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”

As a priest, Bishop Stepan served as a military chaplain, particularly working with cadets at the Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi National Ground Forces Academy in Lviv. Today, he remains 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 for two years had been a prisoner of war 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 Stepan also mentioned two Ukrainian Catholic priests, Ivan Levytsky and Bohdan Heleta, who were held captive for eighteen 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, 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.’” The bishop noted that more than 60 thousand Ukrainians have undergone amputations and now require prosthetics.

Bishop Stepan 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 American 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.