Church Bells and Air Raid Sirens: The faith response to help Ukraine
May 8 @ 3:00 pm CDT
What:
A presentation by Erica Smith, executive director of Mission Outreach, about her recent visit to Ukraine to visit Catholic and other faith-based service providers in Ukraine.
ZOOM LINK ALSO AVAILABLE — email erica.smith@mission-outreach.org
Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach, an affiliate of Hospital Sisters Health System, participates as a partner with the Catholic Response for Ukraine, a group that works on behalf of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development at the Vatican. Thanks to the partnerships created by this group, Mission Outreach shipped a 40-foot container of requested medical supplies and equipment to Ukraine in April 2023.
Erica Smith, executive director, was invited to travel to Ukraine in April 2024 with representatives from the International Catholic Migration Commission, Knights of Columbus, and Catholic Health Association to learn what other needs are
present.
During that visit, Erica learned about the Catholic response in Ukraine and collaboration with people of other faiths to meet the educational, health, and social needs of Ukrainians – particularly those who have been internally displaced by war that those seeking to care for them.
In this presentation, Erica will talk about how faith communities are working to address the needs of Ukrainians and how Mission Outreach (in partnership with members of the Catholic Response for Ukraine) will continue to be involved in short- and long-term recovery efforts, even as the conflict continues. Erica will also share photos and stories about meeting with Latin Catholic leaders in Ukraine, including the Archbishop of Lviv and the Archbishop of Kyiv (who also serves as the Papal Nuncio).