Papal Collection for Ukraine
May 1, 2016
On Saturday, 5 March 2016, His Beatitude Sviatoslav and members of the Permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Church met with His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican. The principal topic of this meeting was the horrific situation in Ukraine that has occurred during the two years of war. The death toll continues to rise, and the number of internally displaced citizens numbers in the millions. These families have had to flee their homes and cities in the Donbas region of Eastern Ukraine, leaving everything behind them, taking refuge in other areas of the country. This of course is placing tremendous stress on the rest of the country whose citizens have opened their homes and communities to try and accommodate their fellow countrymen. It is difficult to imagine the trauma that these people continue to suffer, witnessing the killings, bombings and destruction of their homes.
His Holiness promised His Beatitude and the members of the Permanent Synod that he would not only keep our sisters and brothers in Ukraine in his prayers but would encourage the faithful to come to their aid. To this end, His Holiness announced a special collection be taken up in all Catholic Churches in Europe in April to assist in the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
His Beatitude also asked all of the Ukrainian Catholics in North and South America to join this papal collection. With this I am asking that collections be taken throughout Archeparchy parishes during the month of May in response to Pope Francis’ appeal for aid to Ukraine.
This papal initiative provides us with a good opportunity to put into practice works of mercy called for during this Holy Year of Mercy.
Most Rev. Lawrence Huculak OSBM, Metropolitan
Parishes are asked to provide income tax receipts to donors, and to send the collected amounts to the Ottawa offices of the papal agency CNEWA (The Catholic Near East Welfare Association), which has been working together with Caritas Ukraine in recent years. The cheques are to be made to CNEWA Canada and to be marked PAPAL COLLECTION FOR UKRAINE.
