Andrei Sheptytsky: The Man Who Laid the Foundations of a Nation

“When studying or developing in a particular field, we often look for role models – individuals who truly inspire us to achieve more. But have you ever noticed how often we look to foreigners for inspiration? As if forgetting that among Ukrainians, too, there have been remarkable leaders – individuals who were ahead of their time, whose life circumstances, worldview, and mentality are much closer to ours than any experience from abroad. One of the most striking examples of such Leadership is Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky – a man who set the tone for an entire era, and whose example has the power to inspire, especially in times like ours”. These were the opening words of Sophia Opatska – Vice-Rector for Strategic Development at the Ukrainian Catholic University, Founding Dean and Chair of the Supervisory Board of the UCU Business School, and lecturer at the Center for Leadership of UCU – as she addressed participants of the 2nd Module of the “Transformational Leadership in Times of Uncertainty” program on the morning of Friday, April 11, 2025.

But this message became something more than just a prelude to a case study – even if the case was devoted to an “icon” of his time. It was, above all, a reflection on how difficult it often is for Ukrainians to overcome the inferiority complex toward our own achievements and the people behind them. And it also highlighted the deep meanings that permeate the educational programs developed at UCU – meanings that our team wants to share today, through the example of a Leader who served not only the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, but the entire nation. A man whose ideas and actions continue to inspire us to strive for more – especially in a world that once again reveals its fragility.

Why Sheptytsky is Not Just a Figure of Church History

In a century that burned ideas, broke systems, and dissolved identities, Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky (1865–1944) not only stood firm – he laid the foundation for a new Ukraine: spiritual, educated, and socially just.

His thinking was so systemic and visionary that many of his ideas could easily be part of contemporary educational programs in ethical Leadership, change management, stakeholder engagement, social entrepreneurship, and public governance.

This is a rare example of a religious leader becoming a national strategist, a moral compass, and a living model for:

• Ukrainian entrepreneurs who want to build not just companies, but communities;
• managers and startup founders seeking a balance between efficiency and meaning;
• civic leaders aiming for transformation without manipulation or populism;
• every conscious Ukrainian who lives with the question: “How do I make sure I do not waste my freedom?”

A Visionary Leader: “Let Us Think in Terms of Generations”

Andrei Sheptytsky did not think in terms of “election cycles”, “digital quarters”, or “terms of office”. His logic was the logic of decades – even centuries. He understood that culture, education, and morality are investments for the very long run.

“Let us not think about today but about eternity. Let us not work only for ourselves, but for our children, for our whole people, for generations to come”,

the Metropolitan addressed in his “Pastoral Message to the Youth” (1933).

It is precisely this long-term thinking that makes him closely aligned with today’s concept of Visionary Leadership – where strategy is not a three-year plan but a Mission that retains its power across centuries.

Economic Leadership: “Wealth Must Serve the Community”

As a church hierarch this man demonstrated remarkable insight into economic matters. He not only blessed entrepreneurial activity – he viewed it as a moral Mission, a means for advancing the common good.

“The worst temptation is to get rich without working or by means of deceit… Money in itself is not a sin. But it is a sin to possess it without responsibility toward the poor”,

he admonished the faithful in the Message “On Christian Mercy” (1931).

And these were not just words. While holding the highest office in the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Andrei Sheptytsky actively supported all initiatives that contributed to the economic upliftment of Galicia:

• the cooperative movement among peasants;
• financing of artisan workshops;
• educational scholarships for gifted youth, regardless of their social background;
• the establishment of credit unions and community-managed banks (such as the Land Mortgage Bank – a case referenced in the educational Module “Andrei Sheptytsky: Can One Think Decades Ahead?”).

This was a prototype of social entrepreneurship, where profit was not the goal in itself, but rather a tool for ensuring a dignified life.

“A Christian must not ask only: “How much will I earn?” but rather: “What good will this bring to others?”…”

he called in his sermon in Przemyśl (1929).

A Leader of Action: Institutions That Outlived Their Founder

Andrei Sheptytsky was a figure who deeply understood the power of structure. His Leadership was not confined to sermons – it translated into institutions that shaped entire layers of Ukrainian culture and society:

• The National Museum in Lviv (1905) – preserving Ukrainian art and heritage.
• The Ukrainian Medical Association (1910) – the embryo of a socially-oriented health system.
• Student boarding houses and scholarships – early models of social mobility.
• Missionary schools for the deaf and blind – inclusion put into practice.
• The Metropolitan’s printing press and library – media and education as strategies of cultural preservation.

These structures prove: values are only effective when they are embedded in institutional form. And he was ahead of his time – crafting the ecosystem of a nation long before that nation had a state of its own.

A Moral Leader in an Age of Fear

In 1942, during the darkest period of the Holocaust, Andrei Sheptytsky issued a pastoral letter titled “Thou Shalt Not Kill” – a bold act of civic and spiritual courage. He openly condemned Nazi violence, risking everything in doing so. His personal efforts to rescue Jews – particularly children hidden in monasteries – saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives.

“One cannot remain silent when the innocent are being killed. It is the cry of conscience that will judge every soul who failed to stop evil”,

he wrote in his “Address to the Clergy” (1942).

In today’s terms, Metropolitan was an ethical leader in times of crisis. He did not seek the safe or comfortable position – he chose the side of good, even when it meant mortal danger.

A Leader of Enlightenment: “Education Is the Weapon of a Strong Nation”

Coming from the nobility, Andrei Sheptytsky perhaps better than anyone understood the power that knowledge provides. So it is hardly surprising how much effort he invested in the field of education. He believed that only an educated nation could truly be free. For him, education was not a privilege – it was a form of national security.

“An ignorant people will be easy prey for foreigners. Only that nation survives which has an intelligentsia that thinks of the common good”,

he shared his thoughts in “Message to Teachers” (1937).

His work in the sphere of enlightenment was truly vast in scope. He funded the education of Ukrainian youth abroad, opened schools, supported scientific societies. Most importantly, it was thanks to his initiative that the Lviv Theological Academy was established in 1928 – the institutional and philosophical predecessor of today’s Ukrainian Catholic University.

His educational paternalism was never condescending. It stemmed from a deep belief in the potential of every human being.

Why Is Example of Andrew Sheptytsky Especially Relevant Today?

In times of war, loss, institutional distrust, and pressure on business, Metropolitan speaks to us directly – through his numerous sermons, letters, and personal writings. His message is simple, and therefore even more valuable:

• Morality is not a luxury. It is the foundation of effectiveness.
• Entrepreneurship must be about service, not consumption.
• Leadership means sacrifice, not a career move.
• Your community is your KPI too.

Postscript: On the Kind of Leadership Needed When History Is Being Made

So who was Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky – for his contemporaries, and perhaps more importantly, for us? He is a model of Leadership that fuses strategy with spirituality, economics with compassion, action with silence. A form of Leadership guided by ethics, not just ambition.

He teaches us more than how to manage during times of uncertainty:

• That we must see potential in people, not just resources.
• That we must build institutions, not just careers.
• That we are obliged to take responsibility – even when we are “not personally to blame”.
• And that actions carried out for future generations always outweigh short-term benefits.

This is why the Center for Leadership of UCU and the UCU Business School continue to study and reflect upon his legacy. Because Andrei Sheptytsky is not from the Past. He is from our Future. And the only question that remains is – can we catch up to him in time?