July 14th-16th, 2022

Fastiv, 14-16.07.2022

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Mid July is the time to prepare for the celebration of Our Lady of Berdyczów. Every year the parish expects pilgrims from Kiev, and then some parishioners set off on their way to reach the Berdyczów Sanctuary after six days … But this year it is not like that. The war changed everything. The pilgrimage, although in a very limited, symbolic form, took place and the prayers were brought to our Mother. We expect our Advocate to obtain the grace of peace for sinners! I think that for every inhabitant of Ukraine the passing week has become a cause of anguish and sadness because of death, destruction, cruelty towards the defenseless and suffering of the innocent. Vinnitsa, Czasiv Yar, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa – these are now not only places on the map, but rather, they are open wounds of our land that cause sharp pain in the hearts of its inhabitants, they are places where you can hear the cry of orphans and parents whose children were taken … We pray for the victims of brutal violence against our fellow citizens …

Every day we receive requests for help in renovations from the the Kiev region. Recently, our volunteers took roofing panels to eleven families from Makariv, Nalyvajka and Zabujania; these are mostly elderly people who can no longer carry out such repairs themselves. It is often the case that one person provides the material and another refurbishes – this is solidarity in doing good in difficult times! I think this allows us to survive this trial of war. Many thanks to the Eaglewatch Foundation – your help is invaluable. It is not just about the roof or other repairs, what you give – it is a feeling of certainty and security, certainty about tomorrow.

Today, 500 food parcels went to the Chernihiv region, to Ivankov, around Chernobyl, to the Odessa region and to Kharkiv – about 5 tons in total! Thank you for children’s clothes, they will soon go into children’s hands.

Many thanks for the support for Mrs. Monika Kapa-Cichocka, wife of the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Ukraine. We would like to thank Mrs. Julia Benderuk and Mr. Oleksyj Kucharczyk for purchasing electric cookers for modular buildings and Mr. Artur Piskowski for hygiene products for families in need!

In my prayers I remember everyone who helps.
Fr. Michał Romaniv OP