“ALMOST 80% OF UKRAINIANS NEED HELP TO OVERCOME TRAUMA”

The Catholic Church in Ukraine wants to help the population overcome the trauma caused by almost nine years of war in the east, and one year of full-scale invasion and attacks on the nation as a whole.

Speaking at a conference organised by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, explained his dream of forming priests to recognise and deal with psychological and physical problems.

“From the Church people expected food, clothes, but also a word of hope. Pastoral care for the people is our number one mission, especially healing the wounds of the people. Almost 80% of Ukrainians need some help to overcome their traumas, psychological, physical, and others. Our task as a Church is to help heal the wounds of our nation,” the Major Archbishop said.

Of course, in a normal situation, these issues could be left to other professionals, but there is a historical reason why this is not easy in Ukraine. “Ukrainian people are afraid to look for psychological help, because in the Soviet Union psychology was used as a tool of repression by the state. When people have a problem, they go to a priest first. We need to prepare the priests for this kind of spiritual counselling. This is a first step towards any other clinical or psychological help.”

In the past year of the war, the Church would send victims overseas for expert counselling and rehabilitation, but the needs are so great at the moment that it is necessary to obtain the necessary means to do so on home ground, preferably with one specialised centre in each diocese. On hearing this, ACN executive president Dr Thomas HeineGeldern said that ACN is willing to discuss this matter further, and possibly adopt it as a joint project.

Catholic priests arrested or expelled

Also present at the conference, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, mentioned some of his main concerns regarding the regions occupied by Russia, or close to the front. “My preoccupation is with the people who live near the frontline, and are constantly under shelling. Friends told us that when they visited the front regions, they found our Catholic priests there more depressed, more tired.”

During the conference, it was pointed out that there are regions with no priests at all. There are three big areas without any Catholic priests: occupied Donetsk, occupied Luhansk, and parts of Zaporizhzhia region that are also under occupation. This is an area larger than Croatia, without a single Catholic priest working there, because they were arrested, expelled, or cannot continue to work. Two priests, Fr Ivan Levytsky and Fr Bohdan Heleta, were arrested by Russian forces on 16 November 2022 and stand charged with leading resistance in the occupied city of Berdyansk. “Despite constant efforts, the Church has not been able to secure their release, and there are fears that they are being tortured,” says Major Archbishop Shevchuk.

“We haven’t had any official information about our priests, or anybody in the Russian prisons. We only have information from people who were in the cells with them and who were released, and they are telling us how and where they are. That is how we can at least be sure that they are still alive and continue to make efforts to rescue them.”

With no chance of direct communication with Russian authorities, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church – the largest Catholic church in the country, and the third largest Christian denomination after the two Orthodox churches – explains that diplomacy is the safest bet, and that Pope Francis has been a key player in this. “We are very grateful to all diplomats in Ukraine, but specifically to Pope Francis, for the mediation in order to rescue war prisoners and hostages. It is not an easy task.”

Every time he visits a parish, explains the Major Archbishop, he collects information on family members of local residents who are being held as prisoners of war. The Church sends a list of names to the Vatican, and Pope Francis makes sure it is delivered to the Russian embassy. Many have already been released this way.

Millions displaced and without electricity

The Church continues to help as many people as it can with material aid, much of it provided by ACN, which in the first year since the full-scale invasion has helped fund over 200 projects. More than 15 thousand people directly benefited.

Besides the seven million people who fled the country, there are around eight million who are internally displaced. “Winter is being particularly harsh,” Major Archbishop Shevchuk explains. “At the beginning, people went to the west of the country, but the poorest of the poor are not able to do so, they look for the nearest safe city in which to stay.”

Even those who have been able to return to their homes, often find serious difficulties. “Almost half of the occupied territory has been liberated, but we have found destroyed cities and inexistant infrastructure. Many people are returning, but they have no electricity, or any means of survival. Russia is methodically destroying critical infrastructure, 50% of the electricity grid is already destroyed.”

In this context, explains Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, the help provided to those in need, including that given by ACN, is particularly appreciated. “During a war like this, everything ACN and benefactors do is very important both from a material and a spiritual point of view. It means closeness, empathy and love. This is praying through deeds.”

“Every week I hear stories about miracles in difficult areas. Prayer and charity work are very precious,” says the Nuncio. Miracles are exactly what Major Archbishop Shevchuk is hoping for. As the conference drew to an end, he expressed his hope that this could be the year when the war would end. “Is it realistic? Maybe not, but miracles happen.”

The convent of the Holy Family in Hoshiv, in West Ukraine, is currently housing 76 refugees from wartorn regions of the country. The Sisters are caring for these refugees, who are housed in almost every available corner of their convent. There, they are now slowly recovering from the trauma they have been forced to endure.

The refugees are also able to help out in the kitchen and around the house, giving them an organised pattern to their day, taking their minds off their worries and providing meaningful activities to engage them and to help them share the burden. Such a return to a degree of normality is often one of the best ways towards inner healing.

Sister Yefrosynia, the Superior General of the congregation, writes: “We could, in fact take in up to 160 people, for we have made additional space in the conference rooms, classrooms and side rooms. However, such a large number of people has a major impact on the available resources and the daily living costs for things like light, gas and water. Consequently, the costs have risen rapidly, especially during this winter, when days are shorter, and we need heating in the rooms.”

The Sisters mainly make their living by teaching in the parishes, but during this war, their normal activities have been disrupted and they have very few sources of income. They are asking for our help, so that they can continue to take in and care for the war refugees.

Sister Yefrosynia and her fellow Sisters are grateful in advance for this help: “Thank you for your words of support, your many prayers for peace and for an end to the war. Thank you also for your willingness to help us.

“May the all-merciful Lord take pity on us and on the whole world and avert a tragedy for all humankind. May He forgive us our sins and reward our benefactors for their sympathy, their generosity and their sacrifices.”

Can you join in supporting these Sisters who are caring for war refugees in their convent in Ukraine?

2,274 Refugees and displaced people assisted.

738 Seminarians supported.

7,447 Priests, Nuns and diocesan staff helped.

3,280 Attended spiritual formation and retreats.

1,712 Children and youth stayed in youth camps.

6,459 Holy Masses celebrated by Ukrainian priests for the intentions of our donors.

The people of Ukraine are still suffering immensely. They need our support. Please donate today, to help us continue our aid projects for Ukraine.

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