Piotr Kowalczuk – Vatican
How do you understand the message of your founder today?
Today we understand the main mission of our order as helping Christians who are persecuted and suffering for their faith. We carry this out through International Trinitarian Solidarity, which was established in 1999. We try to help through prayer, raising awareness among others, and concrete actions and material support. Currently, we are helping Christian families in Pakistan, among others. Many of them live in economic slavery. They fall into it because of supposedly incurred debts, although in reality it is often a form of persecution of Christians. Thanks to cooperation with a local foundation, we help pay off these liabilities and thus regain freedom. So far, over 40 people have been freed.
What does your activity in Poland consist of? After all, the traditions of the order date back to the 17th century.
Trinitarians were first brought to Poland by John III Sobieski after the victory at Vienna. Many Poles taken captive by the Turks ended up in jasyr (captivity) at that time. The task of the Trinitarians was to redeem them and bring them help. After the dissolution of religious orders carried out by the partitioning authorities, the order ceased to operate in Polish lands. It returned only in 1986. Today we are being reborn and trying to realize our charism in new conditions. In Krakow, we serve in prisons, among other places, run a social welfare home and a student dormitory, which is intended to be a place for the growth and strengthening of young people’s faith.
I know that you have joined in helping Ukraine. What does it look like?
We have been involved since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. Back then, our Minister General, Fr. Luigi Buccarello, asked if we were ready to join in helping refugees from Ukraine. We answered affirmatively and thus became representatives of our entire religious family, which has no communities located closer to Ukraine. Initially, we primarily helped refugees by welcoming them into our monastery in Krakow. We also supported a Caritas point and cooperated with other religious congregations.
When did you start helping directly in Ukraine?
Over time, it turned out that assistance provided on the ground was even more needed. Since we do not have our own communities in Ukraine, we cooperate primarily with the Albertine brothers who serve in Lviv and Zaporizhzhia, as well as with the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia, Jan Sobiło.
Initially, we mainly supported the purchase of food for the Albertines and their charitable activities. In Lviv, they run a shelter for homeless men and help refugees from other regions of Ukraine. In Zaporizhzhia, before the war, they ran a soup kitchen for the poor. After the outbreak of the war, the number of people in need increased sharply, so instead of serving warm meals, they began preparing food packages. These include fresh bread from the bakery run by the Albertines, canned goods, and products with a longer shelf life. From 1,200 to even 1,800 people benefit from this assistance four times a week.
How do you raise funds for this help?
In January of this year, I was in Ukraine to deliver further humanitarian aid. At that time, I could see for myself how difficult the situation is for the local residents. Upon my return, I informed our Minister General about this, and he appealed to all Trinitarian communities worldwide to support Ukraine. It was met with a very generous response.
Thanks to this, we organize food transports to Lviv and Zaporizhzhia. I try to travel to Ukraine at least once a month. When we cannot participate in the transport ourselves, we finance the shipments organized by the Albertines. We benefit from their experience and knowledge of local needs. They are the ones who best know how to reach people living closest to the front line and most affected by the war.
What does your cooperation with Bishop Jan Sobiło involve?
We are in constant contact with Bishop Jan Sobiło. He is very heavily involved in helping those in need. It was from him that we learned that one of the most urgent forms of support is financing the purchase of medicines for people who cannot afford them.
We also try to support priests serving in war-affected areas by providing them with Mass stipends. Thanks to this, they can help their faithful. We want to facilitate this difficult ministry for them and show them that they are not left alone and that they can always count on our prayer and concrete support.
