shevchuk called for reconciliation and forgiveness as part of the process to overcome trauma. He recognized that forgiveness can be difficult, but said that people must not let hatred take hold of their hearts. The first step to reconciliation is resilience. “When fear and hatred take over our decisions, we become slaves to them. Although hatred is a normal reaction in the face of the aggression we are suffering, to give in to it means letting it win in my heart,” he said.
The Secretary General of ACN, Philipp Ozores, was also present and thanked the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for the opportunity to meet at such an important moment in his nation’s history. Ozores assured him that ACN will continue to support Ukraine in the coming year, both financially and in prayer.
ACN increased its help for the Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic Churches in Ukraine, following the Russian invasion in 2022. Since then, it has contributed more than $16M to over 600 projects. Help has gone to priests, religious, and seminarians, as well as to fund Church-run projects to host IDPs. Heating projects have also been a particular concern, as have the renovation of damaged buildings and the purchase of vehicles to help the Church carry out its work. In the field of pastoral care, ACN finances all kinds of youth ministry initiatives, including camps for kids. One important aspect of ACN’s assistance has been the funding of a trauma-healing formation course.
—Maria Lozano
