December 14-21, 2024

Fastiv, 14.12-21.12.2024

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Somehow, in these pre-holiday days, there is always a lot of trouble, which is purely related to the holiday and is certainly part of the celebration itself, but so much sadness that deprives us of peace, in particular after yesterday’s attack in Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Kherson. We just returned from the South, where we distributed about 1,500 food kits of basic necessities for the injured, the disabled and the elderly.

A woman was packing the food next to me. Her husband transports people around the city, he is currently being treated at home after an enemy drone attacked his bus. He suffered from an explosion, post-concussion trauma of the head. It has serious consequences for the whole body and he has a long treatment and rehabilitation ahead of him.

The second story is about a young guy who delivers groceries in Kherson. He is about 19 years old. Recently when he stopped to unload bread, his car was attacked by an enemy drone. This happened near our parish where we have a hospitable overnight stay. There are hundreds of such stories, people who, risking their lives in simple ordinary professions, simply serve others and do their job well. Yesterday, our volunteers in Kherson, although they did not sleep all night after the terrible shelling of the city, went out and prepared dinners for the victims in our social kitchen.

We thank all those who are our Friends, Volunteers and Benefactors. In these pre-Christmas days, we received calls from you with words of support and sympathy. We thank everyone who is there despite all the difficulties and a long time of struggle.

Thank you Charytatywni Freta for the charity fair that you organized to support the activities of our Foundation, for your work and sacrifice. Thank you to the fathers and parishioners of our church in Warsaw in the Freta street for care and prayer.

Thank you to Mr. Robert Bąk, who as a regional gamekeeper in the Tarnobrzeg district, brought over 400 warm blankets for the victims.

Thank you to the Dominican sisters from Zhovkwa, who donated much-needed humanitarian aid, ready-made meals, liquid bactericidal soap, and laundry conditioners.

Thank you to Mr. Zygmund Skolozhinsky and the Neon Effect company, who support us.

Thank you to the community of the Lay Dominicans from Zwolle, Brother Peter and all parishioners who remember us in the Netherlands.

Thank you to Ms. Astrid Eseiring for Christmas support for the elderly and those with many children.

Thank you to the Caritas Fastiv Charitable Foundation Vitaliy Marcyniuk Taisiya Marcyniuk for vitaminized humanitarian aid for IDPs living in a shelter and for the social kitchen in front-line Kherson. The arugula and spinach that you gave everyone really liked, especially now in the winter.

Thank you to the Paleolithic ​​community, Mr. Witold, for humanitarian aid for social support projects, thanks to you we purchased quality chicken and other essential products.

Thank you to everyone who joined the collection for fabric for sewing thermal clothes for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Together we can do more.

With prayers and wishes for a safe week and a good, quiet, family Christmas holidays

Fr. Mykhailo Romaniv OP