Links – “Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.”

The St. Clare Mission to Poland in Aid to Ukraine Refugees Why travel across the Atlantic and most of the way across Europe to risk their lives for people they do not know and will never see again? The volunteers are different ages, some decades apart. They are male and female They are all from comfortable homes. They have enough good food to eat. They have more than enough clothing. They enjoy the standard of living of most Americans – better than 90% of the people who ever lived in the history of the world. They have relatively healthy families. They are active in their churches and other charities. Their needs are met and their lives have true meaning. They are 20 selected for the available slots out of the 50 who applied. WHY? There are many forces that came together in this moment in time to drive the St. Clare Parish Community to accept this calling. It starts with Fr. Andrew. A man who devoted his life to Christ and his church. A man who left his native Poland to serve in Canada and now here in our parish. A man who taught us what it means to: “be Bold be Holy be Catholic”. We are called to bring our time, talent, and treasure to our mission as disciples of Christ. Writing checks is important. Accumulation of wealth to enhance our ability to give is important. But few of us will ever do more than contribute from our surplus. Few will sell all our possessions, give to the poor, and follow Christ. Few will put into the treasury at the temple all that we own, our last two coins. But there are moments in time when we are called to put our possessions aside, to leave the comfort of our homes, and to put our hearts, souls, and bodies into service for Christ’s little ones. Poland and Ukraine are half a world away. It is a problem for Europe to solve, right? Will we be the priest who passes by on the other side of the road leaving the beaten man to lie in the ditch? Or the Levite who did the same? Or will we be a Samaritan who feels compassion and then physically and financially tends to the man’s needs? Who can look at the images of the displaced children and not want to be there to love them? There is a power in the human touch, in the human presence, that cannot be bought with money or supplies. We are moved by the courage of the people of Ukraine and the leadership, humanity, and compassion of the people of Poland. There is history there. Both Poland and Ukraine know what life is like under occupation. The picture above and paragraph below are from the Katyn Massacre Memorial in Poland. The picture is atop this website. https://victimsofcommunism.org/publication/the-katyn-forest-massacre/ “In the spring of 1940, at least 21,787 Polish people (mostly the Polish intelligentsia and high-ranking Polish soldiers, officers, and officials) were murdered by the Soviets in the territory of the USSR. The Polish prisoners of war were killed with a gunshot to the back of the head. The truth about what happened was supposed to be silenced and remains unknown. These killings are known collectively as the Katyn Massacre.” I urge you to read that entire blog post. Ukrainians are willing to risk 40 years in the desert to avoid that state. The Polish people understand and were ready. They didn’t set up tents or send the refugees to shelters. They opened their homes throughout the country. If this isn’t being Bold, being Holy, being Catholic, then what is? The Polish people have shown us the way. This mission does not end on April 13th or at the border of Poland and Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands or millions of refugees will have nothing to return to. It will be important for many to return and rebuild and they will need our support. Others will need short term, intermediate term, or permanent resettlement in Poland and other European host communities. The need will exceed the capacity without options elsewhere. We will need to open our homes, our communities, our businesses to take in our share. The mission will continue, and we will be called upon to give of ourselves here at home as well. Those of us unable to make this trip need to work here at home to make our hearts ready to receive those in need. We need to follow the leadership shown by the Polish people. DONATE AT THIS LINK: https://stclarem.churchgiving.com/ws/opportunities/SupportForUkraine