Cardinal Krajewski goes to Ukraine to deliver ambulance donated by Pope Francis

By Benedetta Capelli, Vatican City

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski is heading to Ukraine once again to assist the people with life saving help, this time by bringing an ambulance donated by Pope Francis and blessed by him on Saturday morning before it departed. Cardinal Krajewski just returned to Rome on Saturday morning from the Marian Shrine of Fatima, where Friday afternoon he presided at the Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary of humanity, and in particular of the peoples of Russia and Ukraine.

The Cardinal, who heads the Office of Papal Charities, is traveling to Lviv, Ukraine, with "an ambulance donated and blessed by Pope Francis in recent days," the director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni , told journalists. The vehicle will be given to the city authorities, who will put it into service in areas most needing it. The donated ambulance marks a concrete sign of help for the population, whose numbers have increased greatly due to the arrival of many internally displaced people.

Pope Francis and Cardinal Krajewski with the ambulance destined for Lviv

To the heart of Mary

Before leaving, Cardinal Krajewski told Vatican Media that he had asked Our Lady of Fatima to protect Ukraine, suffering so much from the war, but also for the mission he is undertaking by returning to Ukraine upon the request of Pope Francis. The Cardinal said, "I will go with a heart full of hope," recounting what he said yesterday when praying together with around 15 thousand faithful in the Marian Shrine of Fatima, also linked up live with Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica for the Act of Consecration. Around 25 bishops participated onsite in yesterday's celebration in Fatima.

Also present was the president of Portugal, Marcelo Nuno Duarte Rebelo de Sousa, participating just like all the other faithful gathered to follow the Act of Consecration to Mary. "All the people recited the Pope's prayer with me," the Papal Almoner underscored, as everyone had the text in their hands. "A cry for peace," arose from Fatima, Cardinal Krajewski explained, with everyone pleading for a miracle of an end to this war in Ukraine. He added that, "with faith the war can stop, and with all my faith I go to Ukraine to experience the concrete consequences of the Act of entrustment to Mary."