Our Ukrainian visitors have arrived! Fox 21 News in Colorado Springs did a great news segment on their first day here. This is a great clip to read and watch the news segment too (in the upper right corner).
https://www.fox21news.com/news/ukrainian-church-leaders-share-war-documentary/
Sister Kamila at the Single Mothers Home, aka, the House of Hope put together this short video to capture what has transpired since the outbreak of war and show their appreciation to CONU during these difficult times. It’s a pleasure to watch!
FYI, Sister Kamila will be visiting Colorado Springs August 23 – September 5. One goal of her visit is to share awareness of their situation. She will be presenting at Holy Apostles Church on Wednesday, August 30, 6:30-8PM. Please let us know if you’re interested in attending by emailing info@conuhome.org
The video link is House of Hope video
We are sponsoring a special visit for three amazing spiritual leaders serving on the frontlines in Ukraine. The visit to Colorado will occur August 23 – September 5. Our guests are Bishop Vitaly Skomarovskyi, Bishop of Lutsk; Father Oleksandr Zelinskyi, Director of EWTN-Ukraine; and Sister Kamila Frydryszewska, Co-Director of the House of Hope for Single Mothers and Children. Their visit is the highlight of CONU’s Restoring Identity, Self-Respect and Esteem in the Ukrainian People, RISE UP, Campaign. The goal is to raise awareness of the unimaginable hardships and atrocities experienced by the Ukrainian people during this unjust war. Bishop Golka, Diocese of Colorado Springs, is encouraging Colorado leaders to sponsor events to assist with spreading their word. Below are two events Bishop Golka is hosting. Please look for announcements for events in local parishes, here on this website, and on Facebook.
| Event | Date/Time | Location |
| Mass presided by Bishops Golka and Skomarovskyi celebrating Independence Day of Ukraine. Reception to follow. | Sun, 27 Aug, 9 AM | Holy Apostles Church, Colorado Springs |
| Bishop Golka hosting Respect Life Dinner | Thu, 24 Aug, 5PM | Flying W Ranch, Colorado Springs |
Below are brief introductions to these disciples. We hope you will come listen to their messages as they describe God’s work.
In 1994, then Father, now Bishop Vitaly Skomarovskyi, was the pastor of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Sumy. He was visiting Holy Apostles Parish in Colorado Springs and asked Father Paul Wicker, fellow Co-Founder of CONU, if Holy Apostles would consider becoming a sister parish. He saw this request as a call from God. Their shared calling and mission drive resulted in forming CONU. In the early years, focus was on rebuilding churches, equipping orphanages; forming a medical team of pediatricians, and helping nuns working with single homeless pregnant women. As bishop, his drive as shepherd has grown commensurate with his bigger flock.
Father Oleskandr Zelinski is the Director General for ETWN-Ukraine. He is overseeing a documentary film about the impacts of the war. CONU is sponsoring the production. He’s God’s messenger. Here are some interviews with this disciple:
https://youtu.be/9-mI2L0is44
https://youtu.be/h8GM9pe13O0
https://youtu.be/vc2r93QE2Jk
His message is to rely on your faith during this most difficult time. He shared that “We broadcast Masses and prayers from our chapel, and we know that people need it now.” “We ask for prayer and support from all of you. We need it during this dramatic situation.”
Sister Kamila Frydryszewska is the co-director of The Single Mothers’ Home. They have provided love and support for pregnant and unwed mothers for decades. Sister Kamila has served for 10 years in Ukraine. She is part of a dynamic team that operates facilities which typically house around 20 single mothers and 30-40 children. CONU is proudly a major and steadfast contributor to their operating costs. It’s sad to say but many of the children would likely have been aborted or abandoned were it not for this place of refuge. Most mothers were formerly homeless, many from orphanages themselves.
As the organization has grown and the needs of our mission have increased, we want all to know that our support now goes much beyond our friends in Northern Ukraine. Especially since the outbreak of war, our mission leaders find themselves assisting refugees and brethren throughout Ukraine. Therefore we have dropped the “Northern” and changed the name to Catholic Outreach to NEIGHBORS in Ukraine. We are proud of our ability to spread our support to our friends and neighbors!
Please see our latest newsletter featuring articles on refugee support in Lutsk and Myrgorod and the House of Hope (the Single Mothers Home). Click here for the full newsletter. Winter 2023 Newsletter
Love in the House of Hope
Refugees waiting for assistance outside the Lutsk church
Braving the winter for a chance at a hot meal
Outside the Lutsk church
Staff preparing meals for the masses at the Kitchen for the Needy
Winter has been bitter for our brothers and sisters in Lutsk
Mobile distribution
The newly remodeled church in Mirgorod has become a gathering spot for Ukrainians in need of spiritual and subsistence support. Father Stanislav Tanatarov leads daily masses and leads the distribution of food and supplies after mass. These winter months are the hardest times for this community. Hot meals are scarce; shelter is limited; heat and power are often unavailable. CONU is doing its best to provide funding but is in dire need of more donations. Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and help if you can. May God bless us all!
Packed attendance at mass
Waiting for distribution of food and supplies
Father Stan leads congregation at mass
Here is the CONU 2022 Newsletter. Please see the featured stories about our new Executive Director, Father Tom Jamka, and the trip to Ukraine by our Vice President, Ken Rackers.
Below are photos from Father Stanislav Tanatarov in Mirgorod, Ukraine. The name of the new church, funded by an anonymous donor to CONU, is Church of Jesus of Divine Mercy. Father Stan says the church is the most beautiful building in the city. It’s in a prominent location on the main highway through Mirgorod. The church also continues to serve the war victims and refugees. One day this fall, over 400 war victims refugees received aid. When Ken Rackers, CONU’s board VP, visited in October 2022, Father Stan introduced him to about 120 refugees attending mass and receiving aid. Ken spoke 2-3 minutes in Russian during mass. After mass, 4 or 5 older ladies (babushkas, grandmothers) came up and kissed him on cheeks, hugged him with tears in their eyes, thanking CONU and Americans. Three dedushkas (grandfathers) also thanked him and shook his hand. Father Stan later took him to a refugee center (very dilapidated housing likely frigid in winter). Later he took him to lunch at the apartment of a refugee couple. They put on a typical generous feast. They also showed pictures of the apartment building they left behind in the war area of Donbas. It had been shelled by artillery the morning they fled. It was later completely and horribly ransacked by Russian soldiers.
The basement chapel of the Mirgorod church was filled with food and supply donations stacked taller than Ken, some from CONU, likely the rest is from Poland and international donors including the USA. Ken asked Father Stan where it all came from. He coyly responded from CONU, only CONU. He responded it was like that “fishes and loaves” from Jesus in the Bible. While CONU is not a big or rich organization, it contributes to the welfare of 1000s in cities and regions across Ukraine. Father Stan is a great leader of his parish and flock, and a honest and impeccable steward of CONU’s contributions… as are all the other with whom we work in projects across Ukraine. This is the second church Father Stan built with support from CONU. The other is in the city of Konotop.
Outside of the remodeled church in MIrgorod
Supply distribution
Supply distribution
Refugees line up for distribution
… let me express to you the words of our sincere and deep gratitude for your kind and open heart and support for the needy people in Ukraine… Every day we live under the terrifying sounds of sirens, see deadly rockets fly by and hear the sounds of explosions. However, amidst this gloom of darkness, we also see and feel the strong and strong support we receive from sincere people with big hearts! Your personal support and the support of your entire organization CONU is an invaluable help in our daily lives, because it is because of you that people are able to get the help they need… we live in conditions without electricity, water and heating. This difficult and harsh Ukrainian winter has become a new test that we have to pass. However thanks to your help, needy people who find themselves in extremely difficult circumstances feel that they are not alone with their problems. … thanks to the kindness of your hearts, we are able to implement the campaign “Kitchen for the poor and needy” and warm needy people with hot lunches. … May God’s grace and mercy always be in your homes and hearts. We pray that the Lord will bless you with His blessings and express our sincere gratitude for the fact that he has rewarded you with kind hearts! We would like to wish you a peaceful and happy Christmas. So that the light and joy of the Lord’s birth always accompany you, and the Christmas star indicates only the right path of life’s path!
Distribution of goods in Lutsk