Pope Francis Thanks Papal Foundation for Aid to Ukraine

“It was a huge job. But such logistics centers have worked for us. I visited them and was impressed by the ingenuity of our priests and volunteers,” Shevchuk said in an interview published on April 27.

In his meeting with The Papal Foundation, the pope thanked the foundation for its ongoing charitable outreach to those on the peripheries who live in material and spiritual poverty by assisting with educational, humanitarian, and ecclesial projects.

“As we are witnessing in these days the devastating effects of war and conflict, you increasingly see the need to provide care and humanitarian assistance to its victims, to refugees, and to those forced to leave their homelands in search of a better and more secure future for themselves and their loved ones,” Pope Francis said.

“Your work helps to bring the love, hope, and mercy that the Gospel proclaims to all who benefit from your generosity and commitment. For this I thank you, and I pray that you will be renewed in your zeal to serve our Lord in serving the least of our brothers and sisters, as Jesus himself told us.”

The philanthropic foundation, which is based in the United States, is dedicated to funding projects and initiatives selected by the pope to fulfill the needs of the Church. Its grants have provided support to Catholic churches, seminaries, convents, hospitals, and schools across 121 countries.

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Savage was named the new executive director of the American foundation in Sept. 2021.

Cardinal Seán O’Malley, who serves as the chairman of The Papal Foundation’s board of trustees, said in the audience with the pope that the foundation has distributed more than $200 million in grants since its establishment.

O’Malley said that the board of trustees approved $14 million in grants earlier this year, including $9 million for grants requested by the Vatican, $4 million for humanitarian aid, and $1 million for scholarships for priests, religious, and seminarians studying in Rome.

Pope Francis said: “Our time together affords me the opportunity to express my deep gratitude for the generous support you have provided both to me and to the Church in so many areas of the world.”

“As we celebrate the Lord’s victory over sin and death and his gift of new life in this holy season of Easter, it is my hope that the joy of the resurrection will always fill your hearts, and that your visit to the tombs of the apostles and martyrs will enhance your fidelity to the Lord and his Church.”