Ukraine Diary

by Henri J.M. Nouwen

In 1993-94, Henri Nouwen, the Dutch-born priest and spiritual writer, made two trips to recently-independent Ukraine. There he led retreats, observed the resurgence of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, and connected with local communities working with handicapped adults. These trips were deeply significant to Nouwen. And yet the full meaning of his observations may only now become clear.

With extraordinary prescience, Henri identified in Ukraine certain spiritual and moral qualities struggling to assert themselves--exactly the qualities, almost thirty years later, that the Ukrainian people have mobilized in their struggle for freedom and independence. He found a people hungry for hope and healing, in need of the life-giving message he most wanted to that we are all "beloved of God," and that God's love meets us where we are most hurt, weak, and vulnerable.

Read today, Nouwen's previously unpublished work is like a time capsule, a message from the past with special meaning for today. Borys Gudziak, Archbishop-Metropolitan for the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, notes in the "This modest, seemingly simple book about a visit to a distant land is in fact a subtle tale of how encounter genuinely and radically changes the lives of people."

162 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 4, 2023

About the author

Henri Jozef Machiel Nouwen was a Dutch Catholic priest, theologian, psychologist, professor, and spiritual writer whose work profoundly shaped contemporary Christian spirituality. Born in Nijkerk, the Netherlands, in 1932, Nouwen pursued religious studies and was ordained a priest in 1957. His intellectual curiosity led him to study psychology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen and later at the Menninger Clinic in Kansas, where he explored the connection between faith and mental health. Throughout his life, Nouwen remained committed to integrating pastoral care, psychology, and spiritual theology in a way that addressed the emotional and existential needs of believers.
Nouwen held teaching positions at prestigious institutions including the University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School, and Harvard Divinity School. He authored over three dozen books and hundreds of articles, with notable works such as The Wounded Healer, The Return of the Prodigal Son, Life of the Beloved, and The Inner Voice of Love. His writing, often rooted in personal vulnerability and spiritual struggle, resonated with readers across denominations. Nouwen openly explored themes of loneliness, identity, intimacy, and the human desire for love and belonging, making his voice especially relatable and influential.
Though he was a gifted academic and popular speaker, Nouwen found his deepest calling later in life through his involvement with L’Arche, a network of communities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After a transformative stay at the original L’Arche community in France, Nouwen accepted an invitation to become the pastor of L’Arche Daybreak in Richmond Hill, Ontario. There he developed a close bond with Adam Arnett, a core member with severe disabilities, which inspired the book Adam: God’s Beloved. At Daybreak, Nouwen discovered a deep spiritual home and a community that helped him embrace his humanity in profound ways.
Throughout his life, Nouwen wrestled with issues of identity, including his sexuality and his longing for connection, though he remained faithful to his vows. His openness about depression and inner conflict gave depth to his pastoral message, and his ability to turn personal struggle into shared spiritual insight made him one of the most beloved spiritual writers of the 20th century.
Henri Nouwen died in 1996 of a sudden heart attack, but his legacy endures through his writings, the Henri Nouwen Society, and the continued global reach of his message of belovedness, vulnerability, and compassionate community. His books remain bestsellers, widely read in seminaries, churches, and among individuals seeking a more intimate walk with God.

Reviews

[Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
"There is a deep sadness in the heart of the Ukrainian people, and even the prayers, hymns, and homilies that speak about hope and joy don't take that away easily - a thousand years of long-suffering, oppression, poverty, and the violent death of millions of people have engulfed this country in darkness - and words for darkness are easier to find than words for light."

Throughout the centuries, people have always tried to fix Ukrainians without ever understanding us, and despite his best efforts, Fr H Nouwen was no different during his two visits to Ukraine in 1993/94. Nouwen admitted to knowing nothing of the culture or history of Ukraine before his visit, though with the help of his guides and friends (the introduction by +Met Borys Gudziak is well-written, impassioned, and very much worth reading), he managed to grasp a lot of the intricacies of the Ukrainian identity, alongside an unpropagandized view of the country's often deliberately blurred history, which was excellent to read. Nouwen, whose spiritual writings and ministry have inspired thousands through the decades, visited a Ukraine that was newly liberated from the iron fist of Soviet rule in the early 1990s, and his experiences reflected this: he encountered people who were mistrusting, sad, and deprived, living in depressed, concrete apartment blocs, and amidst crumbling infrastructure, but he was able to encounter the slow, gentle and genuine joy that Ukrainian people are able to express when they can, despite their deplorable and desolate living conditions. It is clear that Nouwen grew to love and appreciate Ukraine and its people during his visits, and throughout the writing in his diaries, he expressed a sincere faith that the country would regenerate in the future.
Sadly, during the time of this writing, Ukraine, a country that grew from that worn Soviet-era hellscape into a thriving, European-leaning democracy, is still undergoing a full-scale, genocidal war waged by russians, and she once again finds herself plunged into the despair brought on by people who think they know what Ukraine needs more than Ukraine itself does.

Світло перемагає темряву - light conquers darkness.

[Franca Gargiulo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful account of life immediately after independence and the growth of religion that had been supressed during the Soviet era. Nouwen is the "informed traveler" with sage guide Borys Gudziak, founder of the Ukrainian Catholic University. Timely and prescient treatise in 2023. Will provide reader with strong sense of what life was like in post-Soviet Ukraine in the early 1990's.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, especially in light of current events, and of course, the book overflowed with Nouwen's central message: "You are God's Beloved." Always good to read.

[Melissa Stebbins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this with a group of ladies from our church. It did spark some deep discussion about our faith. It is a very quick read and there were many parts where I would have liked more detail which is why I rated it three stars. That may be unfair since it is not meant to be that kind of book, being the published entries for Henri's diary so you wouldn't expect the same kind of exploration.

Lines of note:
Talking about the handicapped in Ukraine: "Are they even seen as human beings with a unique personality? Do they ever make a walk into town, go on a trip, meet people who want to welcome them into their homes? Do they ever feel truly loved?"p 68 - This sparked some good conversation around marginalised people and also pervasive loneliness.

"I realized that only by telling our stories can the countless impressions be sorted out" p 72. I was reminded again how writing out or talking out our thoughts, experiences, and feelings is crucial to coming to grips with them and wrangling them into some sort of sense. This sense-making step is crucial to us as human-beings.

There was also a fair bit about the generational oppression of the people of Ukraine and how that comes through in communal characteristics. "In Ukraine everyone is able to live, but few are living with joy." p 75

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Henri Nouwen a well recognized Catholic Priest and writer kept a diary on his two trips to Ukraine in 1993 & 94. This diary was only recently published in English and is viewed as almost prophetic in its writing as to what is happening in Ukraine now. Even more it shows how the people have been affected by living under a dictatorship for so many years. I wish all people would take time to read this amazing book