A car for pastoral work in the parish of Hnivan

Hnivan is a small town in the southwest of Ukraine. This Latin Catholic parish is dedicated to Saint Joseph. And just as Saint Joseph lovingly cared for Mary and the Christ Child and is turned to for his help and intercession for every kind of need, so, too, does the parish named after him have a special care for all those in need. In this very rural region, many people live in poverty, especially large families and the elderly. Added to this is the fact that ever since the war began, many families from the war-torn regions have come here seeking refuge.

Parish priest Father Arkadiusz Cichla belongs to the Oblates of the Immaculate Virgin Mary. Speaking of the special charism of his order, he says, “We were founded to respond to the most urgent needs of the Church, in other words, proclaiming the Gospel to the poorest and most abandoned.” In order to bring consolation and help to the most needy, however, Father Arkadiusz has to cover long distances. Most of the roads are in very poor condition and he sometimes has to drive along farm tracks and muddy trails in order to reach their homes. Furthermore, his ageing car had already survived one serious accident and was now in a very poor state. He turned to us for help and, considering the state of the roads, it was clear that what he needed was a sturdy four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Thanks to the generosity of our benefactors, we were able to raise the $28 000 needed, and now his parish has a strong and reliable all-terrain vehicle. Father Arkadiusz has written to express his deepest gratitude. “Thanks to this vehicle, we can now fulfil our priestly ministry without major difficulties in the villages where the roads are in such a poor state. Since getting it, we have on many occasions been able to help people living in great poverty, and especially those with large families and the refugees from the war-affected regions. We have also been able to help feed some of the children from the poorest families at one of the village schools. All this has been made possible thanks to your help. Once again, our heartfelt thanks and may God bless all your benefactors!”