Parishes in archdiocese requested to hold collection

By ROB HERBST
The Catholic Week
Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi asked that each parish in the Archdiocese of Mobile hold a collection to provide humanitarian aid to those in Ukraine.
Archbishop Rodi announced the request in a video posted March 3 on Archdiocese of Mobile social media and mobarch.org. He described the news from Ukraine “heartbreaking” and “infuriating.” 
“At the same time, we have been impressed by the courage of the Ukrainian people who are defending their homeland against the invaders,” Archbishop Rodi said. “As individuals, we feel that there is little we can do. As one commentator said, we are spectators to war. However we can offer humanitarian aid through those who are able to assist the people of Ukraine.”
Money collected by parishes in the Archdiocese of Mobile will be sent to Archbishop Borys Gudziak, head of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia. 
Archbishop Gudziak has appealed for humanitarian aid assistance and recently stated that Ukraine is “being crucified before the eyes of the world.”
Archbishop Rodi also asked those to “pray fervently that Our Mother Mary will pray with us that God will protect the people of Ukraine and will guide the leaders of the nations to turn from war and build peace.”