The church in Slovakia is mobilizing to help Ukrainian refugees
Slovakia prays intensely for Ukraine as the open heart of the receiving refugees. The help has been organized by a local Catholic charity at the border crossings since Thursday, February 24. Day and night, many priests and seminarians from the Latin and Greek Catholic Churches, as well as lay volunteers, including Catholic scouts, lend a helping hand here. Many believers do not have much desire to help those who need it most.
The vast majority of refugees are mothers with children. Volunteers and social workers provide them with materials and food aid, including hot snacks on these frosty days. Many volunteers offer a free transfer from the border. Refugees have accommodation available to them, which is also provided by many parishes, pastoral centers, schools, municipalities and other organizations. In addition to priests and social workers, the voluntary help of psychologists is available.
As many Slovaks showed a willingness to provide refugees with their homes, the Slovak Catholic Charity organized a registration of accommodation capacities and a special collection to help refugees. Many other non-profit organizations, as well as the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Slovakia, have announced financial and food collections and other materials. The National Transfusion Service of the Slovak Republic also organizes blood donations for Ukraine.
The bishops call and the hearts of the refugees to pray and p. for Ukraine
In their dioceses, Slovak bishops offer special prayers and holy masses for peace in Ukraine. Believers are called to daily prayer for an end to the war, and every Friday they are called to fast for this purpose. Among other things, I write:
“The war in Ukraine will cause many people to suffer. May our hearts be open to those who will need help. Let us not be afraid to share, let us show love. It will be a difficult time, a test for everyone. “
“We pray every day after the war. Let us put this request in the Holy Mass and Eucharistic adorations, let us sacrifice the Holy Rosary regularly for this purpose. Every Friday, the conflict ended over time, and for the approaching half of Ash Wednesday, let a fast fast be an expression of our union with the Holy Father’s prayer for the restoration of peace in Ukraine. ” wrote the bishops of Slovakia.
The eparch of Košice, Cyril Vasil, on Friday, February 25, on the Slovak-Ukrainian border in Vyšné Němec, called on the people of Slovakia to have an open heart and not lose heart. In a video published by the Košice Diocese on a social network, she said that these borders are a place where we can show our Christian solidarity and help.
“The coming days and weeks will be an experience of Christian maturity for us to demonstrate in various forms our human belonging and help, Christian closeness to all who flee their homeland who seek refuge. … Every sign of Christian love that we show will be something that we write down in a treasure that neither rust nor moth devour. ”
Parishes, schools, orders and children pray for Ukraine
Parishes, orders, schools and ecclesial communities organize several prayer initiatives for Ukraine, for ending the war and for converting those who abuse their power and bring unrest. Children also pray for peace. The children’s missionary work called on children to pray for peace in the world through the rosary prayer.
As in other countries, in Bratislava and other Slovak cities, civic expressions of support for Ukraine by a silent candlelight march for peace, another manifestation was the Bratislava castle shrouded in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
(From sources of TK KBS for Vatican News prepared by Zuzana Klimanová)