On April 14, during the Sunday St. Masses will be held in all Lithuanian churches and a levy will be collected for Ukraine, and from Tuesday to Thursday in cities and towns, Caritas volunteers will collect support with long-life food products, hygiene and household chemicals. Donations of diapers for adults and children are especially requested.
“The large-scale military aggression in Ukraine, which has been going on for the third year, has killed many lives, families left without breadwinners are suffering the consequences of the war, they have lost and are still losing their homes, so all our help to our brothers and sisters who are going through the horrors of war in Ukraine is vital. Especially for grandparents, the sick, who are left alone because their sons and grandsons are at the front, and women and children have moved to safer areas. Thousands of adults and children still living on the border also need our help. We cannot remain indifferent to requests for help, so we invite you to focus once again and contribute to support Ukraine to the best of your ability”, invites Archbishop Gintaras Grušas, chairman of the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference.
The levy announced by the bishops for Ukraine during the Sunday Holy Mass is the third since the beginning of the large-scale aggression against Ukraine. In February 2022, Lithuanian believers donated 460 thousand in churches. euros, 2023 in March – 260 thousand euros, also donated funds through Caritas and contributed support with food products, hygiene products, and other items requested for donation.
“I want to thank and express my deepest gratitude for your support and for not leaving us alone in the fight against the aggressor.” Lithuanians in Ukraine are very respected and close to us. It is especially important that the son of your land, Apostolic Nuncio Visvaldas Kulboks, did not leave Ukraine, but supports local people and visits parishes. For us, this is an example of great courage”, said the head of “Caritas-Spes Ukraine”, who came to Lithuania for a visit, Fr. Vyacheslav Grynevych.
As emphasized by Fr. V. Grynevychius, since the beginning of the large-scale invasion of Ukraine, Lithuanian Caritas was one of the first to extend a helping hand, providing humanitarian aid not only through Caritas structures, but also to those who asked for help directly.
“We are very grateful for such a response. Among other things, Lithuanian Caritas contributed with its own funds to the establishment of the Rehabilitation Center in Ukraine. This is very important because children who have survived war need help and support. We are very grateful for your contribution and the fact that we can develop specialized assistance,” the head of Caritas-Spes Ukraine emphasized.
The Sunday levy for Ukraine and Lithuanian Caritas announced the collection of the most necessary items and long-life food products on April 16, 17, 18, not only in the big cities of Lithuania – Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, but also in smaller ones, such as Gargždai, Kaišiadorys, Marijampole, Šilalė, Molėtai and others.
According to Deimantė Bukeikaitė, general secretary of Lithuanian Caritas, communities of even very small towns have organized to collect support. One example is Seda, where Caritas was re-established last year and people are enthusiastically gathering for acts of kindness.
Lithuania’s Carito support collection for Ukraine on April 16-18 is the 7th since the beginning of the large-scale aggression against Ukraine.
“It is important to us, first of all, because of the most vulnerable people in Ukraine, whom we not only want, but can help. Secondly, we see a great sense in celebrating the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Carito in Lithuania in this way. Thirdly, the biggest gift for us on this occasion is that we managed to invite our dear colleagues from Caritas from Ukraine to Lithuania”, said the head of Caritas Lithuania.
The first-hand testimonies about the reality of the people of Ukraine today and how for the third year the Karitians are trying with all their might to help more than 5 million internally displaced people, children, elderly people, sick people on the front line and other constantly attacked areas – we believe – will inspire us to focus even more strongly on helping people who are already very badly broken by the war, and who still do not give up. In gratitude for another day they survived, they fight not only for their country, but also for all of us,” said D. Bukeikaitė, head of Lithuanian Caritas.
The donation can also be transferred to a special Lithuanian Caritas bank account for Ukraine: LT257300010115125026
You can find the list of places of support collection and items and products requested to be donated on the website caritas.lt
Press release
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– 2024-04-11 21:02:38
