Catholic Outreach to Neighbors in Ukraine

01/24/2026

Please see our CONU Vice President Ken Rackers active in helping with food distribution to those in Sumi Ukraine. They are very close to the border with Russia and unfortunately live in fear daily.

Please see our CONU Vice President Ken Rackers active in helping with food distribution to those in Sumi Ukraine. They are very close to the border with Rus...

01/24/2026

The Diocese of Kharkiv and CONU work together to support food needs. Here's an appreciative message.

A soldier supported by the Diocese of Kharkiv expresses his gratitude for aid provided by CONU. The Diocese has provided canned food to soldiers on the front...

09/09/2025

The video captures some of the trip made by the Single Mothers Home. The trip was to Transcapathia, Ukraine, a mountainous region. CONU partially funded the trip. Multiple times the group is thanking CONU. The video also includes photos in montage of activities led by the leadership at the Single Mothers Home.

01/12/2025

Happy New Year to all! Here's a link to our latest newsletter. Please read and share to understand the latest developments in Ukraine and with CONU. Blessings to all!

12/28/2024

From Sister Kamila on December 26th at the Single Mother's Home aka House of Hope...
Dear Friends from CONU. Thank you very much for your wishes! Thank you for always being close to us! Yesterday was Christmas. At 6:00 a.m. the shelling of Kharkov and its surroundings began and two rockets hit the electricity and heating station near us. We all got scared because it had been quiet for quite some time. We were without light until almost the evening. However, we decided that we would not let the joy of Christmas be taken away from us. In the morning there was a Holy Mass and then the children set off to sing Christmas carols to the neighbors. They handed out small gifts. Misha wished everyone with his loud voice. Then we had a candlelight dinner. We managed to cook it thanks to the generator😊 Everyone received gifts and there was really a lot of joy. It is a paradox - that during war everything is experienced somehow more deeply, more authentically, and relationships with people become closer and warmer. Children are joyful and full of energy, which they can infect everyone around them. We are sending you our childish joy. The children sang this song with you in mind! We remember you in our prayers. We always pray for the people who make it possible for our House of Hope to function. We are extremely grateful to you and grateful to God for taking such tender care of us and providing everything we need, and often even more, so that we can share with the children of the village. We hug you tightly, tightly! May GOD bless you!!! Sisters, Mothers and Children from the Houses of Hope😊

12/17/2024

This video features Father Mykola Karpenko in Sumi Ukraine on December 6th celebrating as Saint Nikolas which is intended to be more religious than Santa Claus. They are singing a patriotic Ukrainian song and "blessing" the soldiers fighting in the war.
The photo shows the contents of packages handed out to the war victims and local residents in need on the religious holiday of Saint Nicholas. These were purchased with funding provided by CONU. During the holiday mass, Archbishop Mefodi publicly thanked CONU and American friends for the donation and support.

11/27/2024

Below is the English translation of a note from Father Stanilav Tanatorov from the city of Mirgorod. Father Stan has built two churches with funding provided by CONU and an anonymous donor. He is a great leader among refugees and his communities.

Glory to Jesus Christ
Dear … friends of CONU.
… I want to congratulate you on the election of a new president. May God bless you. Lord bless America. We understand that there will be new political challenges in the world. I would like your president to end the war in Ukraine.
People are dying in the war in large numbers, many are wounded. In the parish in Lubny (Father Stan's satellite or 2nd parish), one man went missing in the war. And I see that in time, mobilization threatens almost everyone. … I think that if the war does not stop in the next six months, then everyone will have to fight. Yes, everyone, because there will not be enough people for the war. Thank God, they are not bothering me to go to war.

Your (CONU) money is used in the following way. Products come first. Prices for products have risen very much. Almost everything has become more expensive. We buy bread, sugar, sunflower oil, canned goods one by one. We try to ensure that those in need receive a set once a month, and one type of product, almost every Mass. Sometimes shampoo. Also, medical care (medicines, examinations), services by car, and services by mail.
Housing payments are assisted for several families. (These are normally supplements to the meager government allowance to rent an apartment or such; not the entire rent)

Without your help, we cannot imagine our life here, during the war. We hope that your affairs are going blessedly. Every day in private prayers, in church, people pray for you.

You are in my heart and in my Services.
With prayer and love, Stanislav

10/31/2024

An update from Fr Stanislav on the situation near Mirgorod (about 110 miles west of Russian border)

Cold weather is coming and the amount of rain is increasing, and we would like this winter to be not very cold either.... I will say that the regions of our country bordering the aggressor Russia are bombarded every day, and many people move to more peaceful places. Therefore, new settlers appear constantly.
Your money (CONU funding) is spent as follows:
1 - the first place is now occupied by spending on products [groceries]. Recently, the prices for the necessary products have risen very much, and we are trying to help people in this matter. Bread, sunflower oil, canned goods prevail in helping the needy.
2 - this is a different type of medical care: pills, examinations, diagnostics and other services.
3 - purchase of necessary things and clothes for specific people in second-hand stores.
4 - transport services and postal services,
5 - the payment for housing rent has decreased slightly [Father uses CONU funds to supplement the government stipend for rent for refugees make it affordable for them]. People have learned to adapt to the conditions. Someone who [cannot afford the "city rates"] moves from the city to the village.
It is very difficult to defeat the enemy ....
With God's help, with your help, we will defeat the external and internal enemies.
Thank you very much for your help.
We have the opportunity to live more humanly, thanks to your help.
You are in our prayers at home, in the temple, in the heart.
With love and prayers, Stanislav

10/23/2024

Thought I'd share this novena from our website. We sure know our Ukrainian neighbors need our prayers!

10/23/2024

From Father Stanislav in Mirgorod , 10/14/24

Glory to Jesus Christ..
May the Lord bless you and your loved ones for everything you do for us in this difficult time of war. I remember you every day and many times a day in our lives and constantly thank the Lord for you. I ask the Lord to use your help correctly. The cold weather is coming. I look at what is happening in the world and I think that a world war may begin.
You are in our hearts, prayers.

10/23/2024

From Sister Kamila, at the House of Hope (Single Mother's Home) to CONU VP Ken Rackers on 9/19/24.

Thank you very much, our good friend... the situation in Sumi [about 100 miles north of Single Mothers Home] has become very aggravated. Today I met with a neighbor who came to us from there [Sumi] and he says that there really are people living in the basements again, hiding, that there are like the eyes of the shelling, but for now, thank God, everything is more or less [alright] but there are arrivals [attacks] in Kharkov (The Single Mothers home is about 15 Km west] ... the children have started school, only now at our house [The facilities of the Single Mothers Home... Local kids don't go to school, it is online] ... Some of our mothers left for Germany... we are waiting for others -- new [mothers and children] to come. ... I am a little worried, we will buy firewood for the winter because it is not clear what will happen with this electricity. For now we have [electric power], thank God, and in our houses ... that we'll heat with firewood and the house will be warm. So I think we'll manage somehow. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you. We also pray for peace because this war is destroying everything. People in Russia don't have anything. And everyone dreams that it will end .... Say hello to all our friends ... we also always pray for you every day for ... help mainly from you [CONU].

05/11/2024

Here is our latest newsletter. It highlights the past year including a visit to Colorado of three of our Ukrainian guests and a trip to Ukraine by two of our board members. Enjoy the stories and links inside the newsletter to even more.