GIFTS TO UKRAINE

Mother Felicitas’ son Bill (tenured professor at Dartmouth) was here last week for a visit, and being an expert on international relations, esp in Russia and surrounding countries, he keeps us abreast of the latest news on the war in the Ukraine. He is not very optimistic about the future for this country- even if the war were to end tomorrow, the massive cleanup and rebuilding will take years.

Having just finished the feasts of Pentecost and Trinity Sunday, we look forward to the feasts of Corpus Christi and Sacred Heart. We offer up more prayers and sacrifices for courageous Ukrainians.  May have they have the gifts  of fortitude and fear of the Lord to sustain them.

Recently “America Magazine” had an article ( Gerard O'Connell, May 26, 2023) about an Argentinian sister living in Spain the second one (March 10, 2022) about this nun since the war started. Sister Lucía Caram, O.P., has made 18 journeys  to the Ukraine in 15 months, bringing humanitarian aid and returning home with refugees or wounded soldiers.

Sister drives 2,000 miles  to bring aid to this “martyred people,” as Pope Francis calls  the Ukrainians, 25 percent of whom have been displaced from their homeland.

On March 14, 2023, the New York Times had a tragic article on the soldiers who were residents in a psychiatric hospital in Kiev.  What people do not realize is that many fighting this war are not trained soldiers with military experience, but are rather farmers, truckers, teachers, doctors, etc.   According to Bill they have been fighting with little relief for now two years and are tired to the bone. It is the few like Sister Lucia who are bringing relief to them and to their families still in the war torn country.

Sister Lucia, with the aid of others in Spain has helped 4,000 Ukrainians by creating “humanitarian corridors.”

 “We realized that the important thing was not to pick up people, but to welcome them, to accompany them. Many of them ended up having their fathers, their husbands, their sons [fighting] at the front line, some of whom subsequently died. Of those we brought out, only 30 percent have since returned home. Most people are working now [in Spain]. We have many apartments where families have been taken in. We also have 17 shelters for refugees and for other people who are already working, providing for themselves.  Now after 18 trips, I see that Ukraine has lost one or two generations. You go to the cemetery, and you see the graves multiply every time. I am struck by this.”  (Sister Lucia to reporters)

Sister says that like all tragic situations, the push to help wearies after awhile and the aid that Is needed is not there. “I believe the situation is worse now than it was then. It’s necessary to speak in the media about the victims and to request the sending of more humanitarian aid.”  Sister has delivered 92 ambulances as well as 61 generators to aid in hospitals and care centers and is always looking for new ways to help make Ukrainian lives better.

I asked Bill how mothers and children in exile were being treated and he said so many have stepped up. Poland (which is not the richest of countries) has given the refugees all the services due their own people. They only lack the right to vote.

Interestingly enough, this nun also made headlines in 2014 when she was featured with her own cooking show in Spain TV. (I have no idea how long it ran). She shared her favorite traditional recipes for monastery and convent food, as well as tips and tricks shes picked up from her long career in the kitchen. On the show, she cooked classic recipes like anise doughnuts, local stews, and Argentinian pastries. Her favorite stew is made from pumpkin with potato.

Her signature dish is paella and she explained that she gets her cooking skills from her family, particularly her mother and her paternal grandmother, who is Lebanese.

 "I am convinced that food brings people together, makes families, makes communities and that the table is a place of talk that can help people to share what they have in their hearts, and that it can transform our world," she said in an interview with The Cooking Channel.

Well, now this energetic nun has more to do than cook- she is too busy saving Ukrainians!

Sacred Heart -  Arturo Olivas  RIP-  Gift by artist to OLR Chapel