Catholic Groups in Poland Assisting Ukrainian Refugees Find Unity and Grace Within the Crisis – Opinion

Knights of Columbus director Szymon Czyszek says the Order’s efforts to help Ukrainians fleeing the country as Russia continues its aggression has done something miraculous: united Catholics and the people of Eastern Europe in a way desperately needed in a time of great division.

He is seeing, he said Tuesday, ” a beautiful outpouring of support and solidarity to welcome the Ukrainian people.”

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly announced in late February that the Knights of Columbus had pledged $1 million “for immediate distribution to support Ukrainians impacted by the recent Russian invasion of their country.” A new fund, the Ukraine Solidarity Fund, was also created that matched funds raised up to an additional $500,000. In less than 2 weeks, the group has raised almost $4.5 million and have set up “mercy huts” at the Polish border to supply to fleeing Ukrainians medical supplies, food, clothing, shelter and other necessities. Czyszek says that all funds will be used to aid refugees.

Solidarity was the original name for the fund. The Solidarity Movement started in World War II when Soviet Russia attempted to take down the governments of eastern European countries in order to install pro-Moscow government leaders. Polish peace leader Lech Welsha led the opposition to this movement. He would go on to become president of Poland in the 90s and pope John Paul II. Czyszek explains that the Soviet Union was largely destroyed by the efforts of Solidarity Movement members in the 80s and late 70s. And it’s in this tradition that the Knights of Columbus are operating today in Ukraine and Poland.

“I’m very hopeful, when I think of the solidarity movement,” Czyszek says. “[It was] really a revolution of conscience that led to the end of the Soviet Union.”

Their new work in Solidarity so far, says Czyszek, has been a “great sign of unity” as other Catholic charities in the region like Caritas International have joined the effort. “We want to convey to the people of Ukraine [that] we are there to build unity when there are so many reasons to be divided…that’s really our mission,” Czyszek says.

There are many hands to help. The Knights of Poland was established in 2006. It currently has 6,840 members. Ukraine has 40 Knights councils. The first was established in 2006, and now boasts nearly 2000 members.

Collection sites in Poland are located in Kraków, Radom and Tomaszów Lubelski, where medical supplies, warm clothing, and necessities are being gathered and distributed. Ukrainian Knights have created an “Anti-Crisis Committee,” comprised of the state deputy, state secretary and a district deputy, to help coordinate and distribute refugee aid.

The “mercy huts” at the border welcome those fleeing what Czyszek says is utter destruction in some cities. The operation’s mantra carries on the Knights tradition of “Everybody Welcome, Everything Free”.

“I think that everybody’s preparing for long term process,” Czyszek says. “Many cities in Ukraine have been destroyed – this will not be a short-term thing.”

Czyszek says that digging in to help immigrants and refugees is part and parcel of Father Michael McGivney’s grace and gift. McGiveny is the son and daughter of Irish immigrants. He arrived in America during a period when there was a lot of anti-Irish sentiment. The Knights of Columbus was founded by McGiveny to provide a different kind of fellowship and fraternity for the men of New England’s late 1800s community. Their hope was to find peace in the middle of their many crises.

Czyszek asserts that Knights’ mandate still stands today, over 100 years after it was established and thousands of miles distant from the Eastern shores the United States.

“This is the commitment of the Knights of Columbus,” says Czyszek. “We want to overcome evil with good.”