Ukrainians in Rome Are Gathering Supplies and Sending Help to Their Homeland

Currents News Staff

The Ukrainian community in Rome has spent all week loading trucks with food and medical supplies to send their country. They fill several a day.

“We are loading the fourth truck and hope to load a fifth today,” said Father Marco, rector of the Basilica of Santa Sofia in Rome. “We want everything we’ve collected to reach Ukraine as quickly as possible so the supplies can be distributed to the people who need them.”

They gather at the Basilica of Santa Sofia, the main church of the Ukrainian Catholic Community in Rome. On Sundays, they pray and hold catechism classes but last week those classes were interrupted when hundreds of people arrived with donations.

“At one point, there were so many people that we had to stop our catechism classes,” said Alessia, a Ukrainian in Rome, “and we all got together, children, teachers and catechists to carry out this service.”

The basilica’s rector says he’s impressed with the response of Ukrainians and Italians who came together thanks to social media.

“They responded with great love for their country and their people,” said Father Marco. “They showed up to volunteer after seeing a very simple petition for help on social media. We weren’t expecting this response. We are very grateful to God and to the Ukrainian and Italian people for their solidarity and fraternity.”

The pontiff heard the call for help and made a donation of medical supplies to them. The Almoner of Papal Charities, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, delivered the Holy Father’s gift of syringes, bandages, and much more to the Basilica on Wednesday.

Alessia is a Ukrainian refugee. She’s been in Rome since 2014 when Russia invaded Crimea. But her family chose to stay in Ukraine. So, understandably, she’s been upset.

“The first two days I was extremely stressed,” Alessia said. “I was crying and almost fell into depression. Now it’s different because I don’t watch the news. I can’t bring myself to watch the news.”

She knows many cities in Ukraine have been reduced to rubble, but that’s not her biggest worry.

“This doesn’t matter,” said Alessia. “The people are what matters. I have many friends who have been underground for four days. It’s terrible because we don’t know how they’re doing. They don’t have Internet access and can’t contact us.”

St. Casimir: Journey with the Saints (3/4/22)

St. Casimir

Feast Day March 4th

“As a result nothing was more pleasant, nothing more desirable for him, than to share his belongings, and even to dedicate and give his entire self to Christ’s poor, to strangers, to the sick, to those in captivity and all who suffer.”

International Christian Relief Group Samaritan’s Purse Deploys Field Hospital to Ukraine

Currents News Staff

International Christian relief group, Samaritan’s Purse, is deploying a field hospital to Ukraine as Russia’s attack on the country continues. The group loaded the field hospital equipment onto a DC-8 plane in Greensboro, North Carolina.

“This is a man made disaster,” said VP of Operations Edward Graham. “We respond also to natural disasters around the world. But this is a man-made one. Man can’t fix this, and only God can fix this. It’s my hope and prayer that the people that may be watching or maybe listening to this, that they pray for the country of Ukraine, and we pray for peace and a peace that only God can bring about.

The group says its airlifting doctors, nurses and support staff to Poland. The hospital and staff will be taken to Ukraine from there. According to Samaritan’s Purse, it says the hospital will be able to treat up to 100 patients a day, with up to 30 in-patient beds, an operating room and an intensive care unit.

In addition, the group plans to send a cargo plane next week carrying equipment to set up two medical clinics. They will be able to provide minor trauma and general medical care for about 200 patients a day.

Dr. Elliott Tenpenny is one of the directors. He says they’re responding to the needs of the people in the war zone “in the name of Jesus Christ.”

“We’re compelled by our faith,” said Dr. Elliot, “and we’re called to respond to needs around the world with this type of capacity.”

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday, 3/3/22

The war in Ukraine intensifies and the number of casualties on both sides are climbing.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the Vatican more than almost any other world leader – we’ll look back at the time he spent with Pope Francis.

During Lent, Catholics abstain from meat choosing seafood instead — but it comes at a price.

White House Releases New COVID Plan That Includes Possibly Ending Transportation Mask Mandate

Currents News Staff

The White House says airplane passengers might get to enjoy mask-less travel without having to worry much about COVID-19. According to White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Jeff Zients, there is a plan in place:

“First, protect against and treat COVID,” Jeff said. “Second, prepare for any new variants. Third, prevent economic and school shutdowns. Fourth, vaccinate the world and save lives.”

Here’s how. Some pharmacies are preparing “Test to Treat” initiatives. They’ll offer free COVID-19 tests. If you’re positive, you’ll go home with an FDA-Authorized antiviral medicine for free.

If new variants emerge, Dr. Anthony Fauci says they also have a plan.

“We are ready to deploy personnel and resources to quickly update the vaccines,” said Chief Medical Adviser to the President Dr. Fauci.

The White House wants people to be able to safely go to work and send their children to school without shutdowns. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to push for more COVID vaccination worldwide. On top of that, officials are considering letting passengers fly without a mask. That mandate expires March 18.

“Transportation’s another arena where I think a lot of us are looking forward to being able to put so many of these pandemic restrictions behind us,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

The public transportation mask mandate might end if those numbers drop, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

“We see those numbers begin to drop to levels that show that safety can be had everywhere,” said Xavier. “We see that Americans continue to vaccinate. Now we all have to get there working together.”

Seafood Prices Are Soaring as Inflation Drives Up Cost Just in Time for Lent

Currents News Staff

David Nunez works at a seafood restaurant in New Orleans.

“Usually we have a line outside the door,” David said. “We stay busy. We pretty much run out [of] crawfish every day.”

Now that the Lenten season is here, he says, they’re getting ready for the rush of people.

“You can’t even park out here sometimes, you got so many feet,” David said. “The flow is coming. We’re gonna be busy in March, March madness, wide open on the weekend.”

Right now, he says the price of crawfish he sells is reasonable at $3.35/lb for live crawfish and $4.35/lb for boiled. But other seafood? Expect higher costs.

“Nobody comes looking for work, we’re short handed,” David said. “[The] price of fuel [is] through the roof, the fishermen paying more for fuel, more for bait, more for gasoline.”

David says due to demand and the cost, they can’t get crab or oysters.

Drago’s Seafood Restaurant owner Tommy Cvitanovich says the rise in prices is causing him to rethink how he runs his business.

“Across the board, oysters are very, very expensive,” Tommy said.

He’s had to temporarily remove certain oyster dishes from his menu.

“I can tell you this week alone, the cost of my charbroiled oyster, the finished oyster to go to the table, has gone up about 25 cents,” Tommy said, “because of the increase in price this week per oyster.”

From Louisiana to New York and everywhere else for that matter, customers will be paying more. That’s because fishermen are fighting inflation and paying more for fuel, labor and sacks. As for crab meat, it doubled in price – going from about $18 to years ago, to about $40 today.

“So now the restaurateur has a couple decisions to make, put less crab meat, [and] obviously raise prices,” Tommy said. “Do I go to an imported crab meat? Do I go to a frozen crab meat?”

Europe Faces Humanitarian Crisis With Influx of Ukrainian Refugees

Currents News Staff

More than a million people so far are trying to escape the violence in Ukraine, according to the United Nations.

“Ukrainians are friendly – we don’t want to have war,” said one Ukrainian woman who fled the country. “We don’t want to have quarrels with somebody. We want just peace..”

This comes as Russia continues its assault on key Ukrainian cities. Mariupol Deputy Mayor Sergei Orlov says Russia forces have combated non-stop.

“So we have continuous shelling for 26 hours,” said Sergei. “Twenty-six hours they are destroying our city. We do not have electricity, water supply, sanitary system and no heat.”

One senior U.S. Defense official says Russian forces have shown a willingness to hit civilian infrastructure on purpose. Delegations from the two countries are meeting again amid the violence. On their agenda: An immediate ceasefire, armistice and creating a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians. The European Union is now offering them temporary protected status.

Sviatoslav Vakarchuk is a Ukranian activist.

“Thousands are being killed including children and women and it’s a nightmare,” said Sviatoslav.

Vladimir Putin’s History of Vatican Visits as Pope Francis Urges Aggressors to End War in Ukraine

By Jessica Easthope

Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Pope Francis has avoided naming president Vladimir Putin – but has been sending messages directly to him.

“I repeat: Put down your weapons! God is with the peacemakers, not with those who use violence,” the Holy Father said.

Vladimir Putin’s history of making trips to the Vatican dates back more than two decades. The first time he met with Pope Francis, just eight months into his papacy in November of 2013, it was because they had a common interest – asking the United States not to take military action in the conflict in Syria.

But since then, the tone of the meetings with Pope Francis have been different. In 2015, they met after Russia annexed Crimea. Pope Francis urged Putin to respect the ceasefire agreement and allow humanitarian workers into the region. Their last meeting, in 2019, was seen by many to be a clashing of world views, as the two discussed Russia’s increased presence in Venezuela, Syria and Ukraine.

During that interaction, Pope Francis gave Putin a signed copy of the message of peace he gives to world leaders.

“This is the message of peace this year that I signed today for you,” he said.

And last Friday, Pope Francis made an unprecedented trip to the Russian embassy to the Holy See to express his concern about the war and attempt to make contact with Vladimir Putin’s political circles.

During his most recent general audiences, Pope Francis has made it clear that his heart remains with the Ukrainian people.

“Ordinary civilians are the real victims, who pay for the follies of war with their own skin,” he said.

Pope Francis asked that all those who are watching the conflict unfold should pray for those suffering.

St. Katherine Drexel: Journey with the Saints (3/3/22)

St. Katherine Drexel

Feast Day March 3rd

“If we wish to serve God and love our neighbor well, we must manifest our joy in the service we render to Him and them. Let us open wide our hearts. It is joy, which invites us. Press forward and fear nothing.”

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday, 3/2/22

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season and it’s the first for Bishop Robert Brennan in his new home.

Pope Francis is asking the faithful to use Ash Wednesday as a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Ukraine.

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson already gotten a high-profile endorsement ahead of her Senate meetings.