The Redemptorist Parish of the Most Holy Redeemer of Madrid was represented in Kiev on August 23 at the National Prayer Breakfast for Ukraine and the International Forum “35 Years of Faith and Freedom,” events promoted by the Ukrainian authorities and attended by representatives of numerous non-governmental organizations and international delegations supporting the Ukrainian people during the Russian aggression.
A meeting that unites different faiths, opinions, and nationalities
President Volodymyr Zelensky also attended the Prayer Dinner, emphasizing how the event brought together in the same room people of different Churches, political views, professions, and nationalities. The President emphasized that moments like this demonstrate how differences don’t matter when faced with what truly matters: truth, peace, and the prayer that unites everyone in difficult times—whether in a shelter under air raids, in a hospital corridor awaiting the results of a loved one’s surgery, in prison, or on the subway at 3 a.m. during Russian bombing.
The President mentioned the role of churches in the final years of the war: “Parishes have become places of refuge from the cold. Church crypts have become shelters. Sunday schools have become classrooms for our Ukrainian children,” the President said, recalling that this is the strength of faith that sustains all Ukrainians, even if it is rarely mentioned in the news.
The President recalled that many Ukrainians have lost loved ones in the conflict, and invited those present to observe a moment of silence in memory of those who gave their lives for Ukraine and those who were killed. He then asked everyone to pray for three intentions: for those in prison, for those fighting at the front, and for peace in Ukraine. “The war has been going on for a long time now, and the greatest danger today is not fatigue at the front, but the risk that the world will become accustomed to it,” he stated.
The Redemptorist presence
Fr. José Miguel de Haro, C.Ss.R., pastor of the Redemptorist parish in Madrid, and Fr. Marek Raczkiewicz, C.Ss.R., who accompanied him as a representative of the Madrid community, were invited to both meetings. For four years, the parish has been organizing the transportation of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, which—in collaboration with the Redemptorists present in Ukraine—reaches those most in need.
“I am in Kiev, at the President’s invitation, as a sign of gratitude for the solidarity we have shown over the years from the parish of the Most Holy Redeemer in Madrid, together with the Acoger y Compartir Association, the friends of Ayuda Contenedores in Pamplona, and many other people from around the world who are helping Ukraine move forward,” explained Fr. José Miguel de Haro, who for four years has coordinated aid initiatives for the victims of Russian aggression.
“I take this opportunity to thank you and remind you that one grain doesn’t make a barn, but helps its companion,” added Father José Miguel, convinced that solidarity transcends material means. “So many people of good will who want to do good allow us to believe in dignity and in the human being, but also in the possibility of peace. Peace for Ukraine.”
An international participation
The event was also attended by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, US Senators and Congressmen, foreign representatives, government officials, MPs, Ukrainian military personnel, public figures, and clergy. More than 1,500 people attended the event, including 670 international guests from 17 countries.
Scala News
Official video: https://youtu.be/e48gXwvPB40?si=sLOJEv1ReaZ0gtSY
Iurii Strokan’s photo gallery: https://strokanphoto.pixieset.com/nacionalniimolitovniisnidanok/
