Priest who has given up parochial house to Ukrainian family says the move is ‘faith in action’

A parish priest who has turned over his parochial house to a Ukrainian family fleeing the war says being a Christian is “not just praying for something, it is about doing it”.

Fr Brian Griffin, of Castletown parish in Co Laois, opened the doors of the village’s historic Bianconi House – an old coaching inn – to two women and their four children seeking refuge in Ireland after escaping Poltava, near Kharkiv and Dnipro.

Dozens of church properties, private buildings and local authority premises across Ireland are being converted for use as emergency accommodation for Ukrainian refugees.

In the Catholic diocese of Kerry alone, seven presbyteries or parish houses are being offered as accommodation. A large youth centre in the centre of Killarney is already hosting refugees, while the John Mitchels GAA Sports Complex in Tralee has been placed on standby.

War in Ukraine: Dnipro airport ‘destroyed’ as battle looms in east

---

Ukraine war a reminder not to take peace for granted, says Taoiseach

---

New Russian war chief will bring more brutality in Ukraine, US warns

---

First Irish aid truck for refugees arrives in ‘overlooked’ Moldova

---

Fr Griffin said it had been “absolutely amazing” how the community in Co Laois had rallied to help the new arrivals.

“The house was unfurnished until about two weeks ago, and local people just sent out messages, and came together, and within two weeks it has been completely furnished, like a hotel, with beds and linen and everything.”

Fr Griffin, who lives in neighbouring parish Camross but who used the Castletown parochial house as his office, said he offered the house up recently for anyone fleeing the war, and the “whole community” rowed in behind him.

“A lawnmower just turned up at the door. A fridge. And there are no questions asked, it just happens – people’s generosity,” he said.

“I was with the family yesterday, and when I got to the door, another lady arrived, a teacher from Abbeyleix, who had travelled to offer the family classes in English.”

‘Faith in action’

Fr Griffin said he had the full support of his congregation when he told them: “Our faith is all about doing. Being a Christian is not just about praying for something, it is about doing it. This is faith in action.”

Three of the four children – two boys aged about 10, a girl aged about eight and a younger child – have already started at the local school.

“I was speaking with the principal and they are doing really well, they have really settled in,” said Fr Griffin.

The priest insisted he wasn’t providing leadership, saying the community in Castletown was the driving force.

The family, who don’t speak much English, but whom Fr Griffin said he was confident would be conversant “within weeks”, told him they were very grateful they had somewhere safe to stay.

Asked if other parishes should follow suit, Fr Griffin said he knew of many others doing the same, and he had had other parish priests calling him to ask how he went about it.

At Mass in St Edmund’s in Castletown on Sunday, another Ukrainian, Polina Shatylo, who has been living beside the parochial house with her family after they fled Kyiv, thanked the village for their welcome.

The 18-year-old, who is studying to be an interpreter, said the families could not “get their heads around” what was happening in their native country.

Ms Shatylo said: “We are very happy that we are here. It is like a present for us.”

Along with her mother, her aunt and her eight-year-old son, as well as another relative with three children, drove to Poland before taking trains, flights and buses to Ireland at the start of March.

“My father is still in Kyiv,” Ms Shatylo said. “We are in contact every day. He is okay now but it is difficult.”