“No, No and No!” – Folha de S. Paulo, March 26, 1972

by Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira

Ukrainian Catholics of the Byzantine rite are well known to the Brazilian public. In our country, they form friendly, hardworking communities, particularly numerous in the states of São Paulo and Paraná.

Furthermore, in 1968, Brazil was visited by Cardinal Joseph Slipyj, the highest-ranking figure of the Ukrainian rite. After eighteen years in the dungeons of the Soviet Union, he was released in 1963, with his health severely weakened. During that terrible ordeal, his constancy rightly earned him an anticipation of the glory of the martyrs. Shortly after his release, he went to Rome and received from Pope Paul VI the title of Major Archbishop of Ukraine, and later the cardinal’s red hat. Cardinal Slipyj then undertook extensive travels to make contact with Catholics of his rite worldwide. On that occasion, he visited São Paulo and received a well-deserved tribute at the TFP’s headquarters.

Earlier, another Ukrainian prelate, Bishop Ivan Buchko, had also visited our country. The Holy See later elevated him to the dignity of Apostolic Visitator for Ukrainian Catholics in Western Europe. I met him in Rome in 1962 and felt his warm sympathy for Brazil.

Naturally, these pastors’ primary focus is on the most persecuted part of their nation, which remains under the Soviet Union’s red yoke. Accordingly, Cardinal Slipyj took an admirably energetic stance against communism at the 1971 Synod of Bishops in Rome, a position that was favorably echoed shortly thereafter by the Synod of Ukrainian Bishops.

For Brazilian readers, it is of the utmost interest to learn the position of such well-informed prelates, both in light of the “myth” that communism was softening its positions and in light of the “Ostpolitik” of Paul VI and Willy Brandt.

Bishop Ivan Buchko (1891-1974)

In this regard, Archbishop Bucko gave a remarkably lucid and courageous interview to Deutsche National Zeitung (December 24, 1971, Year XXI, No. 52), from which I transcribe the most important points below.

Let us listen to Archbishop Buchko:

Deutsche National Zeitung — Do Ukrainian bishops reject communism and the policy of rapprochement with communists?

Archbishop Buchko — We know the full horror of Bolshevism in its reality, and for this reason, we are free of illusions about it.

DNZ — Some believe the communists have grown more humane.

AB – In my opinion, the communists cannot improve in any way. They are getting worse and worse. They hate God and seek to annihilate all religions. Nothing in their doctrine has become more liberal, as they claim. In his Encyclical, Pius XII rightly stated that communism is evil in its essence and exists only to destroy. …

DNZ – Your Excellency, how do you assess the Holy See’s current “Ostpolitik”?

AB – I beg to be excused from answering that question. As you know, the Church is a divine institution. The Holy Spirit prevents all errors of doctrine, and the Church has the promised guarantee of infallibility.

DNZ – How do you evaluate Willy Brandt’s “Ostpolitik”?

AB – Ostpolitik is unrealistic because it rests on a fundamentally mistaken view of Soviet imperialism.

DNZ – Do you believe communists can be softened by compromise?

AB – No, no, and no. Communism must be fought with spiritual weapons and with Faith.

DNZ – Where do you see the Soviet Union’s strength?

AB – I believe it lies in our weakness. We are too soft. Do you understand? We need to stimulate ourselves more.

DNZ – Why are you no longer in Ukraine?

AB – Pius XII once sent me to South America to visit Ukrainian immigrants. When I tried to return to Ukraine after the trip, the Soviet ambassador said, “You will never, ever return to Ukraine.”

So I went to exercise my ministry as a bishop in North America for a time. I was based in New York, where I closely observed communist propaganda. … Later, I served as Apostolic Visitor in Italy and then in Western Europe. Over fifteen years of work, I established Exarchates [as Ukrainian dioceses are called] in Germany, England, France, etc. I failed only to establish one in Vienna because the Americans said, “We won’t go to war with the Soviets because of Bucko.”

DNZ – In your opinion, can the collapse of the Catholic Church still be avoided?

AB – The Holy Spirit will not allow trees to grow skyward.

DNZ – Will Your Excellency ever support Soviet domination of Ukraine?

AB – Never, never, ever, because Soviet imperialism is a satanic power that cannot be supported.

DNZ – Which bishops oppose the softening of Catholicism in favor of communism?

AB – Certainly, the majority. But many are on the wrong path, including Most Rev. Helder Câmara. He believes one can collaborate with communists, and that will not work.

DNZ – We have come so far today that communists and their accomplices claim Christ was the first communist. In your opinion, can the Son of God truly be called the father of Bolshevism?

AB – Of course not. This is monstrous blasphemy, an attempt to twist the truth and lead the faithful into error.

DNZ – Our most sincere and cordial wishes go out to Your Excellency. We are pleased that figures such as Your Excellency are active in the Catholic Church.