A roundup of news from war-torn Ukraine.
Newsroom (22/08/2022 3:00 PM Gaudium Press) For the 13th consecutive time since Jun. 5, again from the window of the Apostolic Palace following the recitation of the Angelus on Aug. 21, 2002, when greeting those gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis recalled the “immense” suffering Ukraine is bearing: “Let us persevere in our closeness and in prayer for the dear Ukrainian people who are experiencing immense cruelty.”
As Russian shelling and the Ukrainian armed response continue, ordinary people on the ground are often caught in the middle of areas that quickly become front lines of conflict. The press area of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, as reported by Ukrinform, said that yesterday alone, more than 1,000 people, including 324 children, were evacuated from the area of the nuclear power plant occupied by the Russian army. At the same time, the war bulletins continue to arrive from various sites that daily report many civilian deaths and injured, particularly in the Donetsk region.
Ukrainian Catholic University opens a center in Poland
The Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) Center in Wroclaw is planned to be located in the city center, next to the buildings of the Wroclaw Polytechnic and the University of Wroclaw, where Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky studied at one time. Nearby there is a street named after the Metropolitan’s maternal grandfather, Oleksandr Fredr. The library, the Consulate General of Ukraine in Wroclaw, the Cathedral of the UGCC, as well as the Bishop’s residence are also located in the vicinity.
“For us, establishing a center in Poland is a very important step. The Ukrainian Catholic university should be where Ukrainians need spiritual and intellectual support. Our task today is to convey God’s truth to people, continue to serve them even where they found themselves due to the hard times of war, and help establish closer contacts with the Polish environment. Many Ukrainian and Polish volunteer and public organizations are already operating in Poland, so we are ready to cooperate. But we also hope that our presence there will help build new bridges of solidarity between the EU and Ukraine,” noted the rector of UCU, Fr Bogdan Prach.
According to Bishop Volodymyr Yushchak, more than 100 thousand Ukrainians lived in Wroclaw before the war. Now there are already more than 300 thousand of them. “Some of them will return to Ukraine. But some of them will probably remain. Therefore, the presence of UCU in Wroclaw will be of great importance to the Ukrainian community. Such an institution as the UCU is designed to form and preserve the Ukrainian community in Wroclaw and the region,” His Eminence stressed.
Patriarch Sviatoslav urged the children of Ukraine to pray for victory
On the 175th day of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the head of the UGCC spoke about the power of active prayer and urged children to pray for Ukraine, for the Ukrainian army, for victory.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav focused on one of the fundamental human rights — the right to education.
“One of a person’s fundamental rights is the right to education, to acquire knowledge. The Church of Christ tries to affirm it and helps to realize it from its origins. Since the arrival of Christianity in these territories in the Kyivan state, the Church has always been a mother and teacher, and church institutions have always been the Centers of Education, Science and culture. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has always helped its children, who often in foreign countries could not get a public education, get knowledge, get access to the best schools and universities,” the Bishop said.
His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked the teachers and addressed the children. He recalled the moments that, in his opinion, touch everyone when children give their last funds, savings to help the front. “Our children play chess, draw, sing and collect money for the Ukrainian army. Recently, we were struck by the example of Serhiy, who spent the whole summer singing Ukrainian songs in Chernihiv and collected 64,000 hryvnias. This is about 1,500 euros! Serhiy, you are simply wonderful! Let this fervor of Ukrainian children inspire us, adults!” said the Patriarch of the UGCC.
“Children, let’s be together! Love your parents, teachers, and Ukraine! And most importantly, children, love God and pray for your long-suffering homeland and the Ukrainian people!” His Beatitude Sviatoslav urged.
– Raju Hasmukh
(With files from Religious Information Services of Ukraine)