Nationwide appeal raises more than $400,000 for Ukraine
Head of the Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church in Australia, Bishop Mykola Bychok CSsR, recently announced that approximately $430,000 AUD was raised through the Advent Appeal for Ukraine last year.
He shared the news as part of his latest address to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference last month.
Held in parishes around the country in response to a request from Bishop Bychok, the Advent Appeal collection was organised to support the people of Ukraine.
Donations from the appeal were sent directly to Mudra Sprava (Wise Action), a Patriarchal Charitable Foundation in Ukraine assisting with the evacuation of people from frontline territories, food packages for people in need and providing shelters for internally displaced persons.
Archbishop Julian said it was encouraging to hear from Bishop Bychok about how donations were able to make a difference to those in need.
“We’re all very conscious of the suffering of the Ukrainian people.
“I think the good thing is that we here in Tasmania were able to contribute directly to ordinary people who are suffering as a result of the war,” he said.
“It’s important for us to remember the Ukrainian people and pray that there may be resolution to the conflict, offering up our prayers with theirs for the future peace of Ukraine, but also for those in their time of suffering.”
In addition to announcing the amount of money raised, Bishop Bychok shared the stories of two Redemptorist priests in Ukraine in his address.
“On the 18th of November 2022, contact with the fathers was lost,” he said.
“They were arrested by Russian special forces [and] have been in Russian captivity for almost seven months.
“We still do not know about their whereabouts.”
“I sincerely ask you to pray for Fr Ivan Levytskyi and Fr Bohdan Heleta…[and] to continue praying and fasting for peace in Ukraine [and] encourage good deeds of mercy that will help us heal the wounds of war,” he said.