The UGCC has been actively operating an anti-Crisis center for more than two months, coordinating the Church's ministry in the context of a pandemic and is looking for ways to help a person in need.
The UGCC has been actively operating an anti-Crisis center for more than two months, coordinating the Church's ministry in the context of a pandemic and is looking for ways to help a person in need. The results of its work were presented in an interview with "Live TV" by Fr Lubomyr Yavorsky, a Patriarchal economist. 7,000 food packages were distributed, the initiatives at a total cost of UAH 5 000 000 were implemented, of which UAH 400 000 were raised through online donations. This is reported by the UGCC Information Department.
"Today there are a lot of requests to the Church for help. Different categories of individuals apply. However, first of all, we assist those who are on the front line today, that is the health workers. We, as a Church, are striving to be side by side with the health workers. Therefore, we have about 170 medical chaplains, whose role is well-stated in Ukrainian society today," noted Fr Lubomyr.
The UGCC also allocated its own Church spaces for the health workers, where they can be quarantined if necessary. These are the Patriarchal House in Lviv, the Theological Seminary in Ivano-Frankivsk, and other Church institutions, which, according to the economist, can be provided, if necessary, to health professionals.
One of the most active ways the Church can serve today is to feed the hungry. "A lot of people need food now. And, unfortunately, this need is growing, said the Patriarchal economist. "Through the efforts of the Church and donors, more than 7,000 food packages were delivered to the homes of various categories of people throughout Ukraine."
Father Lubomyr also noted that following the appeal of His Beatitude not to give him gifts, but to make a donation instead to the Fund countering the pandemic, a lot of concerned people responded. As a result, donations of UAH 120 000 were raised.
The Patriarch noted that donors in various dioceses both in Ukraine and abroad provided great support for the UGCC's ministry in the context of the pandemic. Thanks to them, the Patriarchal Curia was able to implement many initiatives for the overall amount of UAH 5 000 000.
"Our first goal was to serve in a time of great need; today we have a different task – to think how we will get out of this," said Fr Lubomir Yavorsky and added "We are looking for ways out of the pandemic and believe that we will find them... People miss the Church very much, and we can hear it. A lot of people today have come to know the Church online. They want to come to the Church that they have seen on television, to understand what it is like."
You can find publications related to the activities of the UGCC in the context of the pandemic, and how exactly to tell about such activities, using the hashtag #dopomozhemorazom.