News from Home of Hope Lviv

Pope Leo XIV places great emphasis on social service. Vatican Radio asked Sister Veronika Khytra, SSMI to share information about Home of Hope in Lviv. Here are her remarks.

The social centre “Home of Hope,” located in Lviv at 6 Ravska Street, has been operating for over 13 years. It is home to 23 girls aged 15 to 23, who study at various educational institutions in Lviv. These girls come from socially vulnerable backgrounds. At our home, we welcome all girls regardless of religious affiliation. We create an ecumenical community. Once a week, we gather for communal prayer to thank God for the people who help support this house and to ask for God’s blessing upon them.

For the girls who come to us, our priority is to create an atmosphere of comfort and safety. We give them time to adapt so they can feel secure. At the same time, we pay attention to their individual needs, since each of them has a unique life story, and their needs vary. Some girls need help organizing their personal space and learning basic personal and communal hygiene rules. Others need help with cooking. All of them take part in baking, with special attention to preparing traditional dishes for religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter. The girls become part of one big family. They take turns cleaning their rooms and keeping the house in order. Some are learning how to sort laundry, hang it to dry, and iron it.

We understand that in addition to external skills, it is necessary to nurture inner development. We hold monthly meetings to emphasize the importance of spiritual and moral values. We also invite outside professionals who help the girls discover their inner resources, learn to manage their time, regulate emotions, resolve conflicts, and understand the importance of sleep and rest for a healthy lifestyle. Some girls are referred to individual psychotherapy sessions.

If the girls have health problems, we help them to seek medical assistance in coordination with a family doctor.

We share with them both joyful and sorrowful life moments. On their birthdays, we celebrate the gift of each life as a community. In times of sadness, we offer support and companionship.

Since the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine, many challenges have emerged. Schooling has changed due to frequent air raid alerts, which force interruptions in classes and movement to shelters. Some girls from occupied regions were unable to complete the academic year or receive a high school diploma. We had to find alternative ways for them to continue their education in Lviv.

In winter, many schools extend holiday breaks or switch to distance learning due to a lack of heating in classrooms. As a result, our students spend a lot of time on computers and gadgets. Although unintentional, this leads to internet addiction. We try to address this by promoting information hygiene.

Because our country is at war, we cannot stand by. In our community, we believe that even small acts of kindness make the world a better place. We try to share our talents and warmth. We remember our Defenders—baking treats for them and sending them to the front lines. We collect tin cans, sort cardboard boxes, and make trench candles. We also create handmade items—painting, knitting, baking, and crafting gift bouquets—which we sell to raise funds to purchase drones.

On Mother’s Day, and on other days as well, we pray for every mother who raised a Hero Warrior. We pray for the children kidnapped by russia, that they may return to their homeland and be reunited with their mothers.

We honour our Heroes who gave their lives for Ukraine’s independence by organizing Memorial Evenings. These events, among others, help foster patriotism.

We also try to attend theatres and museums to gain a deeper appreciation of Ukrainian culture. This encourages the girls to embrace and develop their identity. One of our students described a recent play visit like this:

“…It was just a fantastic evening! We laughed and cried; we all sang ‘Chervona Ruta’ together, and greeted the actors with applause and shouts of ‘Thank you for filling our lives with vibrant colours and lifting the weight of our academic days.’”

We also organize educational and recreational excursions and host or attend workshops that help explore our history and culture.

Another part of our ministry involves meeting with internally displaced people. We invite them to join us for major holiday celebrations and meet with them as needed.

All of this is made possible thanks to our loyal and devoted donors.

Sister Veronika Khytra, SSMI
Director, Home of Hope
May 25, 2025