Metropolitan Borys Gudziak thanked the US Catholic bishops for their unwavering support for Ukraine showing their solidarity and care for their suffering brothers and sisters, who are fighting the unjust Russian aggression defending their freedom and human dignity showing a great sacrifice, love and resilience. The Ukrainians like nobody else want to have a just peace.
A Fund’s Manager Rev.Roman Oliinyk presented key achievements of the Healing of Wounds of the War in Ukraine Fund, whose mission is to support projects that address the physical, emotional, and spiritual consequences of the war waged against Ukraine. Thanks to the generosity of the US donors, the Ukrainian Catholic Metropolia in the USA sent $10.3 million to Ukraine since the Russian invasion. The Healing of Wounds Fund has distributed $2.3 million supporting 93 important projects. The Fund helped to finance 32 psychological rehabilitation center, 8 summer camps, 6 Caritas branches, 4 hospital, 72 military chaplains, 4 shelters, and 2 major prosthetic centers in the country, with more than 50,000 wounded soldiers and civilians in need of the prosthetics. The Fund’s transparency and accountability makes it a reliable and an efficient partner with a unique expertise in the situation on the grounds.
Special speakers from Ukraine were grateful for the American solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Ms. Tetiana Stawnychy (President of Caritas Ukraine) spoke about the work of Caritas Ukraine, the largest non-profit foundation who helps to heal wounds of the war in Ukraine by offering community based solutions for healing and resilience through its network of Caritas branches. Bishop Maksym Ryabukha, SDB (Donetsk Еxarchate of the UGCC), who is based in the city of Zaporizhia, which is 20 miles from the frontlines, spoke about the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church humanitarian and pastoral ministries in the area affected by the war, extending Christ’s love through the generosity of the people of good will. One of the main focus of the Healing of Wounds of the War in Ukraine Fund is to help heal mental and spiritual impacts of the war in Ukraine, where people suffer from war trauma, loss of loved ones, PTSD, depressions. Oleh Romanchuk, a director of the Institute on mental health of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, presented the work of the mental health initiatives in the country and the leading role of the Ukrainian Catholic University in implementing mental health programs. A special words of gratitude from the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was presented by Rev. Lyubomyr Yavorskii , a Patriarchal econome and a director of the “Mudra Sprava” Foundation, who implements humanitarian projects by the Head of the Church.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo (Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston) the largest donor of the Fund thanked the Catholics of his Archdiocese and the Catholics in the US for their commitment and Christ’s love by showing their solidarity wit the people of Ukraine.
The Healing of Wounds of the War in Ukraine Fund: healingwoundsfund@ukrcatholic.org
Learn more about the Fund here
