Some time ago the three Capuchin Fathers who have been working in Lviv since 2021 asked us for our help to resolve a major problem: They urgently needed a house to live in, since at the time they were all crammed into a two roomed apartment barely 50 m² in floor area. An old storeroom served as a tiny chapel and the kitchen had to double as their sitting room. There was no extra space to accommodate guests or meet with the faithful. So all the prayer meetings, counselling sessions and Eucharistic adoration had to take place for the most part in private houses and homes, or even in public guesthouses. Meanwhile, the need for pastoral and spiritual counselling has only still further increased during this time of war and crisis. For although Lviv has remained largely untouched by the fighting, it has nevertheless had to make room for around 300,000 refugees from other parts of the country, who need not only a roof over their heads but also spiritual counselling, support and consolation.
Thanks to your generosity, we were able to find 50,000 Euros so that the Capuchins could buy an old house and renovate it. And Brother Serhii Kippa, the Custos of the Capuchin Friars in Ukraine, has written to thank us: „As soon we had bought the house, the brothers converted the garage into a chapel and began to engage in active pastoral work. The people are already coming here to pray with the brothers and hear their words of hope and support. There is also regular night-time Eucharistic adoration. We have done some cosmetic repairs to the building and adapted it to the needs of the Capuchin community. Now the house is a monastery, where the brothers can live in circumstances befitting their life and prayer. Once again, many thanks for your help!“ Now we are passing on his thanks to you all!
