Weekly Update #19
July 12

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, by 3 July, had verified more than 11,000 civilian casualties since the war began, including 4,889 people killed (at least 1,862 men, 1,264 women, 137 girls and 157 boys) and 6,263 (at least 1,246 men, 881 women, 138 girls and 193 boys) injured (https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/).

Impact on access to essential services

Widespread damage to essential utilities infrastructure, particularly in the east, have severely impacted Ukrainians’ access to basic services, with millions coping without regular water, electricity or gas supplies. Although the UN could not verify the information provided by the Ukrainian authorities, there have been several reliable reports confirming that dire situation faced by people in Mariupol to access water, hygiene and sanitation services. Across the country, damage to infrastructure, particularly water systems and ensuing hygiene concerns, may lead to a further notable deterioration in the health care sector with a severe and durable impact, according to WHO (https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/).

Critical nutrition needs

Timely, adequate and safe complementary feeding support is needed by infants and children under 2 years old. Similarly, people from other vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, people with disabilities, and people living with HIV are experiencing nutritional needs. The nutrition cluster is severely underfunded, with only $260,000 of the total $23.5 million requested for the response received to date (https://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/).

THE UNITED NATIONS RESPONSE

UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency

Situation Report #19 July 1

Key figures - UKRAINE - a total of 1.5 million people reached with assistance to date As of 28 June:

571,099 people reached with essential food and non-food items, winter clothes and shelter materials
536,595 people enrolled for multipurpose cash assistance. 366,262 have received their first payment
369,900 people received protection assistance, advice and referrals at border crossing points, transit and reception centres and through hotlines
99,350 people received assistance through humanitarian convoys delivered to hard-hit areas
72,717 sleeping spaces created / improved in 192 reception centres and collective centres

UNHCR Response in Ukraine

Protection

• 369,900 people received protection assistance, advice and referrals at border crossing points, transit and reception centres and through hotlines.

• This includes protection counselling and services, including psychosocial support and legal aid. 156,523 people have received protection information, support or counselling; 116,890 people received information and counselling through hotlines; 45,039 people received legal counselling or assistance; 35,771 people received psychosocial support or psychological first aid; 8,831 received social support. This is in addition to 4,429 protection monitoring missions which have been conducted.

• More than 4,000 monitoring missions were conducted since the beginning of the emergency. The needs vary from non-food items and food provisions to psychological assistance and referrals.

Multipurpose Cash Assistance

• Since the beginning of cash enrolment in Ukraine on 17 March, 536,595 people have been enrolled by UNHCR to receive cash assistance and 366,262 of them have received their first payments.

Core Relief Items

• To date, 571,099 people have benefitted from core relief items and food assistance across eastern, central and western Ukraine. This includes 126,061 people who received food assistance, 24,624 who were in receipt of shelter kits and 418,394 people received core relief items, such as clothes and hygiene kits.

• So far, UNHCR has supported 196 reception centres and collective centres run by the Government to increase their capacity to host IDPs. A total of 72,717 additional sleeping spaces at these centres have so far been created.

UNHCR Regional Response

• 364,584 people enrolled for cash assistance in Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia as of 27 June

• 39 Blue Dots established with UNICEF in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia

• Over 2.5 million page visits to UNHCR Help websites in Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia

Hungary

• 25,800 refugees have applied for temporary protection

• Over 15,185 people provided with protection support by UNHCR and partners, including legal information provision, counselling and psychosocial support (since 21 March)

• 1 Blue Dot operational in Záhony

• Over 1,400 people trained on core humani- tarian principles, (GBV), safe disclosure and referrals, and protection from sexual exploita- tion and abuse (PSEA)

• Over 66,000 visits to the UNHCR Hungary Help page

UNHCR presented to The Inter-Agency Coordination Meeting convened on 24th of June, results of a Protection Profiling exercise, for which 461 people were interviewed. 75 per cent of the respondents were female and 82 per cent were Ukrainian, with 78 per cent separated from their immediate family and 68 per cent single parents. Just over a third intended on staying in Hungary, with an equal number hoping to return to Ukraine. The remainder intended on moving to another country.

Moldova

• 64,079 people have received multipurpose cash assistance

• Over 1,600 refugees departed by air to Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland as part of the Solidarity Platform

• 7 Blue Dots are now operational. Overall, more than 16,000 people have been coun- selled at the Blue Dots between 14 March and 28 June

• 43,226 refugees received protection infor- mation or counselling through UNHCR and partners

• 18,010 people received protection support via the UNHCR-managed ‘Green Line’ helpline

• Over 198,000 visits to the UNHCR Moldova Help page

Poland

• 1,194,642 refugees have applied for tempo- rary protection

• 245,303 refugees enrolled for multipurpose cash assistance as of 27 June

• 11 Blue Dots operating with some 20,000 people supported as of 22 June

• 2,272,014 visits to the UNHCR Poland Help Page

• 707 people trained on protection issues, including anti-trafficking and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA)

The EU Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli met with representatives from NGOs and refugees in Warsaw on 24 June, where they discussed a number of issues including the situation of female refugees from Ukraine. UNHCR facilitated a meeting with Ukrainian refugees, who discussed the issues they face in education, employment and accommodation in Poland

Romania

• 42,207 refugees registered for temporary pro- tection

• Some 8,162 refugees enrolled for cash assis- tance as of 27 June

• Over 23,600 refugees provided with infor- mation and counselling in person or over the phone

• 11 Blue Dots operating in Romania

• 11,290 people supported to travel to Romania from Moldova through fast-track transfers

• 54,473 visits to the UNHCR Romania Help page

On 27 June, the UNHCR Representative delivered a keynote presentation on the European Qualification Passport for Refugees (EQPR) at a seminar organized by the Ministry of Education and the Council of Europe. Once fully implemented in Romania, the EQPR will facilitate refugees to access higher education and the labour market without any proof of qualification documents from their country of origin.

Slovakia

• 78,972 refugees registered for temporary protection

• 47,040 refugees enrolled for cash assistance as of 28 June from an enrolment target of 57,500 people

• 2 Blue Dots operating in Slovakia

• 95,266 visits to the UNHCR Slovakia Help page

On 24 June UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO, IOM, Human Rights League (HRL) and IFRC conducted the first of four sessions on PSEA, with the objective of reaching out to local NGOs, refugee-Led Organizations, and state actors in Slovakia that are supporting refugees.

WFP - WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME

UKRAINE Assistance June Overview

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

In June, WFP has served over 2.6 million beneficiaries with food and cash assistance.
The Basic Agreement is ready to be signed by the Government of Ukraine, giving WFP official accreditation.
Efforts to augment food exports through both sea and overland corridors are ongoing.
Vulnerability assessment and monitoring of operations are increasing using a combination of on-site and remote monitoring options, including in hard-to-reach areas (HTR).

Food and cash assistance

WFP served 924,148 people with cash worth USD 66.6 million in June 2022.

In June, WFP more than doubled general food assistance compared to the previous month, delivering 17,000 mt of food to conflict-affected people. Improved planning, increased partnership coverage and strengthened supply chains contributed to this milestone. In the month of June WFP’s third-party monitoring company visited 32 food distribution sites to monitor in-kind assistance. Beneficiaries expressed overall high satisfaction with the assistance and their safety at distribution points. The majority of respondents were satisfied by both the quantity and quality of food received, while nearly all respondents (98%) reported no security issues while traveling to the food distribution point.

Nutrition support

Distribution of complementary fortified cereals to approximately 80,000 children aged 6-23 months continued through NGO partners working with local government administration. To date, 203 mt has been delivered.

WFP is forming a partnership with UNICEF on ways to support vulnerable children with food and nutrition commodities jointly. In addition, from 20 to 24 June, a scoping mission for the potential establishment of school feeding programmes was undertaken.

Government of Ukraine Partnership

The Basic Agreement is ready to be signed by the Government of Ukraine, officially accrediting WFP in Ukraine. WFP is continuing to support the Ministry of Social Policy (MoSP) with a proposal to strengthen their digital registration system for social benefits, to improve their capacity to identify and assist the most vulnerable, conflict-affected households.

WFP supports three inter-agency clusters – Food Security and Livelihoods, Logistics, and Emergency Communications. The Food Security and Livelihoods cluster has provided different modalities of food assistance support, including family food baskets, hot meals, rapid response rations, value vouchers, multi-purpose cash and livelihoods interventions. The Logistics cluster As of 28 June, the Logistics Cluster has handled (i.e., stored and/or transported) almost 19,046 m3 of humanitarian cargo, on behalf of 30 partner organizations. The Emergency Communications cluster is providing secure internet connectivity services to 211 staff from 12 humanitarian organisations including UN agencies and international NGOs in two humanitarian interagency workspaces in Dnipro and Lviv. Secure communications systems in 47 vehicles were configured for five UN agencies in three locations (Dnipro, Lviv, Mukachevo) to augment safety and security of humanitarian workers in the field.

Source: WFP Ukraine Limited Emergency Operation External Situation Report, #21, 4 July 2022

IOM - INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION

IOM released the Round 6 Ukraine Displacement Report on June 23, which provides insights into internal displacement and mobility flows. The survey covers all the regions of Ukraine, except for the Crimean Peninsula.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTS

Displacement

Where are those displaced by war currently located?

The largest decrease in estimated IDP presence is observed in the North, but South and West also experienced over 300,000 reduction in numbers of IDPs each. East and Kyiv are the only macro-regions experiencing an increase in hosted displaced population. The overall number of IDPs located in the city of Kyiv has doubled since round 5 (23 May) and surpassed South by more than 100,000 estimated IDPs.

Among IDPs, 15% indicated that they plan to return to their places of habitual residence within the upcoming 2 weeks, marking a significant decrease since Round 5 result, when 23% IDPs indicated this intent. Relatively large proportion of IDPs (12%) state it will depend on further situation development. Similarly to previous rounds, most IDPs who plan to return in the upcoming two weeks are from Kyiv (60% of those intending to return), and North (23%) macro-regions.

IDP SITUATION AND NEEDS THROUGH TIME

When asked to identify their single most pressing need, cash (financial support) was identified by the largest number of IDPs (58.4% indicated this was their most pressing need), followed by accommodation (4.5%). The need for food continuously increases since Round 2.

IDP PERCEPTIONS OF SAFETY

Among IDPs in the South, 47% report feeling completely or somewhat unsafe. In the East, 31% of IDPs feel this way. Since May 23 (Round 5), perception of safety has deteriorated considerably among IDPs residing in both these macro-regions, and remained stable or improved in other regions.

SHELTER

A majority of IDPs (44%) are currently living in rented dwellings and almost a third are staying in a place that belongs to family or friends.

COHESION

The attitude of host communities towards internally displaced persons has not changed significantly between Rounds 2, 4 and 6 of survey. Positive attitudes prevail across all macro-regions of Ukraine.

HEALTH

Respondents report lack of access to health care and medicines, as shown below.

EDUCATION

Following the end of the school year in Ukraine, IOM inquired about school access since the start of the war among all respondents who indicated having children between the ages of 5 and 17 in their household. Respondents reported that the main obstacles to accessing education were poor or no internet access (38% of those reporting issues with access to education and 46% among IDPs reporting issues with access), closure of schools due to war (24.4%), nature of evacuation (120%, such as stay in collective shelters, travel etc.), lack of teachers (19%), and lack of electronic devices (10%).

WHO - WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

WHO continues to support the Ministry of Health (moH) of Ukraine and the MoHs of the refugee-hosting countries to ensure safe medical evacuation (medevac) of patients. Transportation of patients within Ukraine is ensured by the national emergency services, while transportation across the border to the European Union (EU) is managed by international EMTs and coordinated by the CADUS team, a German nongovernmental organization (NGO) providing EMT support. As of 29 June at least 736 patients (78% of the requests) have been medically evacuated from Poland, the Republic of Moldova, Slovakia and Ukraine via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to 15 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden).

Priority public health concerns cover a full range of illnesses, including:

Maternal and newborn health -- access to maternal care for an estimated 265,000 women pregnant when the conflict began is severely compromised;
Emergence and spread of infectious diseases – COVID-19 is a threat due to low vaccination rates, and availability of clean water supply particularly Mariupol is very low;
Trafficking and gender-based violence -- As of 3 June the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had received reports of 124 alleged acts of conflict-related sexual violence across Ukraine;
Food security and nutrition -- Fuel shortages remain a serious operational impediment across Ukraine. WFP is continuing to work on various options to procure fuel for critical humanitarian operations. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), a key source of income for 30% of the population in Ukraine has been severely impacted due to the destruction of, or damage to, the agricultural infrastructure, market and food supply chains.

Ukraine response highlights

Health information

In partnership with USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, WHO will deliver oxygen concentrators to 500 primary health-care centres, with a key focus on southern and eastern parts of Ukraine.
In preparation for a potential cholera outbreak, WHO is working with the MoH to prepare a request to access the global OCV stockpile if needed, and has provided guidance on prevention, preparedness, case definitions, detection (including in wastewater monitoring.

Health supplies

As of 27 June over 627.1 tonnes of supplies with a total value over US$ 12 million have been delivered, of which 289 tonnes of critical and life-saving supplies have already been distributed to and received by the oblasts.
As of 27 June medical supplies and equipment with a total value exceeding US$ 87 700 and a total weight of more than 52 metric tonnes were delivered to WHO’s Lviv warehouse in the past week.

Risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) and external communications

In recognition of the increasing threat of cholera infection/outbreak, WHO, in partnership with Facebook, has launched an online campaign to promote messages on cholera prevention and treatment in Ukraine. In addition, 365 000 leaflets on cholera prevention and treatment have been distributed across the country.

Operational partnerships

The Emergency Medical Team Coordination Cell is currently coordinating 28 EMTs from 10 organizations operating across 13 geographical regions in Ukraine.
Between 13 March and 26 June EMTs in Ukraine responded to 5120 outpatient visits, of which 13% were infectious diseases and 13% were trauma. Among infectious diseases, 86% (561) were acute respiratory infections.

Refugee-receiving country response

WHO has focused on strengthening the public health sector’s capacities, particularly the Emergency Medical Teams, in the various countries to address the needs of growing refugee populations. They continue to provide capacity-building and continuing information campaigns against potential epidemics, such as HIV, TB, and COVID.

Source: Emergency in Ukraine: external situation report #16, published 30 June 2022: reporting period: 16–29 June 2022

UNICEF

UNICEF Ukraine has initiated a project to improve information on vaccines and to reduce the

spread of infectious diseases, as the war continues to escalate. The UNICEF project, which will see physicians hold public lectures and private meetings with IDPs, is set to take place throughout summer in five regions of Ukraine – Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Zakarpattia and Chernivtsi. UNICEF health envoys will also answer some of the most common questions about immunisation and advise IDPs on where and how they can receive all necessary vaccinations according to the immunisation calendar.

To date, 48 health workers have visited IDP health centers in Ukraine, and similar meetings are due to take place in over 700 temporary IDP centres. During the first four weeks of the project, health workers already consulted around 3,000 Ukrainians with Lviv and Ternopil regions having the highest number of people

This project has been implemented by UNICEF Ukraine, together with the Ukrainian Catholic University, with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

For more information, please refer to: https://www.unicef.org/ukraine/en/press-releases/doctors-held-300-meetings-on-immunization

FAITH AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY RESPONSE

Text of address given by Msgr. Vitillo in Brussels at a Special Event of the European Parliament on the Religious and Humanitarian response to Ukraine

Statement by Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo, Secretary General of the International Catholic Migration Commission and Convenor of the Catholic Response for Ukraine Working Group

Your Excellencies, the President of the European Parliament, Officers of European Parliament and of the European Commission, distinguished Parliamentarians, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Please accept my expression of profound gratitude for extending an invitation to share with you today the commitment and active engagement of both the leadership and the faithful people of the Catholic Church in the humanitarian response to the war in Ukraine. Pope Francis has been tireless in calling attention to the senseless harm caused by war and the need to provide both humanitarian assistance and spiritual care to those affected by this war. In fact, between 27 February and 10 July 2022, he has made 64 public appeals regarding the tragic situation in Ukraine.

While the greatest burden of protection and care for those affected has been delivered at the local level of diocesan-, and parish- based structures, these services have been supported and strengthened by Catholic-inspired global, regional, and national organizations through the provision of funding, material goods, and professional expertise coming from every region of the world.

In early March, the leaders of global and European regional Catholic-inspired organizations formed a Working Group calling itself “The Catholic Response for Ukraine”. Since that time, representatives of Caritas, Jesuit Refugee Services, International Catholic Migration Commission, the Sovereign Order of Malta, DePaul International, the Knights of Columbus and Stella Maris Organization, the Council of the Episcopal Conferences in Europe and the Commission of Episcopal Conferences in the European Union countries have participated in regular meetings and remain committed to address ongoing gaps and needs identified by the local actors in Ukraine and in surrounding host countries.

But no activity report could ever hope to communicate the lessons that I have learned during my visit to Poland and Ukraine last week. My “teachers” were the displaced persons and refugees themselves as well as the Catholic bishops, priests, Religious Sisters and Brothers, and the faithful laypersons who are labouring, day and night, in the Catholic churches, seminaries, convents, monasteries and schools as well as in private homes and local government buildings to offer comfort and build resilience among those millions of Ukrainians who have lost their limbs, are nursing multiple physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds, and are deeply grieving the loss of life and of property in so many parts of Ukraine that have been subjected to such terrible violence.

Without exception, the recipients of such services expressed profound gratitude for the gentle care they have received. One woman pointed out that food and shelter was not enough since they also needed to ease their hearts, minds, and souls and that they had found much loving care at the seminary where she had sought protection.

On 17 June 2022, the Commission of Catholic Bishops Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) called on European leaders “not to cease their efforts for an end of the war, with a free, secure and independent Ukraine in its internationally recognized borders … [and] to implement a credible EU enlargement process.”

I will conclude with one of Pope Francis’ often-repeated appeals for more focused and direct efforts at peace building to end the human suffering and loss of life in Ukraine and in many other parts of the world:

“The world needs peace. Not a peace based on the balance of weapons, on mutual fear. No, that will not do. This means turning history back seventy years. The Ukrainian crisis should have been, but – if there is the will – can still become a challenge for wise statespersons, capable of building, with dialogue, a better world for the new generations. With God’s help, this is always possible! But it is necessary to pass from the strategies of political, economic and military power to a plan for global peace: no to a world divided between conflicting powers; yes to a world united between peoples and civilizations that respect each other.”

PDF Version of the address can be downloaded here.

Text of address given by Msgr. Vitillo in Przemysl at the Synod of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church

Presentation by

Rev. Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo

Secretary General of the International Catholic Migration Commission

and Convener of Catholic Response for Ukraine Working Group

at Synod of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Bishops

Przemyśl, Poland, 09July 2022

Your Beatitude, Your Eminences, Most Reverend Bishops, Reverend Fathers, and dear sisters and brothers in the Lord Jesus,

I must begin by thanking you for the honour of addressing you today. I am very sensitive to the great burdens and responsibilities that you are carrying for your faithful people throughout the world, and, most especially during this time of great trial and suffering for you and all the people of your beloved country.

And it is for this very reason that I am so grateful for your kind invitation to this august Synod. I come to bring the solidarity of the organization for which I am privileged to serve as Secretary General, the International Catholic Migration Commission. This organization, founded by the Venerable Pope Pius XII in 1951, which enjoys public juridical personality granted by the Holy See, is a network of Catholic Episcopal Conferences and ecclesial structures of similar juridical status that respond to the needs of migrants and refugees in every region of the world.

I come as well to convey the deep concern and commitment of the Working Group calling itself “The Catholic Response for Ukraine”, or “CR4U”. In early March, at the encouragement of officials of the Vatican’s Migrants and Refugees Section, the leaders of global and European regional Catholic-inspired humanitarian and pastoral organizations met to share their findings and action already undertaken during the first days of the conflict. Since that time, representatives of Caritas, Jesuit Refugee Services, International Catholic Migration Commission, the Sovereign Order of Malta, DePaul International, the Knights of Columbus and Stella Maris Organization, the Councils of Episcopal Conferences in Europe, and of the Episcopal Conferences in the European Union countries have participated in regular meetings.

These ecclesial bodies and organizations have pledged to share information on their respective ongoing efforts to relieve the suffering of those affected by the senseless invasion of Ukraine – both of the local populations and displaced persons in the country, and of those Ukrainians who have sought refuge in both neighbouring and far-distant countries. They also are committed to seek your wise and holy counsel on the yet unmet and newly arising needs of those affected by this war, including basic living needs, shelter, medical care, and education; protection; and accompaniment with mental health and psychosocial support and spiritual care. Areas of particular attention among Working Group members include humanitarian assistance; advocacy, data- and information- sharing; spiritual care; and communications.

Of course, our respective organizations are rooted in the Teaching and Tradition of the Catholic Church, the theological virtues of charity and justice for all persons in need regardless of their religious, social, ethnic identity, and of respect for the sacredness and dignity of human life from conception to natural death. We also recognize and jointly affirm the responsibility to respect and protect our common earthly home which was created by God for our use and for our integral human development.

Weekly reports are provided to the Working Group members and other interested parties in relation to both United Nations and other multi-lateral actions as well as on our own Church-inspired initiatives. We meet on a bi-weekly basis and collaborate closely with relevant offices of the Holy See, including the Secretariat of State, the Permanent Missions of the Holy See to the United Nations, and other International and Regional inter-governmental bodies, and the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development. Overall, we are guided by the principles and guidance on response to both natural and human-made emergencies that have been developed by international humanitarian agencies. We have committed ourselves to respond to the present needs of the Ukrainian people but, at the same time, not to neglect or diminish our responses to the human suffering currently being caused by many other conflicts, wars, persecution, and violence throughout the world, especially those that have been forgotten by the media and by many governments as well as civil society on the global level.

In the area of advocacy, many of our respective Working Group members joined other faith-inspired organizations to issue a Statement on the arrival of refugees from Ukraine and the application of the Temporary Protection Directive, related to the urgent decision made by the European Council “… to activate the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) and to introduce operational guidelines for external border management to facilitate border crossings at the EU-Ukraine borders.” They welcome[d] the mobilisation and flexibility of EU funding to be allocated towards the needs of Ukrainian refugees and found it “… encouraging that EU Member States have taken a pragmatic approach to help the people concerned, for example, by allowing people to choose which EU Member State to go to.” They urged that “… all persons leaving Ukraine in need of protection should be allowed to avail themselves of protection – irrespective of their origin, colour of skin … or residence status.”

But no activity report or international advocacy statement could ever hope to communicate the lessons that I have learned during my one-week visit to Poland and Ukraine which I will conclude today. My “teachers” were the displaced persons and refugees themselves and your own bishops, priests, Religious Sisters and Brothers, and the faithful laypersons who are labouring, day and night, in the Catholic churches, seminaries, convents, monasteries and schools as well as in private homes and local government buildings to offer comfort and build resilience among those millions of Ukrainians who have lost their limbs, are nursing multiple physical, emotional, and spiritual wounds, and are deeply grieving the loss of life and of property in so many parts of Ukraine that have been subjected to such terrible violence.

Without exception those being served by the local Churches in Ukraine and in Poland expressed profound gratitude for having been received with such gentle care. One woman pointed out that food and shelter was not enough since they also needed to ease their hearts, minds, and souls and that they had found much loving care at this seminary where she had sought protection and shelter.

We heard similar stories at a local Church-run schools and in many other religiously-inspired facilities and programmes. All those offering such testimony were keenly aware that they might have to leave these facilities when regular school sessions would resume. They pointed out the impossibility of returning to parts of the East, which now have been occupied by an invading power and noted that many of their homes had been destroyed. One couple brought out photos of their bombed home and said that they did not know how to start over again.

The sights, sounds, and feelings were not always easy to encounter during this several-day visit. But tenacity and resilience of these forcibly displaced people renewed my faith in the human dignity that God gifted to each of them - despite the suffering and loss to which they have been subjected.

And I carry back to the fellow members of our CR4U Working Group my firm belief in our need to redouble our humanitarian partnership with the Church communities in Ukraine and in surrounding host countries. I also will inform them of some special needs which perhaps were not considered sufficiently in our respective appeals for aid which we launched to our respective donors. These include the need for more capacity-building among seminarians, clergy, members of religious congregations, and laypersons to provide focused psycho-social and pastoral care to those whose lives have been torn apart by war and wanton destruction of life, limb, and property; the need for more specialized and intensive psychological care among those who become victims of post-traumatic stress disease; special attention and support to widows and orphans left behind during this war; assistance to address special needs of military chaplains and members of their respective families. There also is an urgent need to envision safe and voluntary return of refugees and displaced persons and future rehabilitation of economic and social life and holistic development in an even stronger and more determined Ukraine which will and must flourish at the end of this terrible war.

I end with the words of Pope Francis, which inspire continuing partnership between the members of the Catholic Response for Ukraine Working Group and you, the revered and esteemed members of the hierarchy in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church gathered in Holy Synod. May our Holy Father’s lament, proclaimed his Urbi et Orbi Message for Easter, help us to labour without ceasing in the vineyard of Our Lord Jesus, who Himself was a refugee as a tiny baby, together with His Most Blessed Mother Mary and His foster father Saint Joseph:

“I hold in my heart all the many Ukrainian victims, the millions of refugees and internally displaced persons, the divided families, the elderly left to themselves, the lives broken and the cities razed to the ground. I see the faces of the orphaned children fleeing from the war. As we look at them, we cannot help but hear their cry of pain, along with that of all those other children who suffer throughout our world: those dying of hunger or lack of medical care, those who are victims of abuse and violence, and those denied the right to be born.”

European Commission releases Guidance on hosting Ukrainian refugees

“Solidarity and housing: Supporting Safe Homes Considerations, key principles and practices”

The European Commission document will help families that host Ukrainian refugees ensure adequate and safe private housing solutions.

Link to view and download the document.

CR4U MEMBER REPORTS

Comprehensive Report on the Situation for the Sovereign Order of Malta #18

Depaul International Ukraine Update July 8, 2022

CR4U MEMBERS IN THE MEDIA

Depaul charity in Ukraine: ‘We sometime find people starving to death’

Following the spirit of its patron, St. Vincent de Paul, Depaul International is working to help the poorest of the poor in Ukraine, even as volunteers witness the great suffering caused by Russia’s ongoing invasion of its neighbor.

Sea Sunday: Stella Maris supporting seafarers in Ukraine

As Sea Sunday is observed this 10 July, the Chief Executive of Stella Maris UK, Martin Foley, speaks about the impact the war in Ukraine is having on the lives of seafarers and how the maritime charity is reaching out to seafarers and fishers, and their families.

Ukraine: Caritas Mariupol keeps serving even far from captured city

Despite joining those forced to flee their home city ahead of Russia’s capture of the southeastern Ukrainian city, Caritas Mariupol continues to serve displaced persons from Zaporizhia, according to Fr. Rostyslav Spryniuk.

HIGH PROFILE VISITS TO UKRAINE

Archbishop Gallagher: ‘I wouldn’t rule out Pope going to Ukraine in August’

In an interview with Italian news program Tg1, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, says Pope Francis believes a visit to Ukraine would have positive results,

Archbishop Franz Lackner (Salzburg) July 10-12

President of the Austrian Bishops Conference

Archbishop Franz Lackner at the Synod: As Christians, we must ensure that solidarity with Ukraine does not fade but solidifies

Archbishop Stefan Hesse (Hamburg) July 4-6

Special representative for refugee issues of the German Bishops’ Conference

VATICAN NEWS: A delegation from the German episcopate visited Ukraine and Poland
The Special Representative for Refugee Issues of the German Bishops’ Conference, Hamburg’s Archbishop Stefan Heße, has promised church support to the people who have fled from Ukraine
"Concrete sign of solidarity": Archbishop Hess visits Ukraine and Poland

Original article in German

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Monsignor Robert Vitillo July 4-9

Catholic Response for Ukraine Working Group

HOLY FATHER ON UKRAINE

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Weekly Update #19July 12

UNITED NATIONS REPORTS

OVERVIEW OF CURRENT SITUATION

THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS