Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago makes solidarity visit to Ukraine. (Copyright: Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church – UGCC)
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Jul 4 2023
Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, visits Ukraine’s Kyiv, Bucha, and Irpin, to bring closeness, and discusses with the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, healing wounds from war and assisting suffering children.
Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, has visited Kyiv, Irpen, and Bucha, in Ukraine, to show his closeness to the nation’s suffering people.
In a statement issued by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church following His Eminence’s late June visit, the Cardinal praised Ukrainians’ resilience, despite the ongoing torment they continue to endure from the war on their country since Russia’s invasion.
The Holy Father has made countless appeals for an end to the war and the violence, offering the Holy See’s assistance in working toward peace, and sending envoys to bring supplies and pursue humanitarian initiatives, including his Almoner who serves as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Charity, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, and the President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi.
Cardinal Cupich spent majority of his time in Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, where he met with Major Arcbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, as well as the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, and discussed with the Major Archbishop, healing wounds perpetrated by the war.
Cardinal Cupich and His Beatitude Shevchuk also focused on the war’s damaging effects on Ukrainian children, especially in education, and how American psychologists can help wounded Ukrainians.
He learned about the activities of Caritas Ukraine and the ‘Mudra sprava’ Foundation.
“During my visit,” Cardinal Cupich said, “I was able to observe serious efforts made especially by Caritas Ukraine and other Church institutions to respond in appropriate ways to the needs not only of Catholics, but of all Ukrainians. I saw their efforts to provide food, shelter and assistance to children and families traumatised and wounded by the war.”
Also on the occasion of Ukraine’s Constitution Day on 28 June, Cardinal Cupich visited the Ukrainian Catholic University, the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and the military burial ground in Lviv.
His Beatitude Shevchuk expressed gratitude to the Cardinal for his visit and closeness, expressing his hope that it may bear fruit in assisting the long-suffering Ukrainian people. “We are very grateful to His Eminence Cardinal Blase Cupich for being a witness and voice of Ukraine,” before “American society,” and “in Rome,” he said. – Vatican News
