“The Church Is a Place Where the Wounds of War Are Healed”: His Beatitude Sviatoslav Meets with Representatives of Aid to the Church in Need
On April 21, at the Patriarchal Center in Kyiv, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, held a working meeting with a delegation from the international charitable organization Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). Representatives of the organization have already visited Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kyiv, and plan to visit Lutsk and Lviv to see firsthand the Church’s ministry amid the war.
The meeting was attended by Magda Kaczmarek, head of the Section for Aid to the Church in Eastern Europe; Alla Voitenko, administrative assistant to the section; and Alina Khmelovska, a volunteer for the organization in Poland. Representing the UGCC were Fr. Lubomyr Yavorsky, Patriarchal Economist, and Fr. Ihor Yatsiv, head of the Department for Information.
Priorities of Ministry: The Word of Hope and Pastoral Care
His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked the guests for their long-standing support and briefed them on the current challenges facing pastoral ministry.
“In the midst of war, we see people of all ages seeking solace in the Church. Our task is not only to carry out social ministry, especially in frontline regions, but above all to preach the Gospel and bring hope,” the Primate emphasized.
He also noted that this year the number of faithful in churches on Easter increased, which is consistent with data from sociological studies by the Razumkov Center.
Mission Through the Media and Rehabilitation
The Head of the UGCC paid special attention to the role of church media, particularly Zhyve TV. He noted that today every homily is aimed not only at those present in the church but also at tens of thousands of viewers of online broadcasts.
Speaking about ministry during wartime and the post-war period, His Beatitude Sviatoslav remarked: “The Church is a place where the wounds of war are healed. We are already preparing priests for this challenge, developing partnerships with the state, and working on the rehabilitation of soldiers and their families, as well as providing support to the families of those killed and missing in action.”
A Testimony of Solidarity
Magda Kaczmarek expressed her admiration for the resilience of the Ukrainian clergy and consecrated persons: “We are deeply moved by the priests and nuns who have remained with their communities. As His Beatitude noted, man does not live by bread alone, but by the Word of God. Humanitarian aid is important, but pastoral care is what gives strength and makes a person resilient. Our organization will continue to support your ministry initiatives.”
In conclusion, Ms. Kaczmarek assured those present that the offices of ACN around the world pray daily for Ukraine: “We are very grateful to you for who you are, and we will support you as much as our benefactors allow us to. We are with you, and we will not abandon you.”
