UGCC leader Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk has shared how Ukrainian priests and bishops remained present in combat zones to help feed and clothe people hiding in bomb shelters. The local Church has also worked to create refugee assistance centers and corridors to help people reach safety.
“It was a huge job. But such logistics centers have worked for us. I visited them and was impressed by the ingenuity of our priests and volunteers,” Shevchuk said in an interview published on April 27.
In his meeting with The Papal Foundation, the pope thanked the foundation for its ongoing charitable outreach to those on the peripheries who live in material and spiritual poverty by assisting with educational, humanitarian, and ecclesial projects.
“As we are witnessing in these days the devastating effects of war and conflict, you increasingly see the need to provide care and humanitarian assistance to its victims, to refugees, and to those forced to leave their homelands in search of a better and more secure future for themselves and their loved ones,” Pope Francis said.
“Your work helps to bring the love, hope, and mercy that the Gospel proclaims to all who benefit from your generosity and commitment. For this I thank you, and I pray that you will be renewed in your zeal to serve our Lord in serving the least of our brothers and sisters, as Jesus himself told us.”
The philanthropic foundation, which is based in the United States, is dedicated to funding projects and initiatives selected by the pope to fulfill the needs of the Church. Its grants have provided support to Catholic churches, seminaries, convents, hospitals, and schools across 121 countries.
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