Pastoral counselors of Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church during the Second World War: strategies and examples of overcoming traumatic experiences

Abstract

With the beginning of the Second World War (1939-1945) it became
necessary for the Greek Catholic Church to react actively to the process of
Ukrainian armed forces creation, provide spiritual care and support. Chaplains of the UGCC performed not only their direct duties as members of clergy but also joined medical support work, solved military and socio-political issues, took care not only about military but also about civil people. Being side by side with soldiers, field confessors directly witnessed the realities of war and as no one else understood with what daily difficulties they had to face. Chaplains gained experience became the basis for the development of the concept of what should be the spiritual care.

Models of behavior that occurred as a result of observation and communication with the soldiers were defined as chaplain - l church
representative so as chaplain - spiritual father. Typically, such strategies in
behavior intertwined and created a common basis offield confessor's activity.