Standing With a Witness of Faith During the War in Ukraine

Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi offers a firsthand perspective on the war in Ukraine, focusing on children, families, and resilience. Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi will offer a firsthand pastoral perspective on life amid the prolonged war in Ukraine, with particular attention to the experiences of children and families. Drawing on his role as Roman Catholic Bishop of Kyiv–Zhytomyr, he will discuss how the Church fosters stability, resilience, and recovery through parish life, youth ministry, and structured programs serving children and families under wartime conditions. The lecture will be delivered with interpretation by Valentyna Pavsyukova, Founder, President, and CEO of Chalice of Mercy, who will translate for Bishop Kryvytskyi throughout the event. About the Speakers: Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi, SDB, is the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Kyiv–Zhytomyr, a role he has held since his appointment by Pope Francis in 2017. Born in Odesa, Ukraine, he entered the Salesian Society of St. John Bosco in 1990 and completed his theological formation in Poland, earning a Master of Theology from the Catholic University of Lublin. Ordained a priest in 1997, Bishop Kryvytskyi has devoted much of his ministry to parish leadership, youth formation, and pastoral care across Ukraine, particularly in Odesa, Zhytomyr, and Lviv regions. In addition to his diocesan responsibilities, he serves in several national leadership roles within the Catholic Church in Ukraine, including Deputy Chair of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Ukraine and Head of its Ecumenical Commission. He is also an active member of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations, which he led in 2019. His episcopal ministry is guided by his motto, In Iesu Christo (“In Jesus Christ”). Valentyna Pavsyukova is the Founder, President, and CEO of Chalice of Mercy, a nonprofit organization she established in 2007 to advance humanitarian aid, pro-life advocacy, and family support in Ukraine. Born and raised in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, she immigrated to the United States after winning the U.S. Green Card Lottery and became a U.S. citizen in 2010. Her early years in the U.S. included a career in cosmetology, which she left in 2009 to dedicate herself fully to mission work following a profound spiritual conversion influenced by Mother Teresa and St. John Paul II. Valentyna continues her intellectual and spiritual formation through studies at the Theology of the Body Institute and Oxford University’s Politics Certification Program. Under her leadership, Chalice of Mercy has delivered extensive humanitarian and medical assistance, including over $80 million in medical supplies since 2022, organized life-saving medical missions, supported hospitals, hospices, orphanages, and families, and founded faith-based educational initiatives such as Saint Maria Goretti Daycare in Zaporizhzhia. A frequent international speaker, she has addressed audiences at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., Ukrainian Week, and major youth and policy forums. She also serves as a Strategic Adviser to the Protez Foundation, supporting rehabilitation and prosthetics for wounded Ukrainian soldiers, and her work has been recognized by Ukrainian and international institutions for extraordinary humanitarian and defense support. **Learn more about IWP graduate programs: https://www.iwp.edu/academics/graduate-degree-programs/ ***Make a gift to IWP: https://wl.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E231090&id=3