Catholic University students take shelter in Ukraine

Last updated on: February 26, 2022 at 9:48 am by Father Pablo Migone

Catholic University students take shelter in Ukraine 2022-02-26T09:48:07-05:00 Father Pablo Migone

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The Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) was the first Catholic institution of higher learning to open in an ex-Soviet nation after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Tracing its origins to 1929 when Ukrainian Archbishop Josyf Slipyj founded the Greek Catholic Theological Academy which was closed by the Soviets in 1944, US-born Father Boris Gudziak led the reestablishment of the Academy in 1992 which eventually became the University.

Now Archeparch of the Ukrainian Archeparchy of Philadelphia, Father Boris Gudziak welcomed a group of us to UCU in June of 2006 in the university’s original building. He shared with us his vision for the University: to be not only a center of Catholic study in the east, but also to be a source of renewal for Ukrainian culture and society. The Ukrainian Catholic Church is the largest of the Churches that make up the Catholic Church after the Roman or Latin Church (to which the vast majority of Catholics belong). The Ukrainian Catholic Church existed underground during the Soviet regime, and as soon as the Soviet Union collapsed, Ukrainians ran to take possession of their church buildings which had either been closed or given to the Russian Orthodox Church.

These days, the basement of the very same building where Father Gudziak welcomed us has been used by students as a bomb shelter (pictured above). Oksana Bakery wrote on social media yesterday, “we are in Lviv this morning hiding in the shelter because we had an air alarm signal and the authorities urged us to shelter for safety. Ukraine is at war! This is a real war! I felt this and experienced it myself. Let us not be afraid, let us defend ourselves, because we are on our land! Together we will stand! Together we are the strength!

The current Rector of the University, Father Bogdan Prach issued the following statement:

Today, on the 24th of February, at 5.00 AM the armed forces of the Russian Federation backed by the Republic of Belarus launched an intensive shelling of numerous Ukrainian cities and delivered missile/bomb strikes on the military infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, the aggressor started artillery shelling of the areas and settlements along the state border and administrative boundary with the temporarily occupied territory of Crimea.

This war has been going on for the last 8 years, but today, Ukraine and the whole world face the greatest danger since 2014. Do not believe that this war was provoked by Ukraine. We are a peaceful people defending right now our Motherland and a right to live in a free democratic country!

We call on now all our Partners abroad to be alert and show your solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian academic community. The evil is revealed now, and there is no space for cajoling the aggressor. Now, more than ever, we need the support of the entire global academic community. It will be extremely helpful for us if you approach your governments with institutional and/or individual appeals to support Ukraine with military, economic, and humanitarian assistance and to impose devastating sanctions against Russia. Remaining silent and apathetic are the greatest enemies right now.

This war is not just the war of the Russian Federation with Ukraine. The Kremlin’s regime is ruining the fundamentals of international order. So, for all of us, this is the war of the entire civilized world against dictatorship and against violation of the basic rules of international law.

Despite the harsh circumstances and no matter how great the challenges stemming from today’s world crisis, our spirit remains strong, and together with the help of our Lord, strong Ukrainian Army, and inexhaustible global academic support, we are – incomparably stronger to defeat the evil that rebelled against humanity!

Ukraine strongly needs your support!

Please, pray for the peace and victory of Ukraine!

With sincere gratitude,

Rev. Dr. Bogdan Prach

Rector

Ukrainian Catholic University

Український католицький університет

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