No fewer than 182 young men from many different parts of Ukraine are currently training for the priesthood at the Greek Catholic seminary in Ivano-Frankivsk. For the first six months of the war the seminary was used as emergency accommodation for 200 women refugees and their children, while the seminarians studied online instead. But in September 2022 the seminarians returned to the seminary and resumed their face-to-face studies.

The continuing war and the related economic crisis are proving a major headache for the seminary administration. Food and energy prices have tripled during this time, while the ordinary Catholic faithful in the parishes have become to poor themselves to to contribute more than a little, and the seminarians‘ own families likewise are barely able to contribute anything towards their sons‘ spiritual formation. “The situation is particularly difficult for those seminarians whose fathers have been called up to fight. Many of these fathers will not return again”, says the rector, Father Taras Putko.

And so, once again this year, the rector is asking our help in order to be able to continue the formation of these young men even in these difficult times. He writes: “It is only thanks to the help of our benefactors that we can continue to keep our seminary running. Without your help it would be impossible!” And the Archbishop of Ivano-Frankivsk is already finding it hard enough to support the 525 priests of his eparchy.

We are planning to support the training of these 182 future priests for another year as a way of renewing the hope of the Church in this difficult time. Will you help us?