Skip to content
  • Home
  • CCEE
    • About us
    • The Presidency
    • The Secretariat
    • Members
    • Commissions
  • Activites
    • Regular Meetings
    • Ecumenical activities
    • Special Relationships
    • Archive
  • Areas of work
  • Media
    • News
    • Comunications
    • Video
    • Photogallery
  • Events
  • Contact
Menu
Search
  • En
    • It
Consiglio Conferenze Episcopali Europee

Consiglio Conferenze Episcopali Europee

Menu
  • Home
  • CCEE
    • About us
    • The Presidency
    • The Secretariat
    • Members
    • Commissions
  • Activites
    • Regular Meetings
    • Ecumenical activities
    • Special Relationships
    • Archive
  • Areas of work
  • Media
    • News
    • Comunications
    • Video
    • Photogallery
  • Events
  • Contact

Europe

War in Ukraine, the CCEE gathers those responsible for the pastoral care of Ukrainian refugees

Part of the CR4U Initiative

Two days of meetings were held to define the pastoral and social challenges created by the war in Ukraine. The Council of the European Bishops’ Conferences brought together those responsible for the pastoral care of Ukrainians throughout Europe for the Catholic Response for Ukraine, known as CR4U, at its headquarters in St. Gallen on 23 and 24 February.

CR4U brings together all the Catholic associations that have worked to alleviate the crisis in Ukraine and is coordinated by the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC) – the commission that brings together the migration offices of the world’s Bishops’ Conferences.

As of November 2022, there were just over 7.7 million registered Ukrainian refugees throughout Europe, of whom 4.4 million had received temporary protection – or another similar status – in Europe.

Outlining the work of CR4U, Monsignor Robert Vitillo, General Secretary of the ICMC, emphasised that the group does not do fundraising, but rather identifies the needs on the ground and tries to discern what is required to help.

The network includes the ICMC, Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Europa and the two Caritas bodies in Ukraine (the Spes, of the Latin Rite Church, and Caritas Ukraine, run by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church). However, it also the activities of the Order of Malta, the Jesuit Refugee Service and Stella Maris, the section for the pastoral care of the sea included in the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development, as well as the Catholic Health Association of the United States. The first objective is to respond to the challenges of “limited humanitarian capacity”, explained Monsignor Vitillo.

In his report, Father Fabio Baggio, undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, reviewed the various interventions by Pope Francis for peace in Ukraine. “I was shocked to have to keep postponing a scenario that is not yet visible, which is the end of the war,” stressed Father Baggio.

Bishop Stepan Sus, who began his service as the bishop in charge of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church’s Migration Pastoral Office in February 2020, highlighted, among other things, the plight of children who were forcibly taken to Russia, for whom attempts are being made for them to be brought back to Ukraine with their families.

For his part, the Exarch for the Ukrainian faithful of the Byzantine Rite in Germany and Scandinavia, Bohdan Dzyurakh, president of the CCEE Commission for Social Pastoral Care, called for “making sure that this war is not forgotten”.

After an extensive review of the situation of Ukrainian refugees in the European countries of reference, the meeting concluded with a Mass for Peace in Ukraine celebrated in St. Gallen Cathedral by Bishop Markus Büchel.

Photo by Sabine Rüthemann

« Ukraine, Grušas: called to be peacemakers! Wishes to Pope Francis on the tenth anniversary of his pontificate »

News

Press Release

The family in the context of the Eastern Catholic Churches in Europe

Meeting of the Eastern Catholic Bishops of Europe

Interreligious Dialogue Section

Interreligious Dialogue in Europe, Prospects and Possibilities

Among the topics of discussion were the spread of Islam, but also dialogue with Buddhism and Hinduism

Press Release

Season of Creation 2023: “Let justice and peace flow”

Joint statement from the presidents of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC)

Europe

Pastoral care in the military and pastoral decisions in the current European context

Meeting of the Military Ordinaries

General Secretaries

Ecclesia in Europa and the Synod, the annual meeting of the General Secretaries

From 22 to 25 June in Tirana

Presidency

The CCEE Presidency with Pope Francis

A letter containing best wishes from the General Secretaries of the European Bishops’ Conferences is delivered to the Pope.

Presidency

Patriarch Bartholomew to Grušas: “continue our fruitful collaboration”

The CCEE President in Istanbul for Pentecost

Social Communication Section

The Church and the challenge of Artificial Intelligence

The Press officers and spokespersons meet in Cyprus

Family and Life Commission

“Lord, how can we know the way?” (Jn,14:5). The family in Europe today

The meeting of bishops and national directors

Catechesis

The parish community as a place of the culture of encounter and encounter with culture

The meeting of the National Directors

Events
  • 28 Sep - 01 Oct 2023
    Incontro dei Vescovi e dei Direttori Nazionali per le Vocazioni in Europa
  • 28 Sep - 01 Oct 2023
    Meeting of the Bishops and National Directors for Vocations in Europe
  • 05 - 07 Nov 2023
    CCEE-CEC Joint Committee
  • 05 - 07 Nov 2023
    Incontro Congiunto CCEE-CEC
  • 13 - 14 Nov 2023
    Incontro della Sezione Migrazioni
  • Visita il calendario

Media

Meeting of the Eastern Catholic Bishops in Europe, Athens, 18-21 Sept. 2023

Meeting of the Interreligious Dialogue Section, Paris, 13-15 Sept. 2023

Meeting of the Military Ordinaries of Europe, Vilnius, 10-12 July 2023

Consilium Conferentiarum Episcoporum Europae Gallusstrasse 24 CH - 9000 St. Gallen +41 71 227 6040 +41 71 227 6041
IBAN: CH 450 0781 0110 3490 6701 BIC/SWIFT: KBSGCH 22 St. Galler Kantonalbank St. Leonardstrasse 25 CH - 9000 St. Gallen