X
GO

HERALD ARTICLES
House of Hope provides safe haven for single moms in Ukraine
Linda Oppelt

House of Hope provides safe haven for single moms in Ukraine

By Jim Dalrymple

COLORADO SPRINGS. The House of Hope Single Mothers’ Home has provided love and support for pregnant and unwed mothers in Ukraine for decades, but now more than ever it fills a critical need.

 The home originally resided in the Diocese of Kharkiv and was started by nuns from Poland, the Congregation of the Sisters of the Orionists. Sister Renata started building a home in Korotych in 1996.  She was joined by Sisters Kamila, who has served for 10 years in Ukraine; Lydia, who has served for five years; and Sabina, who has been there for 12 years.  They form a dynamic team and typically house around 20 single mothers and 30-40 children.

Catholic Outreach to Northern Ukraine (CONU), which was founded by Father Paul Wicker in the Diocese of Colorado Springs nearly 30 years ago, 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.

The home provides a safe and healthy environment for the mothers to learn life skills for potential employment as well as how to care for their children.   Education is also provided to the children. The inspirational sisters instill faith in God and help build a relationship with God based on unconditional love.

The sisters, sometimes referred to as soldiers of God, also share their endless love with all residents. It can especially be seen in the children. Visitors are amazed at how happy the children are.  The sisters provide videos (see the CONU Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/CONU.org/,  and website, https://www.conuhome.org/, pages) that show children smiling from ear to ear.  When Ken Rackers, CONU’s vice president, visited Ukraine in October 2022, he remarked he has never seen children happier anywhere, and he said that he was constantly showered with affection.

The sisters are resilient and tireless in all their efforts.  With the outbreak of war and the intense fighting and bombing near their facilities in Korotych (on the western side of Kharkiv), they prayed for a new beginning at a location out of harm’s way.  The prayers were answered by sisters from another order at an old monastery in Yazlovets, southeast of Lviv in western Ukraine. The relocation required 600 miles of travel, but they are now well-reestablished.

Meanwhile, the houses in Korotych now shelter four refugee families from areas of active warfare, along with five single mothers with children  The total is 28 people including 14 children. The sisters also support them.

Although the number of sisters is few, their impact is far reaching. The activities provided extend well beyond recreation.  Education is paramount. There is a kindergarten teacher who provides formal education to the very young.  Older children can receive online education or attend a school. Although the name of the home is the House of Hope, it could be easily be named the Home of the Joyful!

The sisters not only work and operate the House of Hope but also devote their time, energy, and fruits of their labors to the community struggling to cope with the effects of the war. They have been assisting their diocesan Caritas agency in distributing humanitarian aid to about 4,500 people a week,  roughly 10 percent of whom are children.

Sister Kamila desribed the situation this way: “A whole lot of damage. A lot of people were killed. Thanks to the gifts (received) from our friends, we were able to distribute humanitarian aid to the residents. (We see) sad, tired faces, dead eyes . . . people out of work . . . . We just talk to people. They tell us about the bombings, the deaths of a family of five, the destruction of a school.”

“For me, this is a difficult but profound experience of intertwining suffering, evil, destruction and death with heroism, beauty, goodness and the Lord God’s great presence. God, give peace to Ukraine . . . . God, give peace to Ukraine.”

For more information or to donate, visit www.conuhome.org.

(Jim Dalrymple is a member of the board of CONU.)

Previous Article THE BISHOP'S CROZIER: Reevaluating our priorities during Lent
Next Article Marriage ministry offers antidote to ‘Valentine’s Effect’ divorces
Print
135 Rate this article:
No rating

Linda OppeltLinda Oppelt

Other posts by Linda Oppelt
Contact author
Please login or register to post comments.

Contact author

x
HERALD HEADLINES

Jay Barnwell, Director of Stewardship for Our Lady of the Pines Parish, dies at age 74

Linda Oppelt 0 250 Article rating: No rating

COLORADO SPRINGS. Jay Barnwell, who served as Director of Stewardship for Our Lady of the Pines Parish in the Black Forest section of Colorado Springs, died Dec. 21, 2022. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Jan. 13 at Our Lady of the Pines.

Deacon Lynn Sherman dies at age 76; played key role in building St. Benedict Church in Falcon

Linda Oppelt 0 240 Article rating: 1.0

ALEXANDRIA, Va. Deacon Lynn Sherman, a retired deacon of the Diocese of Colorado Springs, died Dec. 26 in Virginia. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Jan. 11 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria, followed by burial at Bethel Cemetery. 

BLESSINGS IN BLOOM: House Plants

By Kerry Peetz

Kerry Peetz 0 231 Article rating: No rating

We all appreciate the scenic beauty of nature. In our diocese we are blessed with the Rocky Mountains; they are practically at our doorstep. Just a step outside, a nod to the west and the vision of the mountains brings us closer to nature and to God. The top of Pikes Peak is nestled right under heaven and, as sure as the air is crisp, many a prayer has been prayed there.

Revive Alive, Jan. 20, 2023

- The Eucharistic Revival in the Diocese of Colorado Springs

Linda Oppelt 0 204 Article rating: No rating

The Eucharist commits us to the poor. To receive in truth the Body and Blood of Christ given up for us, we must recognize Christ in the poorest, his brethren:

‘You have tasted the Blood of the Lord, yet you do not recognize your brother, . . . You dishonor this table when you do not judge worthy of sharing your food someone judged worthy to take part in this meal . . . God freed you from all your sins and invited you here, but you have not become more merciful.’ — Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1397 (quote from St. John Chrysostom).

Head of Eucharistic Revival exhorts faithful to ‘live a eucharistic life’

by Deacon Rick Bauer

Deacon Rick Bauer 0 342 Article rating: No rating

COLORADO SPRINGS. On Jan. 7, priests and deacons from the Diocese of Colorado Springs gathered for a day of inspiration, reflection, discussion, and prayer. Co-led by Bishop Andrew Cozzens, chairman of the  Evangelization and Catechesis Committee for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Bishop James Golka, the morning activities at St. Gabriel Parish featured an extensive reflection on the Eucharist by Bishop Cozzens, including a detailed plan for the three-year Eucharistic Revival that he has been tasked with organizing.

Healing workshop set for Jan. 26-28 at The Antlers

Linda Oppelt 0 310 Article rating: 4.5

COLORADO SPRINGS. The St. Thomas Aquinas Society is sponsoring a Breakthrough Healing Workshop Jan. 26-28 at The Antlers Wyndham Hotel, 4 S. Cascade Ave. in downtown Colorado Springs. Bishop James Golka will celebrate Mass during the event on Jan. 28 at 11 a.m. For more information, visit www.stthomasaquinassociety.org.

St. Pat’s outreach extends beyond parish boundaries

By Theresa Ward

Theresa Ward 0 226 Article rating: 1.0

COLORADO SPRINGS. As daily news reports shift from mass shootings to depictions of war in Ukraine, it is easy to become desensitized to the suffering of the world. But St. Patrick Parish in Colorado Springs took the message of Pope Francis — to go to the peripheries and bring hope to the suffering — by reorienting their annual Giving Tree project to address needs beyond the boundaries of their local community.

RSS
First2345791011Last