Nine of the 12 ambulances consecrated at Ballhausplatz in mid-February by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna, and sent on their way arrived in Kiev on time on Saturday. According to Kathpress, Vicar General for the Eastern Catholic Churches in Austria, Yuriy Kolasa, handed over the emergency vehicles to the head of the Byzantine Rite Catholics, Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk, at Kiev’s Resurrection Cathedral.
He blessed the vehicles and thanked Cardinal Christoph Schönborn and the Austrian donors. Major Archbishop Shevchuk recalled that in this war many people risk their own lives to save other people. “These ambulances will now be distributed to different institutions and used in different areas,” said the major archbishop. He had already informed the Minister of Health of Ukraine about the donation from Austria.
Shevchuk emphasized that this transfer took place under tragic circumstances, “because that morning rockets flew over Kiev and in our church was a blessing of ambulances that will save lives.”
Thanks to “Austrian donors”
On the role of his church, he said in the presence of Ukrainian and international media: “What we receive, we pass on to people in need. The Church is a space of love and international solidarity. The church knows exactly where help is needed.” His church wants to “raise the voice for the suffering people in Ukraine and thank all Austrian donors”. Shevchuk continues: “We believe that the hand that gives will not be empty-handed. May God reward the givers tenfold and a hundredfold.”
Austrian Ambassador Arad Benkö was also present at the handover of the vehicle. He told Kathpress: “Austrian support to Ukraine is very impressive in the humanitarian field. These rescue vehicles can save lives. The population is extremely grateful, I can feel that with many visits.” The church helps “especially in those areas that are close to the front”. Benko recalled that the willingness of the Austrians to help Ukraine also had historical reasons. Friendship with Austria is particularly strong in western Ukraine.
Solidarity circles in Ukraine
The Lviv (Lemberg) Vicar General for the Catholic Eastern Churches in Austria, Kolasa, will stay in Ukraine on behalf of Cardinal Christoph Schönborn until Tuesday for a solidarity trip. He has already had countless conversations with bishops, priests, war victims and government representatives. As the only ecclesiastical dignitary from Austria, he took part in two episcopal ordinations on Wednesday in Ivano-Frankivsk and on Sunday in Kiev.
Kolasa recently visited humanitarian projects of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, such as the “House of Mercy” in Lemberg (Lviv) and St. Luke’s Clinic in Ivano-Frankivsk. Kolasa presented the humanitarian projects and several bishops from the occupied territories with significant sums of money from Austrian donations, much of which was collected from the diocese of Eisenstadt and the other part by Cardinal Schönborn.
Source: Krone
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