People often see a priest — and even more so a bishop — as someone with a strong faith who already has answers to spiritual questions. But are there moments of doubt, or even crises of faith, in a bishop’s life? Have you experienced such moments yourself, and how did you go through them?
Certainly, there were times of crisis — sometimes even crises of faith, moments of wondering and questioning. I remember an experience when I was in the seminary. Somehow, I really began to question everything — even the heart of the faith, the presence of God, and even the presence of God in the Church. I wanted to look more deeply into this, and in a sense, I gave the Lord some time. I said, “Okay. I’ll continue with the routine. I’ll fulfill my daily obligations. I’ll live the life. I’ll say the prayers.” Without going into too much detail, I was blessed with a sense that, yes, the Lord truly is present. It was a very real sense of His presence.
The Lord is present in the Blessed Sacrament. The Lord is present in the Church — yes, in a spiritual way, but also in a very concrete, real, and powerful way through the Holy Eucharist and Holy Communion. That may have been one of a few particularly special occasions in my life. But I think that knowing the presence of God — having a real sense of His presence — is something I understand much more deeply now.
Do you have your own way of staying close to God amid the responsibilities and concerns of everyday life?
I think that in order to live your vocation fully, you have to give yourself completely to the Lord. You have to say, “Lord, this is Your doing. I want to be Your servant. I want to serve in the way You want me to serve.” If you give yourself more to the Lord in that sense and trust Him, you open yourself to living His will. Once you do that, you really begin to have that sense that the Lord is present in your life. And you will find that when you draw away from the Lord and become absorbed in your own things, that sense of the presence of God begins to fade. As the expression goes, it is not the Lord who draws away. We draw away from Him.
It is like a child who gets lost in a market or shopping center. The child becomes interested in something, gets distracted, and then suddenly realizes: “Wait — where is Mom? Where is Dad?” We can experience something similar with the Lord.
When we return to the life that we truly desire in our hearts — a life with the Lord — then we begin to see that the Lord is truly present. You simply follow, and you see how wonderful it is.
This year has been proclaimed the Year of Vocations in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. When we speak about vocations, we often focus on the individual person who is discerning. But what role do the family and the parish play? Can we help another person recognize a vocation that they may not yet see in themselves?
I think the parish and the family are very important. Sometimes, when it comes to nurturing a vocation, we think, “Well, we shouldn’t get involved. We certainly don’t want to be responsible for forcing somebody or pushing someone in one direction or another.” That is true. But on the other hand, we also want to be friends, brothers and sisters to one another, and sometimes say: “Listen, I see this in you. Have you ever thought about this? There is something here that you should consider.” I remember reading about a practice in a parish or perhaps an eparchy where the priest asked people to write on a piece of paper the name of someone they thought might have a vocation. The priest would then share it privately with that person.
Sometimes that person would be shocked: “What? Are you serious? People actually think I might have a vocation?” And that can mean a great deal. We may be completely wrong. Ultimately, it is up to the Lord. But if we see something in someone — a particular characteristic, an attitude, or simply the way that person lives — we should be willing to share that with them. Sometimes we need to awaken something in another person — to fan that flame a little — simply by expressing what we see in them. That can be a tremendous help.
People usually see a bishop at the altar or at official events. They see someone who teaches, leads, and makes decisions. What is there about the life of a bishop that might surprise people — especially young people — and help them see the person behind the role?
Bishops come from different backgrounds. They have different experiences. They like different kinds of music. They may dress differently in their spare time, when they are “off camera,” so to speak. Becoming a bishop does not mean, “Now I cannot listen to this music,” or “I cannot dress this way anymore.” There are certain things you should do at certain times, but otherwise you should be who you are. The Lord chose you out of your particular life and experience to serve in a certain way. And perhaps your own life experience will help other people in a way that no one else can, precisely because it is your experience. At the same time, we have to grow. Someone who valued his privacy very much may suddenly have to become much more public. Someone who did not speak very much or did not give interviews now has to speak frequently and give interviews. But besides all of that, bishops cry. Bishops laugh. Bishops experience anxiety sometimes. They are concerned. At other times, they experience joy. They cry with joy together with people who are experiencing the hand of the Lord in their lives.
I think that is something people should understand. Bishops have certain responsibilities, but they also need the support of the people around them. And that does not mean that no one should ever challenge them. Sometimes a bishop also needs someone to say, “Listen, what are you doing? I want to understand what is happening here.”
