On March 25, as the church invites us to pray the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we share some news from our sisters
in Poland who welcome Ukrainian refugees... Let's continue to pray for peace and act for justice.

 

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, more than 2 million refugees from Ukraine have crossed the Polish-Ukrainian border.

As Poles, we are moved to the depths by the suffering of the Ukrainian people. In our communities, we pray every day for peace in Ukraine.  

In Poland, many individuals, NGOs, churches, and local governments have become involved in helping the refugees. We are involved in this widespread, spontaneous movement to help the refugees from Ukraine.  We are trying to help Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland in various ways. In some of our houses we welcome  Ukrainian refugees, usually for a short stay. For example, the Spirituality Center in Warsaw has established cooperation with a large refugee center near Warsaw where several thousand refugees are staying. 

The RSCJ serve as volunteers at the train stations of Warsaw at information points and in medical assistance. They also provide Polish language classes at schools and parishes, help with translation from Russian or English, as well as psychological and spiritual support. Psychological help is also often needed for volunteers. 

In schools, the sisters together with children and youth and other teachers organize financial and material collections for our new residents in Poland and collection of bandages for Ukrainian soldiers. The community in Marki organizes tea parties for Ukrainian children with refreshments, games and plays. The Sacre Coeur Kindergarten in Tarnow welcomed Ukrainian children. Young people and tutors at the Youth Sociotherapy Center in Warsaw prepare sandwiches which are distributed to the Polish-Ukrainian border, to train stations, and to a large refugee center near Warsaw. They also organize activities for children at the refugee center. Young people from our dormitories/ student residences in Warsaw and Poznań and Sacre Coeur volunteers are involved in helping at train stations and other aid stations.

The Open Heart Foundation in Marki is a collection point for bandages, hygiene products, care products, cosmetics, sleeping bags, thermal blankets, sleeping mats, raincoats, batteries. dry food. The Jesuit Social Center in Warsaw, where Urszula Krajewska RSCJ works, supports refugees in finding housing, jobs and provides legal assistance. It also co-organizes an aid post on the Polish-Ukrainian border and an information point in Warsaw.

 

Violetta Zając rscj