Pope‘s Almoner undertakes his 6th humanitarian mission to Ukraine

By Linda Bordoni

Once again, Pope Francis is sending his Apostolic Almoner, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski to Ukraine, to bring closeness and concrete support.

A statement released by the Holy See Press Office on Thursday, 22 June, said the Pope, for the sixth time since the Russian invasion in February 2022, is entrusting the head of the Dicastery for Charity Services with yet another evangelical mission.

“The journey includes a visit to the  Kherson region where, following the destruction of a dam, the innocent population is in great distress and many people have lost their lives,” the statement said.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski's mission, it added, is “to be with the people, to pray with them and to bring the Pope’s embrace and concrete support.”

The papal almoner will make his journey by van, bringing a load of needed medicines. He will visit various religious communities along the way, as well as parishes.

The Holy See Press Office statement also revealed that “a second truck full of food (received mostly from Korea), medicines and medical supplies, will be delivered to the areas most affected by the dam explosion,” will also make the journey in the coming days.

It concluded by noting that Cardinal Krajewski’s mission “is evangelical and highlights Pope Francis' closeness to tormented Ukraine.”

Cardinal Krajewski: Pope Francis remembers them, like a father

Cardinal Krajewski spoke to Vatican News' Krzysztof Bronk ahead of his journey.

"This time, the Holy Father wants me to go to Kherson, where the Russians have blown up the dam and the people are suffering inhumanly," the Cardinal underscored, noting they are deprived of water and so many basic necessities.

He expressed the Holy Father's commitment to send him with supplies and bring closeness to these people.

"To be with them, to pray with them," the Cardinal said, can concretely "be a sign of unity." 

"The Pope," he said, "is a father, who remembers them," and "wants to be close to them."

"This is another typically pastoral journey, to be among those who suffer, because that is what Christ did every day," the Papal Almoner said. "All day long, from morning to night, the Lord was looking for people to help. By inserting the logic of the Gospel, by going out there, by being among people, you are at the centre of the Gospel."