How Is the Church in Poland Helping Ukrainians?

photo credit: Caritas

Over 2 million refugees have found help in Poland in 3 weeks. On behalf of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, Caritas Poland collected record funds from the faithful amounting to 20 million dollars, sent more than 500 trucks of transporting humanitarian aid, and is giving out 47,000 meals a day. Half a million people have benefited from Caritas aid. Moreover, help is given by other organizations such as dioceses, religious congregations, parishes, Catholic communities, and movements, as well as many volunteers. Poles are receiving refugees from Ukraine in their homes.

Caritas

“Caritas Poland has collected 83 million zlotys ($20 million) of aid for Ukraine,” the organization’s director Rev. Dr. Marcin Izycki announced on Monday.

“In Poland, Caritas organizes humanitarian transports to Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, we have sent about half a thousand trucks and buses. We estimate the value of this aid at 35 million PLN,” he said. It includes food, hygiene products, bandages, but also electricity generators, blankets and sleeping bags,” he added.

Speaking about aid to refugees from Ukraine in Poland, he indicated the two main challenges: receiving thousands of people at the border and supporting those who reach the interior of Poland.

“There are 1,200 volunteers at 26 Caritas border assistance points and active in the Council of Women Religious. Nearly 47,000 meals a day are served to refugees at the over 130 Caritas outlets. Almost half a million people have already benefited from this form of assistance,” said the Caritas director.

Women and Men Religious

In 924 convents in Poland and 98 in Ukraine, Sisters are providing spiritual, psychological, medical, and material assistance.

It is estimated that since the beginning of the war, each of the nearly 150 religious congregations operating in Poland and Ukraine has aided numbers of people ranging from a few to as many as 18,000.

Housing has been organized in 469 convents in Poland and 74 in Ukraine. So far 2824 children, 2299 families, and approximately 2860 adults have received shelter. In 64 institutions, there are 602 places for orphans, and in 420 institutions there are almost 3000 places for mothers with children.

Currently, direct assistance is being given in 156 men’s convents, where 738 families have found shelter, i.e., 3630 people, of whom 1483 are children. 315 parish houses of religious and pastoral ministries have taken in over 300 families, i.e., 1333 people, including 518 children. 4 centers of religious have welcomed 61 disabled people, including 37 children.

Conference of Major Superiors of Men Religious in Poland, in cooperation with ORANGE POLSKA SA, is coordinating and distributing PREPAID SIM phone cards for Ukrainian refugees (over 1500 cards have already been distributed).

Polish parishes

All the nearly 10,000 Polish parishes are involved in helping refugees. The Church welcomes war refugees in rest homes, convents of men’s and women’s religious orders, Caritas centers, centers belonging to movements and communities, in parishes, and—through parishes—in the homes of the faithful.

Ukrainian families have found shelter in the houses of many bishops. Hundreds of places have also been reserved for them in seminaries and other buildings belonging to dioceses. More than 100 people, including 50 children, are living in facilities such as the Pilgrim’s House and the so-called “halls” at Jasna Gora.

Collections

On Sunday, February 27^th and on Ash Wednesday March 2^nd, over 32 million zloty were collected during special fundraisers conducted in Polish churches to help Ukraine. This is a record-breaking collection in the history of similar actions organized by Caritas Poland, the largest charity organization in Poland. To this must be added money sent by bank transfers, through the Caritas Polska website and the donation mechanism launched there, as well as through charity text messages.

Fund and material collections are also organized by both men’s and women’s religious Congregation, and by many movements, associations, communities, and parishes.

Aid Shipments

Aid shipments prepared by the Team for Aid to the Church in the East of the Polish Bishops’ Conference started being sent to Ukraine as early as February 25^th. So far, through Caritas alone, 147 trucks and 180 buses have been sent to Ukraine with aid—mainly food stuffs—for a total value of about 25 million zloty. Shipments are also organized, among others, by religious congregations, communities, movements, and associations. At least 34 cars from men’s convents have set off to Ukraine with humanitarian aid, carrying almost 100 tons of gifts.

Volunteering, Ongoing Assistance to Refugees

Many people are also involved in several activities that directly help those in need.

Religious communities serve thousands of meals a day (about 5,000 meals, in men’s congregations alone). Packages are also given out. The religious institutions organize care and educational-recreational activities for children from Ukraine, or English language courses. Children are admitted to religious congregations’ kindergartens and schools. In a few places, legal and psychological help is also provided, as well as translation of documents necessary for employment. Refugees are using transportation provided by religious.

Transfer of Aid from the World

The action of the Church in Poland in favor of Ukraine means also mediating and transferring help coming from communities in other countries. The Jesuits, the Knights of Columbus, the Pope’s Aid to the Church in Need (AED), religious congregations, communities, movements, and associations in Poland are active in this area.

Caritas Poland cooperates closely with Caritas Europa, Caritas Internationalis, and in the face of the current humanitarian crisis, also with twin organizations of the Church in Italy, Germany, and the United States. Caritas Poland has also begun talks with UNHCR—i.e., the UN refugee agency—about cash assistance that will be provided in dioceses.

Work in Ukraine

The members of the Polish clergy working in Ukraine have remained with their faithful. There are about 700 priests (including 170 religious priests and 3 bishops who are religious). In addition, 21 brothers and 332 sisters of Polish religious congregations are working in Ukraine.