A Catholic aid organization is sending emergency financial aid to the faithful in Ukraine as Russia captures the country.
“The situation is getting worse every day,” Bishop Pavlo Honcharuk of Kharkiv, who leads one of the dioceses that Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) will support, said in a Thursday press release. “We live now from hour to hour.”
ACN committed one million euros (equal to $1.1 million USD) to support the work of the Church in Ukraine. It is accepting help raising funds to assist the Church in the country.
According to ACN, the support will aid the 4,879 priests and religious brothers and 1,350 religious sisters in Ukraine. The group will also provide aid to the four Greek-Catholic exarchates and the two Latin dioceses in Eastern Ukraine.
The money will help them with basic needs like gas, light, water, fuel, and food to aid others in need.
“Prices are rising, especially for essential goods,” Honcharuk described. “The situation in the diocese is very difficult. The number of faithful has decreased and those remaining, unfortunately, cannot maintain the parishes or support the priests. They come themselves and ask for help from the priests and sisters.”
The country’s financial situation has been worsened since 2014.