Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, president of Caritas Internationalis (the Church’s federation of relief and development agencies), lamented an attack on a Caritas center in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

The attack took place on March 15, but news of the attack did not emerge until April 12, according to Caritas.

“To the women and men risking their lives, we extend a word of sincere gratitude,” said Cardinal Tagle, who is also Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. “You are doing a holy action, holy work.”