Bishop Stepan Sus Addresses U. S. Catholic Bishops: “As a Church, We Cannot Change the Reality of War, But We Can Be Close to Those Who Suffer”
Bishop Stepan Sus, head of the Pastoral and Migration Department of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, addressed over 250 U. S. Catholic bishops gathered in Baltimore, MD, for their fall plenary session, sharing insights on the ongoing situation in Ukraine. Since 2020, Bishop Sus has been responsible for Ukrainian Catholics in 18 countries where the Church lacks bishops and hierarchical structures. Following the full-scale invasion, many of these countries have welcomed thousands of Ukrainian refugees.
Speaking on behalf of His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the Synod of Bishops of Ukraine, and Ukrainians of various denominations, Bishop Sus expressed heartfelt gratitude to the U. S. bishops for their support and solidarity. “I want to sincerely thank each of you, and through you, all the faithful of your churches, for remembering us, praying for us, supporting us, visiting us, and worrying about us. Ukrainians appreciate what you have done for us since the first days of the war.” He extended special thanks to those bishops who had the courage to visit war-torn Ukraine in person.
As a priest, Bishop Sus served as a military chaplain, particularly working with cadets at the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Ground Forces Academy in Lviv. Today, he continues to stay in touch with former students who are now officers in the Ukrainian Army. “Every day, I hear stories of how the war affects them—their wounds, their losses. Sometimes, when they ask questions, I feel powerless,” he said. He recalled a recent conversation with an officer who had been a prisoner of war for two years in Russian captivity. The officer told him, “I will never be in hell again because I’ve already been there. I’ve seen the face of evil and now understand that evil in the modern world can wear a human face.”
Bishop Sus also mentioned two Ukrainian Catholic priests, Ivan Levytsky and Bohdan Heleta, who were held captive for 18 months, emphasizing that every Russian occupation attempts to eliminate the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church as a public community.
He shared the story of another officer who recently lost his family home and, just days ago, lost his leg. “He texted me, ‘I am without a leg, in the hospital. Pray for me.’ I gathered my courage and replied, ‘We will get you a new leg. You’ll have a prosthetic leg, and you will be stronger.’” Bishop Sus noted that more than 60,000 Ukrainians have undergone amputations and now require prosthetics.
He underscored the Church’s role in standing alongside those who suffer. “As a Church, we cannot change all the realities of war, but we can be close to others—those who suffer—and wipe their tears,” he said.
Bishop Stepan Sus called on the U. S. bishops to continue supporting Ukraine, saying, “We believe that you will keep praying for us, advocating for us, and helping us.”
After his address, the bishops gave Bishop Sus a standing ovation.
The UGCC Department for Information
