Cardinal Krajewski completes mission to Ukraine

Cardinal with Missionaries of Charity in Kyiv

Source: Vatican News

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the Pope's Almoner is currently driving back to Rome from Ukraine, where he's been delivering food, electric generators and thermal clothing since 17 December.

Pope Francis has been in regular constant touch with the Cardinal on his mobile phone. Cardinal Krajewski said: The Holy Father sent me a message via WhatsApp. He was happy to 'be here,' to be close to the Ukrainian people through his Almoner, to be able to confirm the people in their faith, to pray with them, to be with them, to eat with them, to suffer with them, because everyone suffers here."

"Just think of these big buildings without light, without water, with people who cannot even go to the bathroom."

Cardinal Krajewski spent Christmas in Kyiv and is now returning to Lviv, the first stop of his journey. After meeting some Greek Catholic priests there, he will set off on the 2,000 kilometre journey to Rome.

The generators and thermal clothing the Cardinal brought will be distributed to different parts of Ukraine, especially in the war zones, by Caritas.

Cardinal Krajewski said on Christmas afternoon, he drove outside Kyiv, 80 kilometres away, to a place called Fastiv, where a Dominican parish there runs a home for refugees. "At the beginning of the war, so many people were staying with them, and they organized several buses to get people out of the country.." he said.

At 9pm on Christmas Eve, the Cardinal celebrated Mass. "Fortunately, with the money sent a month and a half ago to the Nuncio from the Office of Papal Charities, on behalf of the Holy Father, big generators were bought," the Prefect added. "We used one of them to celebrate Mass and give light to the house where the refugees are."

Before Mass, the Cardinal attended special dinner attended by more than 150 volunteers from various nations and religions "We spent two hours together; they told me some inspiring stories," the Cardinal said.

Since the war began the during these volunteers have formed a community that helps and cooks. Two or three times a week they go to Zaporizhzhia, Odessa, to bring food and clothes. The Cardinal said: "I gave them some of the t-shirts, and they will distribute them to the Ukrainian soldiers and the people living there who are left with nothing."

He said that Christmas gathering was a "beautiful" moment: "There was peace. Even though we are in a place that is often bombed, there was tranquility."

About 300 people attended the Mass and then returned home before 11pm, because of the curfew. The Prefect gave the community a gift of a pearl Rosary from the Pope.

"I asked that every family, every person, present there, take this Rosary at least 24 hours at home, even if they are of different religions, as a sign of union with the Holy Father. I explained that Our Lady not only gave birth to Jesus but stood before the Cross, so she knows what suffering means."

Cardinal Krajewski's support to Ukraine was spiritual, as well as material. He brought to the people afflicted by the conflict the message of the "hope of rising again" and the "light that Jesus brings us to the world, while in Ukraine, it is total darkness."

"When I returned to Kyiv, you could not see anything," the Cardinal said. "It is dangerous even to walk; everything is an obstacle, and it was also raining. Everyone was waiting for the daylight."

The Almoner also visited the Missionaries of Charity in Kyiv the Sisters of Mother Teresa, who run a dormitory in the war zone, hosting about 30 people. They take in those who have lost family members and host approximately 150-200 people three or four times a week for lunch.

"I celebrated Mass with them, then had lunch in the Nunciature, and in the afternoon, I went to see other religious communities: the Capuchins, the Sisters of the Family of Nazareth," Cardinal Krajewski said.

"I walked around, and you can hear everywhere the sounds of generators. Quite a few came from Italy because of the incredible generosity of the people. All the ones we brought ourselves have already been distributed and are working. I would say the mission is accomplished."

After the General Audience in St Peter's Square in Rome on Wednesday, a group of mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and aunts of Ukrainian prisoners-of-war met Pope Francis and gave him a traditional embroidered blanket, advocating for the protection and return of their loved ones.