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Letter from Br. Błażej: Night 229

October 11, 2022
Capuchin Communications

October 11, 2022

This night, after yesterday morning’s air raids, forced us to take up night duty. Together with the Nazareth Sisters, we were ready to receive people from their homes into our lower church-shelter. From the evening, a few people have stayed overnight. So far, at our place in Kyiv, there were no alarms and falling bombs.

TODAY! In Zaporizhzhya, the same as yesterday. Alarm in Kyiv and all of Ukraine, today from 8 am. In the church-shelter, young toddlers with small children. It’s 10.15 am right now and the alarm still continues.

Massive attacks throughout Ukraine in the morning hours. Alarm throughout the country. Locations of bomb shellings. (photo)

The Word… St. Paul’s word today is unequivocal: “Toward freedom Christ has set us free. Therefore abide in it and do not submit anew to the yoke of bondage!”. Man’s greatest bondage, which even Satan himself exploits, is FEAR of DEATH. That’s why so important is the truth that JESUS DIED. The first truth leads us into bondage, the second to freedom. “Alive is the word of God and effective, able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.” God is love.

Kyiv:
Yesterday’s bombing of Kyiv. Metro functions only as a shelter. (photo) A bomb hit a kindergarten. A girl waited with her mother at the dentist’s. In the waiting room she painted a picture signed: me and Putin. Consequences of war. (photo)
Marian decoration in our church. “The rosary is our armor”. (photo)
Polish Ambassador Bartosz Cichocki visited us in Kyiv. As in the old “not-so-good” days—I walk to nearby underpass and bring people with children. (photo) There were a bunch of people there, they asked me to read the Our Father… In the underpass.

Vinnytsia:
Photo from a funeral of one of our parishioners who died in the war. The liturgy was presided over by Br. Constantine M. (photo)
Brothers from Krasyliv and Starokostiantyniv came to Vinnytsia to celebrate the name day of Br. Igor. (photo) Brothers from Lviv similarly traveled to Uzhhorod. (photo)

Usychi:
Bohdan Shcherdyk 18.09.1995-15.09.2022. A common defender, a common grave. May he rest in peace! (photo)

Dnipro:
I invite you to pray Psalm 91 about God’s providence, because, as we experience, there has been an intensification of hostilities. We are alive, about 10 explosions were heard, not far from us.

Krasyliv:
There were also explosions in Khmelnytskyi. In Krasyliv we only heard a missile fly over.

Uzhhorod:
In Uzhhorod, despite the terror situation, we had a  long planned celebration of Roman and Mark’s name days with our closest neighbors in Custody, brothers from Lviv. (photo)

Solidarity Letters

From Croatia:

Dear Brother Błażej. Thanks for latest dramatic news from Ukraine. We follow with sadness and concern the latest news about yet another brutal attack on Ukraine. We do not know where this aggression ends; but we know for sure that God’s justice will reach everyone. Therefore, we constantly pray for peace, for freedom of Ukraine and all its people. To you, our Capuchin brothers, we express our closeness, our prayers and solidarity. We ask Almighty God to stop this malice and death that is affecting so many innocent people. God grant peace and security to the whole world, especially Ukraine. Discourage the evildoers from their evil intentions and deeds. Greetings to all!
Jure and the Capuchins of Croatia

From South Sudan:

Pax! Błażej, Dear Brother!
Yesterday, there was the ordination of Deacon William in Bentiu, and today the new Abuna had his mass of thanksgiving on the feast of Daniel Comboni, Apostle of this land. See how the girls of the choir from Mayom, his home parish, dressed up in color… (photo) PEACE TO YOU!
Robert Wieczorek

Thanks to all the brothers and our benefactors for your prayers and support. Thank you. We are alive.

The School of Mary invites you to a session of the School in the USA. (photo)

May God keep us safe.