November 1-8, 2025

Praised be Jesus Christ!

On Monday, November 3, Fastiv welcomed us with exceptionally warm, sunny weather. It seemed that time stood still for a moment — to give space to joy, gratitude, and memories. Our children — pupils of the Gymnasium of Saint Martin de Porres and the youngest from the developmental space — gathered at the church, along with their parents, friends, volunteers, and partners from Ukraine and abroad. Among the invited guests were the Mothers of the Fallen Defenders, our military personnel, as well as diplomats:

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Croatia to Ukraine – Ms. Anica Djamić,

Ambassador of Argentina – Ms. Elena Leticia Mikusinski,

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Poland to Germany – Mr. Jan Tombinski with his wife Ms. Agnieszka Tombińska, director of the Charitable Association “Ksenia”, and Ms. Kateryna from the economic department of the Embassy of Poland,

Consul General of Poland in Odessa – Mr. Jacek Gocłowski,

Ambassador of Poland to Ukraine in 2019–2023 – Mr. Bartosz Cichocki with his wife Ms. Monika Kapa-Cichocka,

Director of the Pontifical Missionary Society in Ukraine Fr. Luka, and Fr. Paul-Adrien from France.

The Thanksgiving Liturgy was led by the Bishop Ordinary of the Kyiv and Zhytomyr Diocese, Father Vitaliy Kryvytsky. Partner organizations from Odessa, Kherson, Chernihiv, the St. Dominic Charitable Foundation in Zhovkva, as well as other cities of Ukraine, also arrived. Grateful for the thousands of kilometers covered by our Partners and Friends from the Charitable Foundation, the director of which is Mrs. Anna Stadnicka with her husband Mr. Paweł Bandarzewski, Ms. Marzena Michalowska and Ms. Ewa, and Ms. Julia from Milano, a well-known journalist. We thank the artists Oleksandr and Herman Klymenko and Sonya Atlantova for the charitable exhibition of icons written on ammunition boxes. We thank the partners of the Wings of Victory Charity Foundation, the Kozak garment factory in the person of its director Mr. Oleksandr, who supports our social canteen in Fastiv. Many of our Friends traveled hundreds and thousands of kilometers to share this day with us – a day of gratitude for 20 years of service and miracles at the House of Saint Martin

The House of Saint Martin opened its doors on July 22, 2005. Over the years, it has become a space of love, support and recovery for children who have experienced loss, poverty or war, as well as for families in crisis. Here everyone can find care, warmth and faith in goodness. On this day, we thanked God for everyone who believed, supported and walked alongside us during these twenty years. Because real miracles are born where there is love, gratitude and a common heart

On the square near the Martin Center from 5 am, our friend Loïc Nervi from France baked bread according to a family French recipe. More than 700 Fastiv residents were able to enjoy this day. We also sent humanitarian aid to Kherson, Sloviansk, Balakliya, Kharkiv and other regions according to requests. We are grateful to everyone who is nearby.

With prayers

Fr. Mykhailo Romaniv OP