“Today, I Cannot Imagine the Face of Our Church Without Caritas Ukraine,” Says Head of the UGCC on the 30th Anniversary of the Charitable Network
“Through our ability to love, we become an instrument of God’s love for our neighbors.” His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, said this on July 25 on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Caritas Ukraine network of charitable organizations.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Caritas Ukraine network of charitable organizations brought together representatives from across the country and international partners. The event was attended by Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine Visvaldas Kulbokas and Bishop Vasyl Tuchapets, Exarch of Kharkiv.
The anniversary event became a platform for discussing critical humanitarian aid issues in the context of the protracted war. During the panel discussion, the participants actively addressed the issues of localization in war, search for long-term solutions, as well as international support and partnership.
The Father and Head of the UGCC, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, emphasized the significance of Caritas for the Church and the whole of Ukraine: “Caritas Ukraine is the face of our Church,” said the Primate.
“I would describe these 30 years in three words: revival, social justice, and war,” said His Beatitude Sviatoslav.
He emphasized that Caritas Ukraine played a pivotal role at each of these stages, helping to revive the traditions of social service in Ukraine, fighting for social justice and providing humanitarian aid to millions of Ukrainians affected by the war.
Moreover, the Patriarch acknowledged that during the war he learned a new word from Caritas Ukraine—”magnification”: “This is the ability not only to increase your network, but also to respond to this huge humanitarian crisis.”
His Beatitude Sviatoslav thanked the President of Caritas Ukraine, as well as all the volunteers and employees of the charitable organization for their selfless work.
Tetiana Stawnychy, President of Caritas Ukraine
Discussing the future, the Head of the Church called to continue to develop the Caritas network and search for new opportunities to help those in need. “Partnership is the key to sustainability and victory,” the Primate emphasized.
The UGCC Department for Information
