INTERVIEW: The Rev. Ivan Kaszczak on chaplaincy in Ukraine's military forces

by Peter Steciuk

After nearly 10 years of independence, religious expression is still largely absent from the lives of many soldiers in the Ukrainian armed forces. While the American military has a Chaplain Corps that ministers to the spiritual needs of its troops, the Ukrainian military has no such thing. Religious ceremonies and guidance are a rarity for thousands of Ukrainian servicemen with no access to clergy.

As part of a multinational effort to establish a chaplaincy in the Ukrainian military, the Rev. Ivan Kaszczak presented a paper titled "Service as a Minority Chaplain in a Multiconfessional Chaplaincy" at the International Military-Christian Conference in Lviv last October. The Rev. Kaszczak, a Ukrainian Catholic priest and a major in the United States Air Force Reserve, described the role of the chaplain in the United States military and the unique dynamics of its interdenominational chapels.

Regarding the role of the chaplain, the Rev. Kaszczak explained that, on one level, the chaplain is the instrument by which the military ensures the constitutional rights of its soldiers. Although some challenge government funding of a chaplaincy on the grounds that the First Amendment forbids laws "respecting an establishment of religion," the amendment also guarantees that Congress shall not make laws "prohibiting the free exercise of religion."

The Rev. Kaszczak also stressed the dual role of the chaplain as clergy and military officer. As an officer, the chaplain serves the ultimate goal of defense by fulfilling the soldiers' need for spiritual and even physical well-being. He pointed out that studies have suggested that religious people enjoy a lower incidence of serious illness, bolstered self-esteem, heightened immunological capability and a greater ability to endure sickness. In the event of any perceived conflict between his roles as clergyman and officer, the Rev. Kaszczak said the chaplain should live by these words from the Gospel of Luke: "... give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar - and to God what belongs to God."

On the topic of interdenominational chapels, the Rev. Kaszczak cited three guiding principles: "primacy of the individual conscience," "faithfulness to [one's] individual confession while respecting other views," and "support for the work of the commander, which will ultimately safeguard our families and our way of life." As a result of these principles, cooperation and a sense of shared goals dominate interactions among chaplains of different denominations in the United States.

The paper that The Rev. Kaszczak presented before the conference springs from his experiences over 12 years of military service as a chaplain. Born in Szprotawa, Poland, the Rev. Kaszczak immigrated to the United States at the age of 4. He was ordained a priest in 1985, and four years later he joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

In the past, the Rev. Kaszczak has served as vice-rector at St. Basil College, the Ukrainian Catholic seminary in Stamford, Conn., and has taught Bible studies at Wende Maximum Security Correctional Facility in the Buffalo area. Currently, he is the administrator of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Syracuse, N.Y.; teaches "Core Values Education" to new cadets at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he also helps run the Catholic parish; and is pursuing a doctorate in religious education from Fordham University.

The Rev. Kaszczak has been active in Plast since his childhood, when he belonged to the 35th troop in Yonkers, N.Y., and spent his summers at the Vovcha Tropa camp in East Chatham, N.Y. He is a member of the Plast fraternity "Khmelnychenky" and has been ministering at Plast camps on and off since 1984.

About his reasons for speaking at the International Military-Christian Conference, the Rev. Kaszczak commented, "I enjoy contributing to the development of religious freedom and freedom of expression in general. This was an opportunity to transmit some values we hold dear in America."

Below, the Rev. Kaszczak shares his thoughts on the establishment of a chaplaincy in the Ukrainian military.

Q: Is there any precedent for religious ministry to the armed forces in Ukraine?

A: There is a continuous history of chaplaincy from the times of Prince Volodymyr, the Kozaks and the revolutionaries of 1918. We've all seen the famous picture of Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky triumphantly entering Kyiv, greeted by members of the Church. The Kozaks had a chapel at Zaporozska Sich and would celebrate a moleben (prayer service) before fighting. Chaplains would then accompany them into battle.

Only the Communist armed forces replaced chaplains with political officers (politruky), who were the eyes and ears of the government. They kept people in line politically and proselytized for their government.

Q: How do you envision a new chaplaincy in the Ukrainian military as compared with the existing Chaplain Corps in the U.S. armed forces?

A: Ukraine will have to decide for itself what type it wants. Ideally, I would suggest something close to the American system. Every faith group that has a given number of people gets a proportional number of spaces. It's then up to each faith group to fill those spots. Basically, we see how many religious groups there are and try to meet their needs.

Every chaplain is a commissioned officer, with a rank but not a command. They do not fight. They do not carry firearms in time of war, but they do travel with the soldiers. The soldiers need spiritual care at what could be the most crucial time of their lives. They are risking their lives for the freedom of others, so they deserve access to religious liberties.

Q: Are there any roadblocks standing in the way of a chaplaincy in Ukraine?

A: There are two main problems. Chaplaincy would be an innovation since the beginning of communism's reign in Ukraine. Also, this is something that needs to be funded; this is difficult when they don't have money for salaries.

First, this is a new endeavor. The government in Ukraine is not used to dealing with religious questions. In the United States, educational institutions like colleges started as seminaries for the clergy. There was never any problem with giving them accreditation. In Ukraine, no educational religious institutions have accreditation. The government used to defer to one department. All of a sudden, we're asking for the government to fund religious ministers. This is hard for a formerly atheistic government - that mentality remains.

Regarding money, the question is how you allocate funds when there's not enough for tanks and salaries. Now someone comes along and says they need money for a spiritual ministry. But the people deciding sometimes aren't even paid their salaries.

Q: Does the Ukrainian Constitution require and/or allow a chaplaincy?

A: The Ukrainian Constitution says: "Every individual has a right to freely develop his individuality (identity), as long as by so doing he does not abuse the rights and freedoms of other persons, and has an obligation to society in which his free and multi-faceted development of individuality is safeguarded."

By force of circumstance, the government cannot deny freedom of expression by denying access to religious services. A person might be on a boat for six months or in the Arctic or in Siberia. The free exercise of religion means that there can be no laws prohibiting religious figures and ceremonies. Not allowing religious ministry in the military is the same as if someone says there can be no religious ceremonies in Jersey City, but you can leave and do it. This is against the Constitution because of the way it constrains you. It's all about degrees of limitations. You can limit where ceremonies are celebrated, but you need to be careful. A person could spend an entire life or career in the military. They're young and are placed in situations of life and death, so they need access to a religious ministry.

Even in the United States, separation of church and state is not as absolute as people think. It does not mean that no religious ceremonies can be held in public spaces. For example, Congress even has chaplains. The American Constitution guarantees that Congress cannot establish religion, but it also guarantees that Congress will not inhibit the free exercise thereof.

Q: Are there likely to be problems in the Ukrainian military due to animosity among various religious groups?

A: In general, I find xenophobia to be a greater problem than the struggle for control which lies at the root of much of the "religious" question in Ukraine. They are very fearful of foreign influence on account of the lack of sophistication in the Ukrainian population.

However, the one issue that all of the faith groups agree on is the need for a chaplaincy. The Constitution guarantees religious freedom; yet, those who defend it often lack access to the facilities and clergy who would enable them to practice their religion.

Q: How is the state of individuality in the Ukrainian military?

A: Ukraine is hesitant to allow the individual to develop as a free agent. This includes freedom of religion. It is a vestige of the socialist past. There is a need to conform. They are not supposed to think for themselves. The people are not ready to experience freedom.

They feel that foreign influence will destabilize the individual psyche and the entire political and social system. The attitude is that you can have religious freedom, but only if you choose Orthodoxy, Judaism or Catholicism. Those are the religions that are accepted, because they have a history in Ukraine. Any religion with no history is considered foreign, so they are afraid of it. In the United States, we have hundreds of religions. No one will stop you if you want to establish a new one, but in Ukraine they're afraid of new things.

Q: What is the extent of atheism in Ukraine?

A: Atheism has produced some anomalies within the religious ethos of Ukraine. Due to a lack of religious education, superstition and superficial piety have spread. There is no doubt that atheism is very far reaching within the psyche and fabric of Ukrainian society.

Part of the problem is that what people have heard about religion is a caricature of it. They have no living experience of any Church except the Russian Orthodox, which was legalized under Soviet rule. If people's fathers were not allowed to worship, it is very hard for them to make the change and adapt.

In many places there is actually a good religious spirit and good intentions. But if you talk with people about religion, you will find that their basic knowledge is very limited. Many say they believe in God, but are silent if you ask them about Scripture. Without access to religious literature, many people are ignorant about religious issues. This problem is being remedied, but slowly.

Q: Do any changes need to take place in the Ukrainian military for chaplaincy and religion to take hold?

A: Religion has taken hold. What we need to underline is that we do not want the chaplains to add adherents to their religions. This may happen, but the prime job will be to minister to those who have the need and the desire for such services.

Q: What are conditions like in the Ukrainian military?

A: It's not as violent as the Arabic militaries, where an officer can hit anyone lower in rank. In Ukraine, there is still some of the macho attitude left over from Communist rule, with officers lording over those with lower rank. I don't know how much physical abuse there is though.

There are a lot of marital problems and a high suicide rate. It causes a big mental strain when you know that your paycheck might not come for six months or more. Also, the Ukrainian military has conscription. It's the difference between forcing a person to work and saying they can work if they want to. People count the days until they're done.

The general feeling of teenagers in Ukraine is that they don't want to serve because they don't want to get hurt. They're afraid they'll be hurt physically and psychologically, as well as lose their health.

Q: How much support is there in Ukraine for the establishment of a chaplaincy?

A: In the military, it depends on the commander. They are always wary of interconfessional in-fighting. They don't want to introduce divisive issues. I don't know the percentages [supporting a chaplaincy], but the Constitution demands it. The conference was a forum to discuss ways it can happen.

I was the only representative of the U.S. military, so I presented the American model of a chaplaincy. Other topics included the need for a chaplaincy, the suicide rate, economic problems, funding and statistics, such as the number of soldiers in the Ukrainian military and how many are far from places of worship. At the conference, the need for a chaplaincy was one thing everyone agreed on.

Q: Did you need to tailor your presentation in Lviv for your Ukrainian audience in any way?

A: I wanted them to realize I wasn't telling them what to do. I just wanted to show them what works in the U.S. as a possible model or paradigm. The U.S. system has worked for 250 years. George Washington had a chaplaincy before the nation even existed.

I needed to be very deferential. There is a barrage of ill will left over from Soviet times. They believe that their citizens are stronger than ours emotionally, physically and spiritually. In their mind, Westerners have been weakened by the capitalist disease of greed and envy. They believe there to be a general malaise in America.

Q: Have any of your experiences with the Ukrainian military struck you as particularly meaningful or telling?

A: I had a good opportunity to speak with a Ukrainian cadet studying at the United States Air Force Academy. He was young and bright, studying at one of the best engineering schools in America. But he was wondering whether there would be a job for him in the Ukrainian military, whether he would be able to have a career in the military.

He had done a lot of work on his own to get into the Air Force Academy. He'd been left to fend for himself and was not being supported by the Ukrainian military. Structurally, the Ukrainian military has so much to worry about that people get lost in the cracks. These people are willing and able to give a lot, but Ukraine is struggling for survival and identity. There are a lot of intelligent people in Ukraine, but the structure and funding need to catch up.

Q: What is the next step toward the establishment of a chaplaincy?

A: The next action is for the people who were the conference directors to go to the Ukrainian government in Kyiv to present their findings. It is the government's responsibility to see that the defenders of the Constitution are given full access to its benefits. They need to take action.

One Orthodox bishop spoke about what the government says is holding them back. He explained that the government worries about dissension among religious groups, but that this worry is patently false. The need for a chaplaincy is one of the things all religious groups agree on.

The bishop also said the government maintains that it will take time to properly train clergy for the chaplaincy. Yet there are many qualified members of the clergy like the bishop himself, who was a military pilot, has a college education and is an ordained priest. He is more than adequately prepared to serve as a chaplain.

It was decided that this would be the last conference. How many times can you meet and say you need a chaplaincy? Only the government has the legal authority to actually do it. We have talked enough, and in the meantime people are in crisis. We don't need more theory; we need real action.

The conference directors will present the papers from the conference and a general summary. After that, it is up to the Ukrainian government. There is nothing more conferences can do. The people have a need, and it is the government's obligation to do something about it.

Q: What is your personal involvement at this time?

A: I am in contact with people giving conferences for the military. For example, one conference on suicide prevention is being held for the Odesa fleet. These are at the grassroots level. They are social services in the form of training for commanders. As it stands now, the Ukrainian military has civilian contractors ministering to the troops as volunteers. They come and speak to the troops.

Q: Do you see a connection between your involvement in Plast and your military life?

A: My participation in Plast has certainly helped me prepare for the military. Plast tries to underline important values like punctuality, keeping your word, respect for tradition and the importance of knowing the Ukrainian language. Plast emphasizes staying in good physical shape, hiking, orienteering, marching and a type of camaraderie also found in the military. It stresses the need for a well-thought-out life. It teaches you to be part of a group.

Vice-versa, the military has helped prepare me for my Plast ministry by exposing me to young people. The average age of the U.S. military is only about 19. You go in at 17 and can retire at 38. These are some very young people I work with.

Through the military I've received training in counseling and take the same officer classes as lay officers. It expands your horizons. You see a lot of loneliness and recklessness in people away from home for the first time, thinking they own the world. Plast is a microcosm of this. The chaplain can be a source of moderation.

Q: What have you learned from your efforts to create a chaplaincy in Ukraine?

A: As kids we prayed for independence. Now we have it and need to work with it. As guests, we can give opinions. But as friends of Ukraine, we need to let go and let our friends decide how to run the country. They need to live their own lives. The U.S. model might be a good example, but I can't run things for them.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, August 5, 2001, No. 31, Vol. LXIX

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