7 days changing lives. Retreats for the homeless held in Kyiv
On November 10, 2021, conducted by Caritas-Spes Ukraine along with the Congregation of the Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate the retreats for the homeless ended.
The week-long retreat was held in the house of the Missionaries of Charity, popularly known as the Sisters of Mother Teresa, or the Calcutta Sisters.
From November 3 to 10, 27 homeless people living in the house of the Sisters of the Calcutta listened to conferences, staged plays and had the opportunity to treat their wounds. "We thought about providing rest and rehabilitation to these people during the pandemic. We postponed the date and place several times. In the end, we consulted and decided to do it for people who are already in the house of the sisters, so they are already isolated and are in quarantine," said Br. Sebastian Yankovskyi OMI, coordinator of the Kitchen for the homeless Caritas-Spes Ukraine.
Retreats or recollections (from Latin re-colecto - to gather again) is a several-day period in the Catholic tradition dedicated to spiritual renewal through prayer, reflection and sacraments, especially confession. Holding such retreats for people on the street is a good practice for the Mission working with the homeless.
President of the Caritas-Spes Ukraine Mission, Fr. Petro Zharkovskyi, said, "Not only is it crucial to give people clothes, medicine or food, but also to help them with socialization, returning to a state of normality. That is why we organize a spiritual and recreational program for our beneficiaries: dinner parties, picnics, outdoor retreats and street actions. Although this event was limited, we were able to organize a time of spiritual growth. Different priests, conferences and spiritual talks, games and theatrical attempts - all aimed at restoring the person. In my opinion, by joint efforts we succeeded."
Br. Sebastian Yankovskyi OMI said that external circumstances were also essential for the individual's internal change. When a person comes from the street, it is important to give them the opportunity to wash, put on new underwear and clean clothes, to give people a sense of home and responsibility for the place where they live. And then talk about spiritual growth. Br. Sebastian also noted that the wards cleaned their rooms and common areas on their own. They had time for rest and personal conversations with the priest, who is also a psychologist by education.
"Such events as retreats open to the homeless what is deeply hidden behind the terrible images of human poverty. Retreats awaken dreams and memories, spiritual beginnings, restore the face of God's child", shared his impressions after the day spent with the homeless, Secretary General of Caritas-Spes Ukraine Fr. Vitalii Hrynevych SAC.
"Open the door for Christ'' is the theme of this year's retreat. We organized the day so that our wards had both conferences and time for personal conversation with priests, time for sharing in small groups and for creativity. I want to thank the sisters who opened their doors to us. I would also like to thank Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi for visiting us with a Mass, conference and conversation along with the fathers from our Oblate missionary congregation: Serhiy Panchenko, Pavlo Vyshkovskyi, Oleksandr Zelinskyi and Blazej Havlicek, as well as the fathers-managers of Caritas-Spes Ukraine, Petro Zharkovskyi and Viacheslav Hrynevych SAC. Thanks to our joint efforts we managed to serve people and see changes in the wards lives. It is important for us that at the end of the day they said that this joint rest for them was not only an opportunity to eat or sleep, but also a change of mind. They promised after going outside they would think differently, and thanked all the good people and the Church for not leaving them alone with their problems," says Sebastian Yankovskyi OMI.
The program Kitchen for the Homeless has been operating in Kyiv for 9 years in cooperation of the Mission Caritas-Spes Ukraine with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
