“Home away from home”: UGCC opens first modular town for IDPs in Lviv Oblast

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, more than 60 IDPs from different regions of Ukraine, mainly from the occupied parts of Ukraine, have been living in the shelter of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Briukhovychi. This was reported by the Information Department of the UGCC.

Thanks to the cooperation of the Charitable Foundation of the Patriarchal Curia “Mudra Sprava” and the financial support of the Knights of Columbus, a modular town was built to house families from this shelter who have suffered from Russian military aggression, lost their homes, or cannot return to their homes due to the occupation.

The Patriarchal Econome, initiator of the modular town project by “Mudra Sprava”, Father Lyubomyr Yavorskyy, assured that by opening this modular space, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church shows its love for each resident of this shelter.

“At the beginning of the war, when the ‘Mudra Sprava’ was established, His Beatitude Sviatoslav, the Father and Head of the UGCC, emphasised that the Church should always be close to its people. As soon as we accepted the first people, His Beatitude understood that we needed to increase the space where we could accept even more people. The war continues. People are still losing their homes,” said Fr Lyubomyr.

He expressed his gratitude to God and the Knights of Columbus for their financial support.

“Every business needs God’s blessing. First, we asked His Beatitude Sviatoslav’s blessing to start this project, and now we ask for God’s blessing for this project to continue and for the people who will live here to feel God’s love,” said the patriarchal econome, inviting everyone to the Rite of Blessing of the House.

Shimon Chishek, a representative of the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus, who came to the blessing and opening of the town, said that Ukrainians are not alone in the war and expressed hope that these modular houses will give people confidence in their lives and become their home away from home.

“You are not alone in your challenges. We will support Ukraine for as long as it takes — this is my main message to you today,” said the Knights of Columbus representative.

“Today we have come primarily to meet the families who will live in these houses. I know that you have been through a lot in your lives. We cannot stand indifferent in the face of suffering. Many of you have lost your homes, your property, and had to endure many moments of uncertainty because of the war. We hope that these houses will give you confidence in your lives. That you can now call them your home. A home where you can invite your friends, where your children can do their homework. That you will be able to call this place a home away from home,” said Shimon Chishek.

Khrystyna Zamula, deputy head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, thanked the donors and the UGCC for working to help people with housing, which has been brought from idea to completion.

“I thank the UGCC for sheltering these people on its territory. We are talking not only about houses, but also about constant, including moral and spiritual support for the people who are here,” said the representative of the Lviv authorities.

Mrs. Valentyna, a resident of the shelter from the occupied Kherson region, who has been living here for two years and witnessed the launch of the project, expressed her gratitude to everyone for their kindness, compassion, support and understanding.

“When His Beatitude Sviatoslav blessed the house on 6 December, I had just arrived and was crying all the time. Now my state of mind is much better. I met people here who understand us and support us in everything. In this shelter, people help us with everything. We are provided with qualified medical care, medicines, and legal protection. All the conditions are created here for us to live comfortably,” said a representative of the internally displaced persons.