Nuns4Fun Joins Campaign To Help Ukrainian Refugees

Nuns4Fun Entertainment has joined the campaign to provide needed relief funds for nuns in Ukraine and Poland, helping Ukrainian refugees.

Vicki Quade, co-creator of the hit comedy, Late Nite Catechism and president of Nuns4Fun Entertainment, is working with the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who are based in Des Plaines, a suburb of Chicago. Funds are being collected at Nuns4Fun performances to help the religious order's overseas nuns secure needed food, clothing, and other items for Ukrainian citizens affected by the recent invasion and attacks by Russia.

There are 18 nuns in Ukraine and many more in Poland who are ministering to refugees, according to Kathy Barth, the local order's development director. A community of seven of their nuns have taken refuge in a church basement, spending their days praying and caring for nearly 100 people who fled their homes, according to Barth.

"Our nuns in Ukraine are hiding in basements," she explained. "They tell us they can hear the gunfire. They sent us a photo where you can see them huddling with others. They are eating canned peaches because that is what they were able to get."

Monetary donations are being taken at every performance of Late Nite Catechism and Easter Bunny Bingo throughout the coming weeks. Those shows are being performed at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Barth provided a statement from one of their nuns, Sister Franciszka Tumanevych, who lives in a convent in the northern Ukrainian city of Zhytomyr.

Her comments also appeared in the National Catholic Register.

"It was a shock, panic broke out," Sister Franciszka revealed. "But everything calmed down in the evening. Then the next day, we understood that we had to learn to live in war conditions, and we took up concrete work. For if you remain idle, it's terrible. Now, we keep praying." The nuns in Ukraine are providing blankets, meals, and even donating blood to help the refugees. Barth added that their nuns are determined to stay as long as they can.

"I'm staying," Sister Franciszka stated resolutely. "This is my country, and I will defend it. With the rosary and sandwiches, and everything that can be done in these conditions."

Nuns4Fun Entertainment is no stranger to helping nuns. At the end of every performance of Late Nite Catechism, its various sequels, plus other of Quade's religious comedies, a collection is taken up for the retirement needs of various orders. To date, nearly $4 million has been donated to nuns nationwide. In addition, Nuns4Fun donated funds in 2020 to the Pauline Sisters when their shop on Michigan Avenue in Chicago was looted during riots that summer. Anyone interested can donate to this latest campaign directly.

The Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth are accepting donations through their website: https://nazarethcsfn.org/