Offaly parishioners help raise large sum for Ukrainian refugees in Romania

MORE than €15,000 has been sent to Ukrainian refugees in Romania after financial donations were requested through Tullamore parish.

Tullamore parish is one of many around the diocese of Meath where an appeal was made to aid the diocese of Iasi in Romania, a location to which many fleeing the Russian invasion have fled.

Tullamore parish revealed in its bulletin at the weekend that the total sent to the Romanian diocese to date was €15,548.

“Sincere thank you for your generosity,” parishioners were told.

The financial donation came about through a relationship the Catholic diocese of Meath has with its counterpart in Iasi.

Three priests from Iasi are currently working in the diocese of Meath, including one in Mullingar.

The bishop of Iasi, Iosif Paulet, wrote a letter of thanks to the bishop of Meath, Tom Deenihan.

Bishop Paulet said: “We are all deeply saddened and worried by this crisis and human failure, which is so close to our country, but also by the other conflicts or wars around the world, which have been going on for years or decades.

“All this situation gives us the impression that human society is plagued by a widespread cancer triggered by the forces of evil. How good it is when brothers in God love each other and live in love and peace in the world, are the words of a song from our culture.”

He added: “We all want to live in the love and peace for which Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross and left us as an inheritance. I strongly believe that this living heritage has given birth to the beautiful connection we have between the dioceses of Meath and lasi.

“I would like to thank you for the noble gesture of charity and generosity that you have made in the name of faith, that of supporting the Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war, but also all those who are in the front line to embrace the refugees with their human, spiritual and material support.

The financial support you sent us has been redirected to our diocesan association Caritas, which is present day and night on the border with Ukraine, and to all our parishes, which are close to the border with Ukraine and which offer unconditional support to all refugees.”

Those wishing to make donations can do so by leaving the offering into a church sacristy or into the Parish Centre.