No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).

Ukrainians have united the world. Their sacrifice for freedom and God-given human dignity, their love for truth and social justice, and their heroic witness of fearless solidarity are inspiring people of good will globally. Millions of Ukrainian citizens are radically incarnating the Gospel virtues as they imitate Christ in the Way of the Cross on route to a victory over death in the Resurrection.

A democracy fighting for its life has demonstrated a new maturity and given new meaning and cohesion to a fragmented Europe. Ukraine’s valor is forging shared purpose in America.

People in the United States and throughout the world are generously contributing to the address the humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine and helping the Church heal the traumas —personal and social, material and physical, spiritual and psychological —caused by a ruthless and lawless invasion and outright war crimes. We encourage you to join this movement of mercy, love, and service by donating to the Humanitarian Aid Fund of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in America.

Goal of the Humanitarian Aid Fund of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in America

100% of the funds donated to the Humanitarian Aid Fund of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in America, created by the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, Eparchy of Stamford, Eparchy of Saint Nicholas in Chicago, and Eparchy of Saint Josaphat in Parma, will go to support humanitarian aid organizations and suffering Church institutions in Ukraine.

The Catholic Church is the largest non-governmental organization in the world. It has a long history of aiding war victims, the poor and refugees.  In Ukraine it is one of the largest NGOs meeting the needs of the downtrodden and persecuted.  On both the national level (e.g., Caritas Ukraine) and the local level (e.g., local eparchial and parochial Catholic Charities), Catholic institutions are some of the most reliable and effective institutions in serving people in Ukraine, embracing Catholics and non-Catholics alike — all people in need.  The Church itself is also suffering grievous losses as priests, bishops, employees, families and others are injured, displaced and even killed.

The Ukrainian Catholic Church in America is firmly committed to transparency in the stewardship of these funds and to ensuring that this assistance reaches those truly in need.

A list of the organizations and their carefully screened projects supported by the Humanitarian Aid Fund will be published as the monies are sent to Ukraine.

PLEASE BE GENEROUS!

 +Borys Gudziak

Archbishop of Philadelphia, Metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the United States

Head of the Department of External Church Relations, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church

+Paul Chomnycky, OSBM

Eparch of Stamford

+Benedict Aleksiychuk

Eparch of St. Nicholas in Chicago

+ Bohdan J. Danylo

Eparch of St. Josaphat in Parma

 +Andriy Rabiy

Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia

***

March 17, 2022 Report No. 1

$1,124,621 has been collected

Currently, the Humanitarian Fund is supporting five initiatives:

$200,000                Caritas Ukraine — to be used for aid to refugees on the move and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in western Ukraine as well as humanitarian assistance in central and eastern Ukraine. This grant covers a disabling gap in funding for the transport of humanitarian convoys and supplies that Caritas is sending to Central and Eastern Ukraine as well as for transport of refugees and travel and deliveries of aid to refugees standing at the border. Caritas transferred over 300 tons of supplies in the first three weeks of the invasion. At the current rate of transfer $200,000 will cover an estimated three months of transportation costs. The grant will give assurance and freedom to Caritas to develop a longer-term program of emergency aid.

$93,458.45            Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) — for the purchase of emergency bandages and hemostatic gauze.  Each medicated bandage cost ca. $50. The UCU has arranged for the purchase in Poland, logistical transfer, and distribution of these medical supplies in Central and Eastern Ukraine.

$50,000                   Ukrainian Catholic Church Curia in Kyiv — for support of the critical central ministry of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC). The central ministries of the UGGC are assuring the continuity and coordination of the Church’s service and humanitarian efforts throughout the country. 

$30,000                   Kharkiv Exarchate — ensuring ministry to the faithful and distribution of humanitarian aid.  Kharkiv, a city of ca. 1,500,000 inhabitants, is one of the main targets of Russian bombing and artillery shelling. Some 800 residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed. A large part of the population has left the city and become refugees, but the bishops and most clergy remain in Kharkiv and at the parishes of the Kharkiv Exarchate ministering and distributing humanitarian aid.

$30,000                   Ukrainian Greek Catholic Eparchies in Poland — for assistance for refugees by three eparchies – the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Przemyśl–Warsaw, Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Wrocław-Koszalin, and Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Olsztyn–Gdańsk.  These eparchies are part of the astounding effort of the citizens of Poland in receiving almost 2,000,000 refugees.

$403,458.45 total current expenditures towards needs in Ukraine

The exacting review and approval of other projects is underway.