Aid to the Church in Need: Ukraine - A car for the Sisters of the Holy Family in Mizhhirya

Ukraine - A car for the Sisters of the Holy Family in Mizhhirya

Posted by Project Description on 25/7/2007, 1:41 pm
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Ukraine - A car for the Sisters of the Holy Family in Mizhhirya
Reaching the faithful high in the mountain villages
May 2007, "The Sisters of the Holy Family live and work in the Carpathian mountain region of Ukraine, in the parish of the Archangel Michael in Mizhhirya", writes Sister Solomiya, the superior of the congregation in Lviv. "The village of Mizhhirya itself stretches over a distance of some 5 miles (8 km). The three sisters who are based here also care for the neighbouring villages of Izki, Hrabovets and Volivchik. Since there are no other convents in this region, they really have their hands full. There is scarcely any public transport in this mountainous region, so that a vehicle is a necessity for the sisters if they are to reach the local people and minister to them still better than before", she concludes.
It was in 2002, at the request of Bishop Milan Šašik, C.M., the apostolic administrator of Mukachevo that the Sisters of the Holy Family first took up their work in Mizhhirya. Today the parish of St Michael the Archangel in Mizhhirya serves some 2,000 souls, one third of whom are children and young people. For some years now the local parish priests have been striving to revive parish life and build up a real community.
Initially there were only two sisters of the Holy Family congregation here. Together they built up the catechetical work and began organising and working with the children and young people, and at the same time they established a choir. They have also established a service providing social and charitable support.
The sisters really have their hands full
The sisters provide religious instruction, not only in the church in Mizhhirya, but also at the technical school, the medical Institute and a number of other schools in the region. On top of this they are responsible for the catechesis in Tyusha, Izky, Klozyanska, and Studene. Apart from Holy Mass there are a variety of other religious activities in the parish, for example various different prayer groups and evenings for the study of religious topics. At the same time the sisters are gradually increasing their work in the social field. Thus there is now a group, the "Children of Love", in the parish, which organises religious concerts and gives the proceeds to an orphanage in a neighbouring village.
Many are finding their way to God
Since the first two sisters were simply overwhelmed by the work, a third sister from the congregation of the Holy Family joined them in 2006. "There is a real need to bring in still more sisters", their superior tells us, "but at present we cannot do so for lack of space, for as it is, the three sisters only have two rooms between them in the parish house". The parish works together closely with the village community, and the result of this close collaboration is that many people are finding their way to God.
A car would make their work much easier
The villages around Mizhhirya lie up to 13 miles (20 km) away. Public transport rarely ever travels to these mountain villages. But the sisters want to be able to visit the Catholic faithful regularly. Moreover, the climate is difficult; winter starts early and lasts a long time. A car would be an immense help for them and thus would enable them to visit a larger number of the surrounding villages, while at the same time making their work much easier. Sister Sofiya, the local superior in Mizhhirya, appealed to the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) for help.
ACN assisted Sr Sofiya with a grant of $8,500 to assist with this project.
To help this cause or to another equivalent project in accord with the pastoral priorities of ACN, please contact the Sydney office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Web: www.aidtochurch.org
(Project reference: Ukraine 06/1825, Project ID: 0614902)

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Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148 ABN: 62 418 911 594
Ph/Fax (02) 9679-1929 e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org web: www.aidtochurch.org