Help Build a Pastoral Center in Ukraine
Thursday, February 18, 2010

Project Code: 438-08-19

Most people imagine that bishops reside in palaces, or at least in beautiful large houses. Bishop Marian Buczek, however, lives in conditions that in most countries would be regarded as unacceptable for public housing. His accommodation, in a temporary living space, is less than 100 square feet in area, or smaller than an average family living room here. The situation is the same for all the other activities and needs of the diocese: there is simply no space. In 1991, following the political upheavals in Eastern Europe and the independence of Ukraine, the Catholic Church in Kharkiv had to begin work again from scratch.

At least there is a church here already. For in Kharkiv, a city of some 2 million in east Ukraine, just 25 miles from the Russian border, the Catholic Church of the Assumption of Our Lady had already been built back in the 19th century. In 1938, it was confiscated by the Bolsheviks, however, and left in a devastated condition. Only in 1992, was it finally returned to the Catholic Church. By then the Soviet atheists had done their work thoroughly, and all the holy icons, liturgical vessels and statues had been destroyed. Only one single statue remained untouched, the statue of the Immaculate Conception of our Lady, standing on a plinth resembling the globe. Faithful Catholics see this as something of a miracle, in fact, for she, the Queen of Heaven, had outlived communism, indeed triumphed over it. From now on, here, where the battle against the Faith had raged so cruelly for decades, they could once more freely praise and worship God again.

In 2002, when the city of Kharkiv became the See of the new Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhya, Pope John Paul II raised the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady to the status of a cathedral. Since May 2009, the 56-year-old Polish-born Marian Buczek has been bishop of this diocese where, in a population of 20 million people, there are just 50,000 Catholics.

These Catholics reflect the universality of the Catholic Church. In the Cathedral of Kharkiv alone, Holy Mass is celebrated in Ukrainian, Polish, Russian, Slovakian and Vietnamese! In the Parish Church of Saint Vincent de Paul, Mass is also celebrated in English and French, for here there are many Africans, too. African altar-servers assist the priest. Kharkiv is a city with many students, and many of the Catholics have come here from other continents. The Church is lively and growing today, but it needs more space.

Its dynamic bishop has quickly rolled up his sleeves, and before long the Church in his diocese will be able to carry out its activities under more normal conditions. Bishop Marian Buczek certainly wants no palace, but there should at least be rooms for catechesis, an ecumenical library, rooms where the nuns in the parish can care for blind and partially sighted children, a medical center for the poor, a soup kitchen for the homeless and rooms for pastoral work with children, young people and adults, and for choir groups and prayer groups to meet.

Of course there should also be somewhere for the bishop and his priests to live, as well as offices and guest rooms. The battle with the authorities was long and hard, and when the bishop finally obtained the building permit, he was told, "We don't want a second Vatican here!" But in the end, the city authorities finally gave back to the Catholic Church the plot of land next to the cathedral. Now work will begin immediately on construction, just as soon as the winter is over and the weather permits – since there is still a risk that the city authorities could try to take back the site again, if they could in any way claim that it was not being used for the designated purpose but simply being left unused. We have now promised $9,900. Will you join us in supporting this energetic and determined Bishop in Ukraine, who wants so little for himself and so much for his people?

Progress: 4% Raised: $ 375     Goal: $ 9900

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