CHURCHES IN BRIEF" "
Czech repubic: Caritas helping victims of floodsEmployees and collaborators of Caritas Czech repubic are getting ready to help people affected by floods that are the result of a long-term heavy rain in several regions of the country. The third degree of flood emergency has been announced in Prague. Kindergartens, secondary and high schools have been closed, as well as several stations of underground railway at the center of the city. “We are following the situation and are prepared to help all those who find themselves in a difficult life situation”, says Lukás Curylo, director of Caritas, adding that all 340 local offices of this institution have available humanitarian aid including dryers and water exhausters and pumps, net of consulting services and teams of psychologists. People affected by flood can find useful information on the website http://povodne.charita.cz, including the information about the collection of money aiming to repair the damages.Slovakia: documentary about cardinal TomkoWhy does he need to walk while praying? What does he think of pain and death? Why did he take a camera on his missionary trips? And how did he like the taste of a crocodile meat? Answers to all these questions and many more can be found in a new documentary film about life and work of 89 years old Slovak cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Evangelization of Peoples, recently presented in Bratislava. The idea to record it arose at the beginning of 2012, upon the initiative of director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Slovakia, Viktor Jakubov. The aim of the project was to introduce cardinal Tomko in a way that would present less known features of his character and moments of life, based on personal experience, like his love for tourism in the Alps or photographing. Cardinal himself wanted the film to have a “missionary touch” based on his 16-year experience as a head of one of the most important dicasteries of the Holy See. According to director of the documentary, Marek Polácek, his intention was to record it “untraditionally, unofficially” and to catch a dynamics of cardinal’s life. “I have learnt a lot from cardinal Jozef Tomko. I try to exercise every morning like him, pray while walking, eat more vegetables and be generous. I believe that after seing the film, the viewers will be proud of the fact that a man with such extraordinary personality grew up in their native land. That they would realize that through diligence, perseverance and God’s help it is possible to reach anything”, says Polácek, inviting people to watch the documentary filled with profound ideas, life experiences, as well as funny situations of cardinal’s life.Ukraine: on the road towards healingThe second National Pilgrimage “On the Road towards Healing” to Univ Uspenska Lavra”, aimed to strengthening of virtue of sobriety among Ukrainian people, took place on 26 May in Ukraine. In this manner, the Commission on Health Care Pastoral of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) and the movement For a Sober Life, attempt to gather all who are concerned and committed to overcoming of addictions like alcoholism, using of drugs and gambling. The pilgrimage was led by archbishop metropolitan of Lviv, Ihor Vozniak. It is noteworthy that in Univ Lavra is the tomb of metropolitan Mykhailo Levytsky who already in 1844 appealed to clergy with explicit instructions on how to establish a sobriety community and how to conduct its work. The movement For a Sober Life was revived in 2006 when UGCC started to organize missions of sobriety – visits to the most isolated areas in order to meet with local administration and villagers, to hold interactive trainings in schools for adolescents, to celebrate liturgies for the intention of healing for those dependent on alcoholism. They have also initiated a Golden Book of Sobriety, and provide individual consulting to those dependent on alcohol and their families.
