(Bratislava) – A shelter for the lonely and for elderly people in need is under construction in Ternopil by Oriental Rite Franciscans. The construction of St. Anthony’s Social House started over ten years ago, and after a long pause due to financial difficulties, the work resumed in November 2015. Considerable support has been offered by the charitable fund “Franciscans in Central and Eastern Europe”, yet the initiators of the project appeal to all people of good will to donate money, so that the roof of the house can be finished and the facility used for the intended purpose as soon as possible. According to Fr. Justinian Horodechnyy, rector of the Franciscan monastery, the house will be a “refuge for the poor” with around 1,000 square meters of space, where Franciscan nuns will provide their services. The house is designed to offer long-term accommodation and help to 15 people, and the kitchen will serve about 30 people at once. “There are lonely elderly people. Those who do not have a family are placed in public geriatric homes. However, those who have families who do not take care of them have to pay a lot for such care. We are striving to help them”, concludes Fr. Horodechnyy.