(National Catholic Reporter. David Bonior).
In the architecturally gorgeous city of Lviv in western Ukraine sits Ukrainian Catholic University. After several name and affiliation changes, in 2002 it became the first Catholic university to open on the land of the former Soviet Union. The university is small, but its reputation is large. Visiting in April, I repeatedly heard it called “one of our best universities.” War forces those in power to rethink the future. UCU has adjusted its strategic plan to the reality of the war and the role it is now playing in the war effort and the aftermath as the nation begins to slowly prepare for rebuilding. The university will continue to help veterans and civilians deal with physical trauma and mental health issues, and provide services to the country’s many war veterans. The Ukrainian Catholic University was reconstituted after the fall of communism in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. Bishop Borys Gudziak — American-born, from Syracuse New York — was a leader in establishing UCU, serving as its first rector and now as president. But his long-term plans for the university shifted when Russia invaded Ukraine Feb. 24, 2022, and the entire UCU community quickly became engaged in the war effort.