Prayer for Ukraine

The whole world knows that these past days have been very difficult for the whole of the Ukrainian nation. We look with anxiety at all that has happened during these past few months. We are also concerned about our Redemptorists who live and work in Ukraine.

The Coordinator has received updates from all the Redemptorists Major Superiors who have confreres in Ukraine. These are: the Lviv Province of Redemptorists in Ukraine, and Viceprovince of Michalovce which is working in two places, and also the Warsaw Province which has one community in the country.

Thanks be to God up to the present no Redemptorist has been hurt or died. Fr. Ihor Kolisnyk – the Provincial of the Lviv Province says that the situation is very tense. During the time of this revolution in Ukraine no Redemptorist was wounded, even though they were in the centre of the fighting in Kiev. Five of our confreres were in the “Majdan” square on 20th February when over 100 people were killed. Another five confreres joined the people in Majdan Square shortly afterwards.

Fr. Kolisnyk wrote to the Coordinator: “My Province received many letters and information with encouragement and solidarity from many confreres in Europe. We are very grateful for them. The letter from the General Government was also a great support for us. I never expected that I would personally experience war with Russia.”

Fr. Kolisnyk wrote that in present situation the best help we can offer them is our prayer. So we invite all confreres for special prayers for our brethren, and for all the people of Ukraine.

We do not have any Redemptorist community in Crimea where the situation is most difficult at present (the closest community is in Berdiansk on the Sea of Azov).

Our confreres from the Viceprovince of Michalovce are working in Korolevo and in Užhorod close to the border with Slovakia and there is peace up to the present time. This applies also to our confreres from the Warsaw Province who are working in Truskawiec – close to the border with Poland.

Fr. Jacek Zdrzalek C.Ss.R.
Coordinator of the CRE