Providing a taste of God in Ukraine is the core of the Church’s mission in the war-torn east.
For much of the world, the war in Ukraine began in 2022, but those in the east have lived in conflict since 2014. Auxiliary Bishop Jan Sobilo of the Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia Diocese recently visited Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to share the reality of serving a war-torn region.
“ACN has been helping us since 1991 with everything we need for our mission: structure, cars, fuel, basic help. We thought everything was good, but then the war came. Nobody expected the war to start in 2014, and the situation got much worse after the invasion in 2022.”
A Haven for the Displaced
Several major cities in the diocese are currently under occupation, leaving no priests to serve there. Conversely, other parishes have expanded as people flee occupied territories. Most arrive empty-handed and find a new family within the Church community.
“Some of them don’t know God, but they feel in their hearts that they need something, and they found it in our community. The priests and sisters make them feel like they have a new family. We distribute bread and food, and people tell us: ‘You did not only give us food, but a taste of God, of His love.’”
The Fragility of Life and Spiritual Comfort
Bishop Sobilo admits that the hardest part of his ministry is presiding over the funerals of young men. He recalls the heartbreaking story of a young man who died just two weeks after being sent to the front line; his body was never recovered. This constant danger has made everyone aware of how fragile life is.
“Everybody has someone close who has died because of the war. You never know when your time will come. That is why we tell people they should go to confession at least once a week, so that they are always prepared, and that is also why people turn to the Church to prepare for the sacraments.”
Currently, a group of 40 adults is preparing to be received into the Church at Easter. Despite having little faith in political plans, the Bishop remains hopeful:
“I have no doubt that God has a plan for Ukraine. Perhaps we cannot see this plan yet, or understand it, it may be a surprise, but He has not forgotten us.”
