Earlier this week, the CNEWA Canada team had the privilege of co-sponsoring and participating in a historic conversation between His Beatitude, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Patriarch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, and Timothy Snyder at Toronto’s Isabel Bader Theatre.
A sold out crowd joined with our partners at The Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies and University of St. Michael’s College to hear first-hand about the struggle and plight of Ukrainians and the local church overseas.
In a passionate and heartfelt message, Archbishop Shevchuk expressed his gratitude for the good will and hope that has been shared by so many in Canada.
“I’m here to embrace you and express my gratitude. Pray for Ukraine, our people and for all those suffering because of war.
His Beatitude, Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Patriarch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
As a Pastor, I share in the grief of my people. I have seen their broken hearts and shattered spirits.”
Did you know? CNEWA Canada has a long-standing history of being a source of support for our many partners in Ukraine who are struggling to live life amidst a gruelling war.
From the very first days of the conflict, CNEWA has rushed aid to its Ukrainian partners with a focus on providing immediate necessities, which include food, medicine and shelter. Primary partners include the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Patriarchal Curia, Caritas Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Catholic University.
In areas devastated by war, priests need external support to continue serving their parishes. CNEWA supports the clergy in the front-line exarchates of Donetsk, Odesa and Kharkiv. Many priests also serve as military and medical chaplains — vital ministries in times of war.
To learn more about ways in which you can support CNEWA’s efforts in Ukraine, please see our page dedicated to the country as well our blog posts in this category.
To read His Beatitude’s full remarks, click here.