Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Crisis in Ukraine

byGuest Contributor
21 August 2015
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA
Ukraine

Troubled land: Servicemen throw a Ukrainian flag from the building of Ukraine's Defense Ministry in Kiev during a protest. The church is helping Ukrainians through charitable works. Photo: CNS

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

People receiving humanitarian assistance find cause for hope

THE Soviet Union is long gone, but its dark legacy persists in Ukraine, a leading Church official has said.

Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the 82-year-old former head of Ukraine’s Greek Catholic Church, is concerned that many people are still influenced by the Soviet period.

“The older people began their lives in the Soviet era, and it is not easy to bring them to a different way of thinking. The Soviet mentality is still present in politics and economic life,” he said.

The prelate called for study of the Soviet period “to show young people what they should not do. But one must also ask the question whether we have the right model before us, because Western Europe is also no ideal model. One must be very careful. There is much that is good, but there is also a moral liberalism.”

Ukrainian Church sources report that many citizens feel what they describe as an inner emptiness; a longing for God, observers say, is becoming ever greater.

Many first encounter the Church through its charitable work.

The poverty in the country, which was already great, has been made more severe by the ongoing crisis in the east of the country, where Russian-backed rebels continue to challenge the Ukrainian authorities.

A growing number of people is dependent on Church-run soup kitchens, clothing banks or other forms of practical assistance.

Then there are a great number of displaced people, who have fled the violence in their home regions.

Related Stories

From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Bishop Stanislav Szyrokoradiuk of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia has set up a social centre that offers a variety of assistance such as outpatient care, various forms of counseling, and pastoral care.

Auxiliary Bishop Jan Sobilo of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia expressed concern for people on the margins of society, including drug addicts and alcoholics. These, he said, not only need humanitarian aid – they also need pastoral and spiritual support to break out of their addiction.

“So many young people came to our soup kitchens, but too many of them are ruined,” the bishop said, adding, however, that, if they can escape from drugs and find their way to God, wonderful things can happen. Already, Bishop Sobilo has ordained a former drug addict.

That priest is now responsible for the youth ministry in the diocese.

The bishop describes the local Carmelite convent as the “heart” and the “most important point in the diocese.”

The mostly young sisters even get up at night to pray when anyone calls on them needing help.

“Their prayers are a great support for the priests, for the sick and for many people. The success of the pastoral work of our diocese also depends on their prayers,” Bishop Sobilo said.

ACN

 

ShareTweet
Previous Post

New Catholic school to remember women religious founder

Next Post

History returns to St Mary’s

Guest Contributor

Related Posts

News

From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

23 May 2022
Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies
QLD

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

20 May 2022
Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition
QLD

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Next Post
Writing history

History returns to St Mary’s

Fr Michael Grace

Friends needed at St Columba’s

A seed of confidence

Popular News

  • From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Fr Liam receives bravery medal after shark attack rescue

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

News

From a humble start Albanese is sworn in as new prime minister

by Mark Bowling
23 May 2022
0

ANTHONY Albanese, a self-described cultural Catholic, has been sworn in as Australia’s 31st prime minister today, after...

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

Gwen has given 15,000 hours of cuddles to sick and premature babies

20 May 2022
Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

Helping stroke survivors earns Ozcare volunteer national recognition

20 May 2022
Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

Br Alan Moss remembered for a life of faith and learning

19 May 2022
Catholic relationship advisers offer five tips to look after your mental health

Nationwide rosary event happening for Australia’s patroness this Saturday

19 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping