Karol Darmoros
Responding to a real need
Since the beginning of Russia’s invasion in 2022, thousands of children in Ukraine have lost at least one parent. In this reality, the Ukrainian State Council of the Knights of Columbus established the Scholarship Fund. It is patronized by the founder of the Knights of Columbus, Blessed Father Michael McGivney. The program supports high school and university students who have experienced loss as a result of the war. So far, 15 young people from parishes across the country have received scholarships of $1,000.
The legacy of Blessed Father McGivney
The initiative directly relates to the life of Blessed Michael McGivney. As a young man, after his father’s death, he had to interrupt his studies to help his family.
Investing in people
“A scholarship is not only financial support, but an investment in a child’s future,” notes Mykola Mostoviak, State Deputy of the Knights of Columbus in Ukraine. He points out that the goal is to preserve young people’s chances for a good education and to develop their talents. “We want them to become full members of society, not to remain victims of circumstances. In addition, the scholarship has a spiritual dimension. It reminds the child that they are remembered, that they are not alone, and that there is a community ready to support them,” he explains.
Concrete help, real change
18-year-old Kateryna Poplavska, a student of theatrical business management, lost her mother – a doctor – in a rocket attack on Kyiv. Thanks to the scholarship, she can continue her additional art classes. “If it weren’t for the scholarship, I wouldn’t be able to afford these courses,” she admits.
16-year-old Rostyslav Berezovsky, whose father died at the front in December 2024, used the funds to learn English. “I felt enormous support and backing,” he says. His mother, Zhanna Berezovska, adds: “I feel that I am not completely alone. There are people I can call if I need help.”
More than money
The help of the Knights of Columbus is not limited to finances. It includes prayer, presence, and relationship building. “It’s one thing to give a child material help, and quite another to dedicate time to them,” emphasizes Father Marcyniuk. It is this attention and closeness that help heal war wounds.
The Blessed Father McGivney Scholarship Fund is today one of the concrete signs of the Knights of Columbus’ solidarity with children affected by the war – and an expression of concern for a future that must not be forgotten.
