Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rome (Agenzia Fides) - Don Giovanni Carollo, director of the religious province "Mother of Divine Providence" of the Sons of Divine Providence (Don Orione) on which the Orionine mission in Ukraine depends, in contact with the priests of Don Orione present in Kiev and Lviv, in the statement sent to Fides reports the news from the confreres.
Don Moreno Cattelan, who is in Kiev, reports that "martial law is in force, it is recommended to remain calm and if the alarm sounds, go to the shelters. During the night, the city's military airport, located near the Orionine house, was bombed. Many people are leaving the capital in long queues of cars. It is not easy to find fuel". "Even in Lviv the sirens sounded several times - says Don Fabio Cerasa -, there is caotic traffic, because everyone is running away. We are here at home. The petrol stations are being assaulted, as well as ATMs. The airport has already been closed". Don Egidio Montanari, also from L'viv, reports that "the attack is on the whole nation, since this morning the anti-aircraft sirens continue to sound, we have not yet heard explosions but I believe that there is a danger of bombing the airport of the cities, because they are doing this in various cities in Ukraine. We will stay here, we cannot leave the camp, the house and above all our disabled children because they only have us. Let's see how the situation evolves". In the meantime, it was decided that Fr. Moreno Cattelan will leave Kiev to join his confreres in L’viv so that they can all be together. They will meet halfway and then return to L’viv. This morning also the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity (Don Orione) managed to get in touch with the nuns who are in Kharkiv, one of the cities most affected by the Russian attack, and in nearby Korotycz. Sister M. Kamila from Kharkiv reported that they were awakened in the night by the sound of gunfire. The situation is very delicate. The Cardinal asked the Orionine Sisters of the two communities to all meet in Korotyc, because it is considered safer. The Sisters, belonging to the Polish province, were asked if they preferred to return to Poland, but they all chose to stay close to the mothers, children and the poor they care for.
Like the Orionine priests, the sisters also asked to pray. The superiors general of the Sons of Divine Providence (Don Orione) and of the Little Missionary Sisters of Charity, Don Tarcisio Vieira and Mother M. Mabel Spagnuolo, showed the closeness of the whole Orionine Charismatic Family to the Orionine religious and priests and to the Ukrainian population, ensuring prayers for peace. (SL) (Agenzia Fides, 24/2/2022)
