Fr Lucas Perozzi found himself in Ukraine when Russia began its full-scale assault on the country in 2022. However, rather than escape back to his homeland, Brazil, he remained in the country and continues to serve a flock in Kyiv which, he says, is showing signs of exhaustion after over 1000 days of conflict. 

“We go to sleep to the sound of sirens, and we wake up to the sound of sirens and bombings. The sirens sound non-stop. Psychologically, people are tired, very scared and without hope. Then there is also the problem of the economic crisis. Things are increasingly expensive, it is a very difficult situation”, he tells international charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). 

The effect of this state of mind is that after months of panic whenever sirens sounded, people have developed a more carefree attitude, at great personal risk. “You can’t live like this. For the first six months we used to run to the bunkers, but not anymore. When our time comes, it will come. Only God knows the hour. It could be a missile or a heart attack. God is the Lord of life. That’s reality, and we have come to accept it”, says the priest.

Eucharistic adoration in the shelter of St. Anthony Parish in Kyiv/Kiev during the war. One of the parish priests is Father Lucas Perozzi

Fr Perozzi also found himself in a difficult situation recently, when he decided to go for a walk at night to clear his head. “I was tired, and I went out a bit to unwind before going to bed, when there was a drone attack. At the same time, the air defense kicked in and began destroying the drones, and I witnessed the whole thing. Suddenly I noticed that bits of the anti-drone missiles were falling around me, like rain. I could hear large chunks of metal shattering on the floor. I thought ‘for goodness’ sake. I have survived in this war for so long, and now I am going to die from something stupid like this?’. I ran with my hands over my head, and I managed to get home without getting hit”. 

Despite the general exhaustion with the war, Fr Perozzi remains committed to his mission, even though it is increasingly difficult to carry out. “Our mission is to spread the Gospel, but it isn’t easy. People need hope, they need God, the sacred. Nothing consoles them anymore. They have given up searching. They have become apathetic, disillusioned.”

One of the few silver linings in this situation has been the help provided by ACN, which continues to support the local Catholic Church in Ukraine. “All the parishes received help to hold summer camps for children, which is very important, because they are living in a state of constant alarm. It is constant stress, and it leads to fighting among themselves. So it is important to get them out of that atmosphere. In my parish we held a camp in the mountains, where there are no air raid sirens, no missiles, and they can rest, they can play, speak to each other, and we can provide pastoral care, such as Masses and catechesis.”

Another central aspect of the Church’s mission at this time of war is the provision of trauma care, which requires specific training, that ACN is helping to provide. 

“We need to be qualified to be able to work with people who were on the front line, with parents who lost their children, children who lost their parents. Anything related to trauma, which is not easy. This is a new issue for us. But we do everything with gratitude, I am happy with my mission, and ready to carry it out. As long as we are alive, we have the mission to proclaim the Gospel!”, Fr Perozzi concludes. 

The post UKRAINE: After 1000 days of war, “people are tired and without hope” appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).

The continuing war and the related economic crisis are proving a major headache for the seminary administration. Food and energy prices have tripled during this time, while the ordinary Catholic faithful in the parishes have become to poor themselves to to contribute more than a little, and the seminarians‘ own families likewise are barely able to contribute anything towards their sons‘ spiritual formation. “The situation is particularly difficult for those seminarians whose fathers have been called up to fight. Many of these fathers will not return again”, says the rector, Father Taras Putko.

And so, once again this year, the rector is asking our help in order to be able to continue the formation of these young men even in these difficult times. He writes: “It is only thanks to the help of our benefactors that we can continue to keep our seminary running. Without your help it would be impossible!” And the Archbishop of Ivano-Frankivsk is already finding it hard enough to support the 525 priests of his eparchy.

We are planning to support the training of these 182 future priests for another year as a way of renewing the hope of the Church in this difficult time. Will you help us? 

The post UKRAINE: Renewing hope in this difficult time appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).

The city of Kharkiv lies just 30km from the Russian border. Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression it has regularly been under heavy fire and is now badly damaged. Can you tell us about the current situation?

We live from hour to hour. S-300 missiles fired from the Russian side hit Kharkiv in less than 39 seconds. Because it travels so fast, the missile lands first, and then comes the air raid warning. All those who live within 70km of the front are the first in the Russian line of fire. In Ukraine, however, there is no safe place. The attacks can happen anywhere. 

A soldier looks at the wall with photos of those who have fallen for Ukraine since the invasion of Crimea in 2014

Here in Kharkiv, the air raid warning goes off almost non-stop. Also, every hour of the night. Many people still don’t dare go outdoors. There are lots of suicides, because people don’t know what’s going to happen next. The schools and kindergartens are closed. Many children are learning in underground stations. I know of a teacher who every day goes to a nearby place where she has Wi-Fi and from there gives online lessons to her students, who are now scattered across 18 countries.

Everything has been destroyed. The people have no houses, no apartments…a 73-year-old man came to us and had nothing with him. Fortunately, he was out when the rocket hit his house. But everything is gone. We bought him clothing.

What is the situation for the local Church?

I have a very large diocese, but a quarter of it is occupied, and in that part, there are no more priests. Before the war in 2014 we had 70,000 believers in our diocese. Today there are only 2,500. 

Even if everything here is unstable, there is one thing which doesn’t change: we must pay the running costs for gas, water and electricity so that priests and religious can secure their existence. The faithful can’t support us, they have lost everything. Therefore, I thank ACN from the bottom of my heart that they are there and are helping us. Priests and religious are irreplaceable… They are a sign of stability and security. The people say: when a priest is there, I can stay as well. They simply need our presence. Loneliness is very difficult to bear, especially when you have lost a loved one. 

What is the most important task of the Church in this bleak situation?

Bishop Mytrofan (Mitrofan) from Kharkiv-Bohodukhovsk (Orthodox Church of Ukraine), Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk from the Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhya-LAT and Fr. Grygorij Semenkov (chancellor of the diocesan curia and priest of the Cathedral parish) are praying for peace in Ukraine in the Cathedral in Kharkiv.

Our mission is to proclaim Christ and His word. Prayer is the greatest weapon. Many people ask: when will the war end? There is no answer. But we mustn’t stop praying. 

Just as important, however, is being there for the people, accompanying them, carrying their burdens with them, praying with them, serving them. And seeking means to help them to overcome this difficult time. It’s not just about material help, but also about psychological help. It‘s important that a person understands what is going on inside him, so that he does not condemn himself, for with fear comes also aggression. That is normal in a war situation. Then you must speak about it. We have few specialists and experts, and that is a problem. ACN has supported psychological formation for priests, religious and volunteers in relation to war wounds. That is so important, and we are very grateful for it!

You yourself were once a military chaplain and are now responsible for all the military chaplains of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Can you explain what their work is like?

A military chaplain deals with the pastoral care of the men at the front, but also of their families. We have 46 military chaplains in my diocese. Each young man at the front is a lone fighter. He feels very alone, because there are very few people that he can tell how it’s going for him. He wouldn’t confide in a psychologist, because he has no trust in him, nor in his family, because he would want to protect them. What these men have in their souls is a nightmare. That’s why a military chaplain is so important. He listens to what men have on their souls. You often don’t know what you should say, you are simply there. 

What experiences have particularly marked you in recent times?

Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk with the participants of psychological training for trauma healing relating to wounds of the war

It’s very difficult of course when I have to tell families that the son or husband has been killed. Often the bishop is asked to do that…

I was particularly moved by an experience in a village near the front. A woman died there, and we wanted to bury her, but the local Orthodox priest thought that it was too dangerous. Nevertheless, I went. The people there were pro-Russian, they didn’t want to speak with us and were very aggressive. The burial took place in a cellar, without electricity. I gave out candles. There were about 10 people. They looked at me – I looked into empty eyes and got goose bumps. It was dark and it was so difficult. The dead body was laid out. Before I prayed for the dead woman, I began first to pray for the people who were in front of me: “Dear God, please come into the hearts of the people here…” When we came up, I finally saw the people in daylight, they had cried. The woman who at the beginning had been the most aggressive, asked me to pray again. I asked her why. She said: “When you prayed, my heart became so light.” The others confirmed it. They repeated my words of prayer. God had touched their hearts. For these people the war has ended. For war begins in the heart and ends there. 

Many people have left Kharkiv because of the constant bombardment. Have you yourself thought about leaving the city?

No, I’m staying. My place is here. The local people need me. If I leave Kharkiv, it will be with the very last car.

Since last year, in the Latin Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia, ACN has funded emergency relief for religious, special help for 25 parishes, and heat pumps for various parishes and for the curia. The charity has also made available Mass stipends. As well as psychological formation for priests, religious and volunteers, it has funded first-aid kits for priests and nuns who are working in dangerous places. 

The post UKRAINE: “We live from hour to hour” appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).

Despite the tragedy faced by millions of Ukrainians due to the war with Russia, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the largest of the Eastern Catholic Churches in communion with Rome, stressed the importance of hope to the Christian faith as Easter approaches. In a homily during a Mass in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, in New York, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk emphasized the significance of this virtue in the face of tragedy and despair. “Christ is our hope, His words and love are our hope. His death and resurrection are our hope”, said His Beatitude. “Hope is what we all need — every human soul navigating life’s challenges and moments of despair. All of us who are facing our own sinfulness. We all need hope! Hope is what the hearts of my people long for.”

The Mass (10 March) was presided over by New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who expressed gratitude for the tradition of the Mass of Supplication for persecuted Christians coordinated by Aid to the Church in Need. This was the third year of ACN’s “Courage in Faith” initiative, which dedicates a week each Lent to the plight of the persecuted Church around the world. ACN is featuring Ukraine as part of its 2024 Lenten Campaign. He described it as “a splendid initiative that brings much needed support to suffering Christians around the world. We gather in a special way to pray for those who are suffering for their Faith.” 

Regina Lynch, the Executive President of ACN International, spoke before the Mass and explained that ACN’s support for the persecuted Church is as a vital as ever: “The persecutors have changed but, in this century, we still have persecution.” 

Following the celebration, the major archbishop presented Cardinal Dolan and Regina Lynch with a framed piece of shrapnel from a drone that targeted his residence in Kyiv. This symbolic gesture aimed to demonstrate the adversity faced by Christians. The major archbishop also gifted a traditional Ukrainian Easter egg, a symbol of hope, to show that despite the adversity faced in the world, Christians are carried by their faith. 

The Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the UN, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, was also present at the Mass, showing the solidarity of the worldwide Catholic Church in support of the persecuted Church. 

ACN has been a longstanding supporter of the Catholic Church in Ukraine and has dedicated its 2024 Lenten Campaign to raise awareness and support for Ukraine. Since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022, ACN has supported more than 600 projects in Ukraine.

During his homily, Major Archbishop Shevchuk thanked ACN, amongst others, for their support offered to the Ukrainian Church: “I express gratitude to Catholics in the US and worldwide, to His Eminence Cardinal Dolan, and to Aid to the Church in Need and for the support we experience every day”. 

He acknowledged the generosity of ACN towards the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for decades, stating, “many of our bishops and most of our priests were supported by scholarships from your donors. Among those lucky students I was one! Aid to the Church in Need has demonstrated singular generosity to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for three generations. We thank you for your prayer, advocacy and aid. By God’s grace we stand. Thanks to God and to you.”

The post Ukrainian Archbishop: “Hope is what the hearts of my people long for” appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).

The seminarians, scarred by the war but matured by their faith, give many testimonies. They remain at the side of so many suffering and sick people. It is estimated that today, 80% of the population is suffering from the physical or psychological consequences of this war, which has been going on since 2014.

Having been victims of the war themselves, the seminarians feel close to those who are also suffering. For example, Vitali, a 28-year-old Greek Catholic seminarian from Kyiv, lost his father on 8 December 2022. He had volunteered for the army and was 52 years old. Vitali’s light blue eyes tear up at this memory. But the young seminarian speaks of the “good fortune of being able to bury him”.

Many people cannot even find the bodies of their fathers, husbands or children. Vitali also lost one of his best friends. “I try to help those who have also lost someone close to them. Doubtless I can understand them better. But my pain is still very great.” A year later, the emotional wound is far from healed. His faith helps him to find peace despite the ordeal and to support others who are suffering.

Roberto, another 23-year-old seminarian from Lviv, worked in the summer as a leader at a youth camp in eastern Ukraine. Some of the young people who were in his care have been killed. Like all Ukrainians, the war has left Roberto deeply scarred. He explains that many people come to him to ask questions because, as a seminarian, he wears his religious habit. “Many ask me: ‘How can God allow this to happen?’ It is very difficult for me to answer. But I draw my strength from Eucharistic adoration.”

Roberto also explains the impact of the war on his calling. “One day, my superior asked me to look after the refugees and to talk with them. And it was when I was teaching them the catechism that I realised the meaning of my vocation. Two of them received their first communion, one went to confession for the first time in ten years, others were confirmed, and one couple got married!” Despite the suffering of the war, God continues His work.

Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) contributed to the establishment of all ten seminaries in Ukraine – three Roman Catholic and seven Greek Catholic– and currently supports all seminarians with scholarships. In Kyiv, Father Ruslan Mykhalkiv, rector of the Greek Catholic seminary in Vorzel, thanked ACN for its help after Russian troops occupied the seminary for a month in 2022.

“The windows were broken, and everything had been wrecked. But thanks to your help, the seminary is now even more beautiful than before! Thank you so much for that!” The rector returned to Vorzel full of hope that the seminarians would be able to resume their training quickly after the occupation. Hence his desire to rebuild the seminary as quickly as possible. Now, when he sees his seminarians at work, the rector confesses: “The grace of the Lord is greater than the horror of war.”

The post UKRAINE: ‘The grace of the Lord is greater than the horror of war’ appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).

The war in Ukraine is not only an assault on an independent nation, struggling to survive, it is also a war against the family, as Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk pointed out in February.

In a situation where many men are fighting on the frontline, women often have to face many difficulties alone, carrying not only the burden of raising children, or caring for loved relatives, but also the immense weight of suffering that comes from not knowing if their sons or husbands will return safe home or knowing they will never come back.

During a visit to Ukraine a delegation from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) got to know and listen to the testimonies of women knee-deep in the war effort, helping the displaced, providing much-needed assistance, working with trauma victims or simply trying to make it through another day.

People cry without tears

Tragically, there is no shortage of stories of widows in Ukraine today. Nadiya, from Lviv, lost her husband in the first year of the war. She remembers how important the support of the military chaplains was to her. “They were always there for me. Once a month, up until now, we meet at a service for the fallen. People cry without tears, scream without a voice. Through the support and the prayer I have received, I can now help other widows. Everyone is a hero here, some at the front, the others in the rear, supporting with packages and camouflage nets”, she explained.

Olha is another of those brave women. Her husband left to fight in 2014, and stayed on until the full-scale invasion of 2022, when he was assigned to Kharkiv. “His final call came at 11:00 pm, and I said to him: ‘Call me tomorrow, because you’re so tired now.’ He died the next morning, at 6:30 am. The building he was in came under fire, he received a head injury and fought for his life for 40 minutes.”

Olha was left with two children. “They went through a very difficult period, and the chaplains helped them to pull through. Two of them, especially, look after us so well that my children now say they have three fathers”, Olha told the ACN delegation.

Being a wife of a soldier means a lot of suffering

Stories like these are what keep Nataliya, another young mother, up at night. “Being the wife of a soldier on the front line means a lot of suffering. The only thing you want is for your husband to survive. But right now, it seems to me that everyone is carrying a burden – all of my friends, my family; I don’t want to cause them any additional sorrow.”

She found the accompaniment she needs at the House of Mercy, founded by the Archdiocese of Lviv. “Here I don’t feel lonely, I can talk about my fears. Coming here gives me stability, for my own good and for my husband. It’s helping me to guard against madness and I feel stronger as a result. It has enabled me to return to a normal life; I had been wandering around like a lost spirit.”

Visit to the Saints Peter and Paul Garrison Church in Lviv.

In Kyiv, the psychologist Lyudmila also works with military families, especially those whose children have died or, which can be even worse, are missing. “Women who have lost a child isolate themselves and put their families under strain because they can’t get over their sorrow. I always worry about what I can say to these women, but then I am astonished at how much they change in such a short time, regaining their courage to face life and start to build networks.” The five-day programme she runs takes place with the help of the Capuchin friars and includes a moment of reflection called Cappuccino with the Capuchins., with moments for reflection, sharing, and prayer.

Prayer is our strongest defence

Lviv is quite far away from the front, but received many displaced people when Russia began its full-scale invasion. With funding from ACN, the Albertine Sisters had already been working on the construction of a shelter to help the homeless, which is now more useful than ever before. “We really chose the most difficult time possible for a building project. First the pandemic, then the war”, said Sister Hieronyma. “But this is exactly when the house is more necessary than ever, and it’s like a miracle that it is now built.”

Forty homeless women, including those with newborns, will be able to find shelter here, she explained, while Bishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, pointed out, with a chuckle, that the chapel in the women’s house is bigger than that of the neighbouring men’s monastery, “because the women pray more”.

The power of prayer should not be underestimated. Sister Klara, superior of the Benedictines, also in Lviv, gets frequent requests for prayer from Ukrainian soldiers. “What helps us most is not the rocket defence systems, but prayer. That is our strongest weapon. And when I ask soldiers what they need, they say the same thing: ‘Your prayers.’”

  been working in Ukraine for many years but stepped up its help after the 2022 full-scale invasion, and has promised not to abandon the Ukrainian Church in its mission to help the population.

The post International Women’s Day: Women on the rear line in Ukraine appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).

“My name is Br. Bernard from the Congregation of Brother Albert. Our shelter in Lviv has existed for six years. The Albertine Brothers are like emergency personnel, first aid. The man on the street, under stress, someone who is freezing, someone very hungry, this is our everyday life. We’re here for that.

Most of our residents are alcoholics, homeless, with drug or gambling problems and those who fled the war. For the
inhabitants of Lviv and those refugees there is hot soup. There is coffee and bread. We expect it to be enough for about 300 people. To say it like God would: if you help someone it will come back to you. Good for good and evil for evil. This is a chain where there can’t be a missing link.

We couldn’t do anything if it weren’t for Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). Without you we wouldn’t exist. We must be there for those downtrodden whether because of family conditions, whether due to poverty or mental illness, addiction, or war. We must be with them, not abandon them. To show that life is stronger than death.”

The Polish Albertine Brothers have been running a house for homeless people in Lviv for six years. Initially, it was mainly poor, old men, some of whom were also addicted to alcohol and drugs, who found a roof over their heads here, at least for a few months. Today, they are joined by refugees from the disputed areas. The house can accommodate
30-40 men.

There is a lot to do: In addition to the work in the homeless shelter, the four Albertine brothers living here provide 150-200 poor people in the neighbourhood with a warm meal twice a week. On the other days, they organise a food distribution. They buy food and sometimes receive donations, such as leftover food from the military in the city to share with the poorest of the poor.

In the past ACN has helped with the construction of the monastery, of the homeless shelter and the kitchen, as well as exceptional emergency food aid.

The post UKRAINE: “The Albertine Brothers are like emergency personnel, first aid” appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).

In the run-up to the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine, one of the country’s most senior Catholic leaders has described how the Church is overwhelmed with the task of supporting families tormented and broken by the conflict.

Speaking at a conference organised by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said that the trauma of the war “has already affected the heart of Ukrainian society – the family”.

Major Archbishop Shevchuk said: “The future of Ukraine and the Church depends on how we will be able to respond to this need to overcome war trauma.”

According to the head of Ukraine’s largest Catholic Church, close relatives of frontline soldiers are experiencing severe grief – not knowing if their loved ones are dead or alive.

He said: “Today the majority of families live in separation, because the men are in the army and women with children have left their own cities, or even the country.

“One woman, a 23-year-old mother of two, asked me: ‘Am I a widow? Should I pray for my husband as one who is alive, or dead?’

“Every time we have prisoner exchanges and their husbands don’t return, their grief is renewed, so it is constant physical and psychological torture for each family.”

He explained that the Church is faced with the immense “pastoral challenge” of helping broken families, saying: “Very often you can do nothing, but be present, cry with them, hold the hand of this woman, or this soldier who is experiencing pain.”

Also speaking at the conference on 14^th February, Regina Lynch, International Executive President of ACN, warned that “with so much conflict and unrest around the world at present, we are in real danger that Ukraine could be forgotten, as global attention moves to the next crisis.

“At ACN we are determined that this does not happen, and this is part of the reason that we are using this year’s Lenten Campaign to highlight the situation in Ukraine.”

She added: “Ukraine is experiencing its own Way of the Cross.

“The goal of the campaign is to provide much-needed support during the conflict, including assistance for seminarians, priests and religious sisters, who help with the care of the displaced and impoverished people as well as trauma healing for soldiers and their families.

“We also focus on youth and family ministry.

“We urge all our friends and benefactors not to forget our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and to pray for them during the period of Lent.”

Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, also called on the international community not to forget about Ukraine.

He said: “For people abroad it is difficult to imagine what is going on here.

“Some are tempted to think that everything has finished, but we are losing hundreds of lives every day, both military and civilians.”

Major Archbishop Shevchuk stressed: “Over the past year we were able to withstand the largest humanitarian crisis after World War II” – but the “first euphoria of humanitarian assistance to Ukraine is subsiding, so we need to develop our own logistics to assist those who are at need”.

He concluded: “Thank you to ACN for your courage, for your visits over these last years, for travelling with us in these painful circumstances.

“Thank you for being with us in these difficult moments.”

ACN has supported 600 projects in Ukraine in the last two years, including emergency aid, the construction of 11 centres providing psychological and spiritual support, as well as summer camps for children and heating systems for Church-run institutions.

The post UKRAINE: Family is one of the biggest victims of the war appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the largest Catholic Church in Ukraine, met with representatives of international foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), on the feast day of St. Nicholas, at his headquarters, in Lviv. The main challenges facing Ukraine today, and how best to support the country in this critical time, were some of the topics discussed.

Words of hope are essential in a country ravaged by war, the Major Archbishop said, confirming what the ACN delegation had sensed during its weeklong trip between Lviv and Kyiv. Even where signs of war are not visible, its effects are always present in the minds and hearts of all Ukrainians.

A visit with a therapeutic effect

“Ukrainians are feeling very, very tired. People are exhausted, because there is no sign that the conflict is coming to an end”, said Major Archbishop Shevchuk. “The population is terribly traumatised by the war, and the key question is how we are going to deal with this trauma. The future of the country is tied to this issue. Around 80% of the population have been affected by this war, some are physically injured, but above all they are wounded in their souls. And then we have psychological trauma, that I can witness to first-hand. Whenever I travel, I can’t sleep for several nights, while my brain gets used to the sounds around me. As a Church, one of our first responsibilities is to care for our priests. Over 50% of them have told us that they are worn out”, he added.

“In this context, ACN’s visit, and its commitment to Ukraine, have had a therapeutic effect for us. More than the humanitarian help, what is vital is the human relationship. I can share with you my pain, but also my dreams.”

“The war we are experiencing now in Ukraine is no longer an open war, or a direct attack, it is a war of attrition. How can we keep ourselves from collapsing from exhaustion? Only authentic love never tires from the struggle, authentic values are what will help us overcome despair”, he stressed.

Fear of being forgotten

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk highlighted the gravity of the situation Ukraine is facing during this second winter of war, especially in terms of its electrical grid. In 2022, around 60% of the country’s electrical infrastructure was destroyed in the war, and it is estimated that up to 75% of Ukrainians will be depending on generators for electricity and heating this winter.

On 2 December, Kyiv suffered one of the most serious bombing attacks to date, in a reminder of how urgent the situation is. According to the leader of the Greek Catholic Church, Ukrainians are worried that the world will forget about their war, which could lead to a drop in humanitarian aid, leaving the population in a situation of dire need.

Reconciliation and forgiveness

The war in Ukraine has created division and resentment in society, and pain has become a daily reality for many Ukrainians. “Today there is a dividing line, depending on the experience one has had of the war”, Shevchuk explained. Families have also suffered from these divisions. There is a rupture between those who left the country and those who stayed, between husbands serving on the frontline and their evacuated wives, and between those experiencing the war in the west of Ukraine and those in the east. The Major Archbishop highlights the importance of working together to overcome these differences and build a new society based on respect and tolerance. “The feelings of abandonment and resentment against others are also sociological weapons of war. It is easy to look for a scapegoat, for someone to blame for everything”, he said.

Amid the adversity, Major Archbishop Shevchuk made a call for reconciliation and forgiveness as part of the process to overcome traumas. Although recognising that forgiveness can be difficult, he highlighted the importance of not letting hatred take hold of people’s hearts. The first step to reconciliation is resilience. “When fear and hatred take over our decisions, we become slaves to them. Although hatred is a normal reaction in the face of the aggression we are suffering, to give in to it means letting it win in my heart”, he said.

The Secretary General of ACN, Philipp Ozores, was also present and thanked the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church for the opportunity to meet at such an important moment in his nation’s history, assuring him that ACN will continue to support Ukraine during the coming year, both financially and with our prayers.

The post Archbishop Shevchuk: “The Ukrainian people are deeply exhausted” appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).

Bishop Edward Kawa, Auxiliary Bishop of Lviv, told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that the drone strike on the warehouse in his diocese on 19th September was “an attack on the poorest and most needy”.

He explained that “all the relief goods” stored in the burnt-down facility “should have gone to Kharkiv and Pavlograd in the following days”.

According to reports obtained by ACN, 300,000 kg of charitable donations – the contents of 15 lorries – sent by the Vatican and others had been stored in the warehouse.

The items destroyed in the attack included food, shoes, winter clothing and more than 100 emergency generators.

A security guard in the warehouse was killed in the attack.

Pope Francis denounced the use of conventional weapons against civilian targets in a message to Ghanian Cardinal Peter Turkson following the drone strike.

Bishop Kawa said that four lorries had left the warehouse two days before the attack to transport relief goods to Zaporizhzhia, so not all donations were lost.

He also urged ACN benefactors not to forget about Ukraine.

He said: “Winter is coming, and the war is not over. God bless you.”

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, ACN has supported the local Church with more than 350 projects.

ACN’s relief projects in the country have provided help to those most in need, as well as enabling priests, religious Sisters and lay people to attend to the spiritual and physical needs of the faithful.

The post UKRAINE: As humanitarian aid burns, bishop implores: ‘Don’t forget Ukraine’ appeared first on Aid to the Church in Need (Malta).