Caritas Internationalis Secretary General and Caritas Europa President-elect visit Ukraine

Alistair Dutton, Secretary General of Caritas Internationalis, and Bishop John Arnold, President-elect of Caritas Europa, visited Ukraine from 5 to 8 November.

They met with the teams of Caritas Ukraine and Caritas-Spes Ukraine, visited humanitarian and social projects in Khmelnytskyi, Letychiv, Zhytomyr and Vinnytsia, and spoke with people receiving assistance. They also met with representatives of the Ukrainian government, diplomatic missions and international organizations.

For Bishop John, who will become President of Caritas Europa in May, this was his first visit to Ukraine. Alistair Dutton had visited the country previously, in 2023. During their four-day visit, they had an opportunity to learn more about the humanitarian situation and the work of local Caritas teams, and to hear directly from people how the full-scale war has affected their lives and what kind of support they need today.

“At its core, Caritas is about encounter, and that is where our strength lies,” said Tetiana Stawnychy, President of Caritas Ukraine. “It was important for Alistair Dutton and Bishop John Arnold to come to Ukraine so that this encounter could take place. There is strength in solidarity: in coming to see, to listen, to talk with people and to understand what is really happening here. Their willingness to come and meet with us is a great gift. The meetings took place at many levels and focused on how local centers work, who comes through their doors, what people talk about, and how we are building our resilience and our future together. It is important for us to share the reality we live in and people’s stories, so that others can stand with us, understand our needs, and also see the light and the opportunities to do good that it reveals.”

The first stop, on 5 November, was Caritas Khmelnytskyi. The guests visited its medical center and a rehabilitation space for children, learned about the organization’s programs and projects, and met with local authorities who work closely with Caritas. They also took part in a media literacy class for participants in the Home Care project.

“When we met a large group of older people who had lost so much and had been forced to leave areas near the front line, they told us with great gratitude that they had found a new purpose in life,” Bishop John said. “People have been so kind and generous to them that they do not feel like a burden. Instead, they have become part of the good work being done here. For me, that was a shift away from any sense of despair toward genuine hope for the future and a sense of new possibilities.”

In Letychiv, the delegation visited the local resilience center, where people can receive psychological support, individual consultations and take part in group sessions and peer support groups.

On 6 November, the delegation visited Zhytomyr, where they saw projects run by both organizations. The day began with the Divine Liturgy at the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church of St. Basil the Great, where the guests prayed together with the staff of the local Caritas. Bishop John, who concelebrated the Liturgy, addressed the Caritas team:

“Thank you for the very valuable work you do in healing the wounds of conflict. On the very first day of his papacy, Pope Leo gave us three very important priorities. His very first word was ‘peace’. He spoke about unity in diversity and about peacebuilding. This is something each and every one of us is called to work for every day. You are on the front line of building peace and fostering a sense of unity. Please never underestimate the value of your work and the healing you bring to so many people who are suffering.”

At the meeting that followed, the staff of Caritas Zhytomyr spoke about their work and what sustains and inspires them. They spoke openly about serious challenges and trauma, and shared how they understand their mission.

“We are on holy ground, not because we are in a church right now, but because of what we are talking about and the communion that exists among us,” Alistair Dutton said at the end of the meeting.

The guests then visited a day care center for young people with disabilities, who attend five days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This time, the kitchen had some unusual helpers: Alistair Dutton and Bishop John baked pampukhy, traditional Ukrainian doughnuts, together with the young people. The delegation also visited a family whose house had been destroyed by a drone. It is now being rebuilt with support from Caritas.

At the social kitchen of Caritas-Spes Zhytomyr, the guests met people facing difficult life circumstances who rely on daily support. The delegation was particularly moved by the story of a woman who had been forced to leave her hometown of Kramatorsk because of the war. Today, she is trying to rebuild her life in an unfamiliar city, relying on a minimum pension and assistance payments for internally displaced people. Later, the guests met with the team of the Caritas-Spes center of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Diocese and learned about its day-to-day work.

“Visits like this bring hope,” said Fr. Vyacheslav Grynevych, Executive Director of Caritas-Spes Ukraine. “They show the solidarity of our partners and are a sign of unity among Caritas organizations, Catholics and the countries that provide help and support. Bishop John is visiting Ukraine for the first time. It takes courage to be with us at such a difficult time, to share our experience, see what we do and talk with the people we serve.”

In the afternoon, the delegation met with Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, at the parliament. They discussed the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, the scale of Russian attacks, the protection of children and civilians, prospects for peace, and the need to rethink approaches to humanitarian funding in a protracted war.

“During this extremely difficult period, Ukraine will need additional international humanitarian assistance. We deeply appreciate all the efforts of the Caritas network to help Ukrainians endure and, most importantly, preserve human dignity and give hope to those who have suffered most from the war,” Olena Kondratiuk wrote on Facebook.

On 7 November, following official meetings with representatives of embassies and international organizations, the delegation travelled to Vinnytsia. At the Caritas-Spes Vinnytsia center, the guests visited a social laundry, a medical room and a child-friendly space. They also met with the wives of fallen Ukrainian soldiers and children with Down syndrome. The children who attend the child-friendly space had prepared a short musical performance for the guests. The delegation then visited the Caritas Vinnytsia center, where they learned about its activities and the support it provides to people in need.

“We act locally, but through our partners our voice is heard around the world,” noted Tetiana Stawnychy.

Reflecting on what he had seen compared with his previous visit, Alistair Dutton said that hostilities had intensified over the past year and the number of attacks had increased. “But at the same time, there has been a shift from immediate response to emergencies and urgent needs toward greater attention to the medium and long term: how to keep life going, how to rebuild and repair, and how to help people rebuild their lives and restore their livelihoods,” he said. “This time, I see hope and a determination to build a future rather than simply cope with the present.”

He also had a message for Caritas staff and volunteers in Ukraine: “I want our friends at Caritas Ukraine and Caritas-Spes to know that we are with you, in our hearts and in our solidarity. Thank you for everything you are doing, for being the eyes, ears and hands of Caritas on the ground, bringing its love and care to all the people you serve.”

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