THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 43, NO. 29 | MARCH 4, 2022
FLEEING WAR
CNS PHOTO/BRYAN WOOLSTON, REUTERS
A Ukrainian family carries belongings after crossing over the border in Medyka, Poland, on Feb. 25 after Russia launched a massive military operation against Ukraine. The Permanent Council of the Polish bishops’ conference met Feb. 25 and urged Poles to “open for our sisters and brothers from Ukraine homes, hostels, diocesan, parish, retreat houses and all places where help can be provided to people in need.” One U.N. official called the exodus from Ukraine to be the largest number of people displaced in Europe in the shortest amount of time since World War II.
Volunteers team up with agencies to evacuate Ukrainians By Anli Serfontein Catholic News Service
for a few days for safety, as I am heavily pregnant,” she said. “An hour and a half later, the bombs started falling.” ERLIN (CNS) — As half a She later continued her journey to million Ukrainians crossed Posnan, where her uncle, who lives in the borders into neighboring Denmark, came to meet her. countries to flee the war, the Lviv is the largest city in Western European Ukrainian dias- Ukraine and, before 1939, was part of pora and ordinary citizens Poland. German newspaturned out to welcome and pers reported that Polish Pope visits Russian help transport, feed and volunteers have been drivembassy to make house them. ing all the way to Lviv to the case for peace. The main destination pick up Ukrainians and Story on page 3 for many fleeing has been transport them into Poland. Poland, where many arThe last weekend in Febrived in Medyka, the main road and rail ruary, people waited an average of 24 border crossing from Ukraine. hours at the border to cross into Poland. After a 30-hour journey, Katerina Even before the Russian invasion Kosar told a Handelsblatt reporter: “I began, officials estimated 1.5 million barely got out, but my family, friends Ukrainians had left for Poland since and neighbors are stuck in bomb shel- 2014, when Russia annexed the Crimea. ters.” She fled with her daughter Diana Don Bosco International, which and the family pet. She said she left represents Salesian religious orders to Kharkiv at 4 a.m. Feb. 24. >> See “POLAND” on page 7 “My husband told me to go to Lviv
B
CNS PHOTO/GLEB GARANICH, REUTERS
A Ukrainian soldier walks along a trench at a position on the front line near the city of Novoluhanske in the Donetsk region of Ukraine on Feb. 22. Two days later, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a wide-ranging attack on cities across Ukraine.