Light and Darkness: News from Our Brothers in Ukraine
Over the last few weeks, Fr. Christopher Fadok, O.P., our Prior Provincial, has been in Europe for a world-wide meeting of leaders of the Order in Krakow, Poland.
Before he arrived in the beautiful city of Pope St. John Paul II, Fr. Christopher took the chance to visit our brethren of the Polish province performing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy in Ukraine. What he saw there was both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Unfortunately, Fr. Christopher quickly experienced the terrible war taking place in the country. During the night of July 9 into the next morning, the Russian Federation launched about 400 drones and 18 missiles into the country. One of these struck a building across the street from the Dominican community in Kyiv, where Fr. Christopher was taking shelter. Fr. Christopher reported the eerie whine of incoming projectiles, the terrible crash of impact, and the rain of debris on the roof of the priory. After the strike, he captured images of the destruction so close to the beloved home of our brothers.
Fr. Christopher also visited the city of Fastiv, where our Dominican brothers run the St. Martin de Porres Center to provide shelter for displaced families, rehabilitation for the wounded, and summer camps for children affected by the fighting. After speaking to the children attending the summer camp, Fr. Christpher shared, "They told us the two things they appreciate the most are the friendships and the quiet—meaning no gunfire or explosions from aircraft, tanks, land mines, missiles, drones, and all the weapons of war. That latter part was heartbreaking."
But not all was darkness. With the amazing generosity of friends of our province in 2022, the Dominican friars and lay staff in Fastiv have made immense progress in restoring an abandoned building into a place of mercy and healing.
Earlier in the renovation, the Center's staff graciously honored us by including the crest of our province in their chapel's stained glass.
The crest of the province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
is located in the top-left window of the chapel.
However, during Fr. Christopher's visit, the friars and staff of the St. Martin de Porres foundation unveiled an even greater honor. When they asked him to bless the Center, they revealed that they had named the entire new building in honor of our province, calling it the Social Center of the Most Holy Name of Jesus!
We feel so honored and grateful that our brothers and coworkers for the Gospel have chosen to commemorate our beloved province in the course of their crucial work of service.
The building is now 70% complete. If you would like to help the St. Martin de Porres team finish the final details of the project, we invite you to send support through our Dominican Mission Foundation.
