Praised be Jesus Christ!
I would like to write a few words about the situation in our province of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
Many of you have written and are calling about it. First, thank you for your remembrance, prayer, and solidarity. Thank you for your support and openness to help us here in Ukraine and the refugees who are forced to flee Ukraine.
As for our houses in the Vice-Province, the worst situation is in Kharkiv, where in the vicinity of the church and the houses of our neighbors everything has been destroyed completely by the bombing. Thank God, our church and house have not yet been damaged. Practically since the beginning of the war, the priests and parishioners were sitting in the cellars of our house.
There were up to 160 people there, virtually under constant shooting and shelling. The confreres from the Provinces of Nigeria and India already had left during the first days of the war. A few days later, the last to leave the parish were the pastor, Father Yuriy Shpak, and the rest of the parish who were in our house. They headed for western Ukraine. Many of them arrived at our parishes in Sniatyn, others in Storozhynets, while a part went to Perechyn, in the Zakarpattia region. There was no way to stay. Kharkiv mostly is destroyed. Many people we know are still there and are not able to leave.
They are extremely exhausted, intimidated, and hopeless.
Fathers Vitaliy Novak and Anatolij Tovkan were in Odessa. The rehabilitation center “Community in Dialogue,” which we run in Buldynka (for men) and in Vyzyrka (for women) was evacuated to Sniatyn. Some of the young people returned to their homes and 12 young men joined the Ukrainian Army. Other young people, who have been involved in volunteer work, bring humanitarian aid from western Ukraine to Odessa, and also help bring people to the country’s western border. Similarly, Father Vitaliy Novak is involved in the reception and distribution of humanitarian aid organized by Depaul International. Father Anatolij Tovkan, who is in Fontanka, has stayed with the parish and is watching over all our projects. In Buldynka, some young people took care of managing the center’s farm. Depaul International in Odessa, which deals with the homeless, continues to operate, feeding those in its facilities and providing shelter to the homeless.
Kyiv is also under constant fire. Father Mykhaylo Talapkanych has remained in our provincial house. Several people, who found shelter there, have remained to collaborate with our house and with the activity of the Vincentian Family. Our theology student, Petro Mazur, took Father Oleksiy Shevchenko, who is disabled, to Storozhynets. He is in his family’s home. Father Ján Martinček left Kyiv for a time for western Ukraine.
Our houses in western Ukraine have become the houses for refugees from eastern and central Ukraine. People are still on the move and seeking shelter.
Fathers Vasyl Zinych, Yan Vakulchak, and Serhii Penkivskyi are in Storozhynets. They welcome refugees in the “Kitchen for the Poor,” the house they prepared and for which they care. In addition, the confreres carry out priestly ministry in the surrounding parishes, depending on their spiritual and material needs.
Fathers Vladyslav Kuchak, Tomasz Wažny, and Yerzhy Havliuk are in Perechyn. As in Storozhynets, they are involved in refugee reception and ministerial care in the parishes.
Dovhe is a parish in the Zakarpattia region, which the local bishop has entrusted to our temporary care because of the lack of diocesan priests. Our confrere, Father Anton Jedinák is there. The situation is similar to that of Perechyn and Storozhynets.
Our Visitor, Father Leonid Kuklyshyn, is now in Lviv. He is engaged with the staff of Lviv’s Archiepiscopal Curia and “Caritas” in organizing humanitarian aid throughout Ukraine.
Father Stanislaw Irisik and I, Father Jan Trzop, are in Sniatyn. We too take care of the refugees in our house who were evacuated from our reception center, “Communities in Dialogue.” We also take pastoral care of our parishioners.
As in all our houses, we keep an eye open and try to support, help, and organize all possible assistance. Of course, in all our houses, we are not limited to assisting only parishioners, but everyone else as well. We collaborate with ecclesial, state, and military organizations for safety and assistance.
Thank you again for your kindness and support.
Sincerely,
Father Jan Trzop, superior a Sniatyn
