VATICAN (Vatican News/CNS): Konrad Cardinal Krajewski of Poland, the papal almoner, and his companions—including a Catholic bishop, a Protestant bishop, and a Ukrainian soldie—came under fire while delivering humanitarian aid near the front lines of the war in Ukraine, Vatican News reported on September 17.
Cardinal Krajewski first travelled to Odessa then found himself near the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia where, he said, “no one besides soldiers enter anymore” due to the heavy firing.
The cardinal and his companions came under fire just as they finished unloading supplies for some locals. “For the first time in my life I didn’t know where to run… because it’s not enough to run. You have to know where to go,” Vatican News reported him as saying.
“Today is a special day,” he remarked, “because it has been nine years since the Holy Father chose me as the Papal Almoner and on this day I was ordained a bishop.”
Cardinal Krajewski is on his fourth visit to Ukraine on Pope Francis’ behalf.
In a September 9 statement, the Dicastery for the Service of Charity said Cardinal Krajewski would visit the cities of Odesa, Zhytomyr, Kharkiv and other locations in eastern Ukraine “in these days.”
Most likely for security reasons, the statement did not specify how or when the cardinal would be travelling.
The dicastery said the purpose of Cardinal Krajewski’s visit was to provide support to “various communities of faithful, priests and religious, and their bishops who, for more than 200 days continue to remain in the places of their ministry despite the dangers of war.”
The dicastery said, “It is a silent and evangelical trip to be with the people who are suffering, praying and comforting each of them, showing with his presence that they are not alone in this situation that is only bringing destruction and death.”
The cardinal also will deliver aid “through the Caritas offices of the various dioceses,” the statement said.
Pope Francis first sent Cardinal Krajewski in early March to take relief, hope and encouragement to those suffering following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Prior to his arrival in Ukraine, the cardinal met with Caritas volunteers helping refugees in several Polish cities near the border.
According to a March 9 report by Polish Catholic weekly, Gosc Niedzielny, Cardinal Krajewski was asked by journalists if he was afraid of entering a war zone.
“I am afraid, as everyone is afraid, but I went to confession before leaving; I have no debts, I wrote a will,” he said. “I go freely to bring the gospel. I want to be with these people.”
Cardinal Krajewski visited a second time at the end of March and delivered an ambulance donated and blessed by Pope Francis, to the city of Lviv.
The pope then sent the cardinal to Ukraine in April to spend the Triduum and Easter with the people there as his special envoy.
