Help The Eastern Rite Nuns In Ukraine. Here’s How. UPDATED

Unless you’re living under a rock, you know about the crisis that has erupted in the Crimea region of Ukraine. Yesterday, I suggested  you pray for the people caught up in this man-made storm.

Prayer is a work of spiritual mercy, and today I offer you a more tangible way to assist: bring gifts of corporal mercy to the war torn region.

How?

Via Aid to the Church In Need. A few weeks back, on February 20th, ACN kicked off a fundraising project with a goal of $18900 dollars to benefit the faithful in East Ukraine. Guess what area the Russian Army has moved into? Eastern Ukraine.

So far, the nuns have only pulled in a whopping $220 (if the goal gauge is accurate). What? How embarrassing.

What say we help move them in a healthy direction toward their $18,900 goal? Here’s why,

In West Ukraine, Eastern-rite Catholics of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church make up the majority of Christians, but in East Ukraine, there are relatively few Catholics, and even these often live widely scattered. In the Ukrainian Catholic Archieparchy of Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, only 43 priests are available to minister to a total of 240,000 Catholics.

Given this situation, the selfless and devoted service of the 27 religious Sisters here is a precious and vital pillar of the pastoral ministry. These Sisters belong to 6 different congregations and fulfil many different duties. They give catechetical instruction in the parishes, prepare children and adults for reception of the sacraments, care for the elderly in various care homes, help with the prison apostolate and in the hospitals, take care of the domestic chores in the local seminary and organize retreats and days of recollection for different target groups.

Above all their work with young people is important. For many of the children and young people who attend the religious instruction and the Church-run leisure activities, though coming from nominally Christian families, often have little understanding of their faith. And many of the parents know just as little as their children. As one mother once said to a priest, “How am I going to teach my children how to pray when I myself have only just learned to say the Our Father from the television?” Nevertheless, there is a strong wish among many to learn more about God, and frequently the parents also find their way back to the faith through their children.

It seems to me to be the right time to help fund “Project Code: 438-05-39.” And I reckon the Sisters will have a lot of unforeseen demands placed on them, due to the wartime situation they now face.

Go here to help. Please, give as much as you can.  Put us in the mood, Roger,

UPDATE

A number of Holy Spirit led people have helped push things along past the $2,500 mark. Thanks for you help!