Serving the people in Ukraine

By Tanya Connor
The Catholic Free Press

Despite war, life goes on in Ukraine – with the help of priests and religious sisters, two of whom have also inspired Catholics in the Worcester Diocese.
Capuchin Father Blazej Suska is a parish priest and a chaplain to Ukrainian servicemen. Sister Beata Wilk is regional superior of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in Ukraine. They are from Poland, but have served in Ukraine since the 1990s, said their friend Father Richard W. Polek, pastor of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, that offers the sisters financial support.
Father Polek said they are in Massachusetts this month to give Lenten retreats in Polish at his parish and at St. Joseph Parish in Webster. They previously visited the two parishes in 2016.
The visitors shared information about the war and their ministry with The Catholic Free Press while Father Polek translated. They expressed gratitude for the prayers and support of people here.
On March 9 Father Suska showed The Catholic Free Press a map of Ukraine on a cell phone. The map marked several places that had just been attacked by Russian missiles. He said that March 9 was the birthday of Taras Shevchenko, a 19th-century Ukrainian poet who had great spiritual influence on the people.
Sister Beata said Russians like to strike on dates important to Ukrainians.
Father Suska also talked about another significant date. He said that on Feb. 10, 2022, he and other Capuchins met with an ambassador and asked whether there would be a war. The ambassador did not know, but said Feb. 24 was considered a good date for Russian President Vladimir Putin to start something, based on a pagan belief rooted in astrology. On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine.
“This shows that it’s not only a military war between two countries,” Father Suska said. “It’s also a spiritual war ... because this is connected with the evil spirits.”
He said there are many war crimes against civilians – children are being killed or kidnapped and people are being raped. (The International Criminal Court recently issued arrest warrants for Putin for “unlawful deportation” and “unlawful transfer” of children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.)
“They say in Ukraine that this is not like a regular war, but a terrorist war, and the goal is to destroy the country completely,” Father Suska said.
Father Suska and Sister Beata are not serving in territory occupied by Russia, but are in danger because they sometimes travel close to the front lines and because Russian missiles can strike throughout Ukraine, Father Polek said.
As a chaplain, Father Suska is allowed to go near war zones to offer soldiers the sacraments, he said. He also does priestly ministry at his parish, Our Lady of the Angels in Vinnytsia near Kyiv, and gives retreats in various countries.
Sister Beata is a medical doctor, but not currently working in health care, Father Polek said. As superior, she coordinates the ministry of the 16 other sisters in her congregation in Ukraine. She lives just outside of Kyiv.
“We serve together in different places,” Sister Beata said in English, referring to the collaboration between her congregation and Father Suska’s order.
In the early days of the war the Capuchins and sisters helped war refugees coming to Kyiv obtain food, clothes and housing, Father Polek said. Some refugees then migrated farther into Ukraine or to other countries.
Sister Beata said the sisters continue their pre-war faith formation ministry, and reach out in more ways, including offering prayer and counseling for war victims and caring for children while parents work.
The sisters and priests try to help people live “normally,” despite the war, Father Polek said.
Two years ago the sisters started their first elementary school in Ukraine, Father Polek said. It is in Kyiv and has just seven students. The sisters are seeking a sponsor for this school, hoping to expand it and get a building.
Father Polek said some of the $93,000 Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in Worcester has sent the sisters since the war started a year ago has helped pay tuition at this school. The money has also been used for food and medical assistance for war victims.
Asked how members of the Worcester Diocese can help people in Ukraine now, Sister Beata requested prayers for the end of war.
The help doesn’t go in just one direction, however. Father Polek credits Sister Beata and Father Suska with helping to renew his parish. When they gave a retreat in 2016, the parish was starting a “spiritual renovation,” he said.