The war in Ukraine seems omnipresent in the news, but it takes on special meaning for Catholics who have relatives in the besieged country.
Local Catholic educator Maria Zownirowycz is descended from a Ukrainian grandfather and knows of 22 cousins living in Ukraine today. She recently joined “Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley to share what she hears from relatives in Ukraine and how the faithful can help.
Maria Zownirowycz talks to students in her history class at Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Columbia Heights about her Ukrainian heritage and the country’s current struggle against the Russian invasion. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
One of Zownirowycz’s cousins, is named Ilona. “For her, it has been treacherous,” Zownirowycz said. Her husband is fighting on the front lines near Lviv in western Ukraine.
“She was asked if she wanted to retreat to Poland,” Zownirowycz said, but she was not willing to leave her husband. “So she remained at her house,” she said.
Ilona works as a tutor, in the Ukrainian and English languages. “For her to pass the time, she is continuing to work and work and work … so she doesn’t have to focus on her husband fighting,” Zownirowycz said.
Ilona does not discuss or elaborate on how things are going because she is sad and feeling “such a trauma” that she will break down and cry, Zownirowycz said. “I can assume she is just so worried about the Russians invading.”
Zownirowycz said she spoke with the principal at Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Columbia Heights, where she was teaching before recently taking a leave of absence, about praying for people in Ukraine. Students are praying, she said.
Eighth graders wrote prayer petitions each morning “over the announcements” during Lent and they prayed for Ukraine, she said. With fourth-grade students, Zownirowycz took them to adoration and they prayed the Divine Mercy chaplet for all those in Ukraine.
“So continuing to lift Ukraine up in prayer and being able to find ways to give alms during Lent, because I shared with all my students that when it comes to giving alms, it doesn’t always have to be a monetary donation. You can give alms by praying for others.”
Zownirowycz also donates to certain charities. One way to contribute, Conley said, is directly to Catholic Relief Services, which has teams on the ground. To learn more, visit archspm.org/helping-ukraine.
To hear the full interview, tune in to the April 1 episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which airs 9 p.m. April 1, 1 p.m. April 2 and 2 p.m. April 3 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
“Practicing Catholic” is produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and broadcast on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
Other guest interviews on the April 1 show are Mike Rios-Keating from Catholic Charities, who describes how to get involved with ministering to the needs of the poor and vulnerable in the community, and Judith Oberhauser, chaplain at Our Lady of Peace in St. Paul, who discusses hospice care and the dignity of life.
Listen to all of the interviews after they have aired at:
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