Caritas Ukraine in Taiwan Presents the Role of the Social Service of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church During Wartime
On October 16–17, Taiwan hosted an international conference exploring ways and best global practices to strengthen cooperation between governments and religious communities in enhancing national security and social stability. The conference gathered government representatives, leaders, and experts from Taiwan and other countries, as well as religious organizations and academia.
This was reported by the press service of Caritas Ukraine.
Ukraine was represented at the conference by Hanna Homenyuk, head of the Department for Strengthening Social Cohesion at Caritas Ukraine, who delivered a report entitled “Ukrainian Religious Communities’ Response in a War Crisis.”
The expert spoke about the role of Caritas Ukraine as the organization implementing the social service of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in humanitarian response during the war. She outlined how Ukrainian society has changed during the full-scale invasion and the social and humanitarian challenges faced by Ukrainians in recent years. Among other things, she noted that one-third of the population requires humanitarian relief, while over four million people have lost their homes.
Hanna Homenyuk informed participants that amid the ongoing Russian invasion, bombardments are escalating, waves of evacuations continue, and both military personnel and civilians returning from captivity require psychological and social support. At the same time, funding for international organizations is decreasing, exacerbating the need for systematic, long-term solutions.
She noted that Ukraine’s religious landscape is extremely diverse and that religious organizations play a vital role in assisting the population by ensuring humanitarian support, developing peacebuilding initiatives and social cohesion, providing psychological assistance, shaping public theology by reflecting on faith in the context of war, and advocating for the rights of vulnerable people. Homenyuk also emphasized that hundreds of clergy of various denominations serve as chaplains.
Caritas Ukraine integrates spiritual, psychological, and practical assistance in its work. In 2025, the network comprises 2,367 employees, 49 local organizations, more than 11,000 volunteers, and 394 parishes involved in humanitarian response and recovery projects. Since 2022, over 3.8 million people have received assistance.
“Recovery happens through community. In 2022, 500 Greek Catholic parishes were involved in Caritas’ humanitarian response. Serving others is the greatest gift. War destroys relationships, and it is humanitarian aid—the opportunity to create space for healing—that helps us become resilient,” emphasized Hanna Homenyuk, summarizing Caritas’ experience.
The conference in Taiwan created a space for deep discussion about faith, resilience, and security. The Ukrainian representative’s presentation was a powerful example of how the Church can bring people together and prevent humanitarian and social crises during challenging times through public service.
The UGCC Department for Information
