Watch These Videos on Ukraine from Redemptorist TV
Over the past many months, we have come to suffer with and pray for the people of Ukraine as they continue to endure the results of Russia’s illegal invasion, beginning February, 2022. Few of us realize how deeply religious Ukraine’s people are and how Mary, Mother of God, Mary as intercessor, Mary as protector, is at the heart of Ukrainian spirituality throughout centuries of troubled history. To help us understand, and also to inspire us, we are proud to present Ukraine’s Perpetual Mother: two homilies from Fr. Michael Smolinksi, Canadian Catholic Ukrainian priest and Provincial Superior, Redemptorist Province of Canada.
On April 9, 2022, writes Fr. Michael, “Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, led an interfaith prayer service at the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kyiv, Ukraine.” Patriarch Sviatoslav’s prayer invites us all to join: “Our Lord, God, Creator and Saviour, look down with your merciful eye upon our Ukrainian people. Accept their prayers for peace and victory for Ukraine. We trust in your hands all the innocently murdered, whose blood calls out to you from the Ukrainian land. Most Holy Theotokos, Oranta of Kyiv, the Unbreakable Wall, we render our Ukrainian people under your protection.” Amen.