Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 24, 2022 / 07:56 am (CNA).
Pope Francis on Sunday renewed his call for a truce in Ukraine, saying “the attack must be stopped.”
“Today various Eastern Churches, Catholic and Orthodox, and several Latin communities, celebrate Easter according to the Julian calendar. We celebrated it last Sunday, following the Gregorian calendar. I offer them my warmest wishes: Christ is risen, he is truly risen! May he fill with hope the good expectations of hearts. May he grant peace, outraged by the barbarity of war,” the pope said on April 24.
Pope Francis delivered his remarks about the war from his balcony above St. Peter’s Square at the conclusion of his Regina Caeli reflection for Divine Mercy Sunday.
“Today marks two months since the beginning of this war: Instead of stopping, the war has worsened. It is sad that in these days, which are the holiest and most solemn for all Christians, the deadly roar of weapons is heard rather than the sound of bells announcing the Resurrection; and it is sad that weapons are increasingly taking the place of words,” he continued.
“I renew my appeal for an Easter truce, a minimal and tangible sign of a desire for peace. The attack must be stopped, to respond to the suffering of the exhausted population; it must stop, in obedience to the words of the Risen Lord, who on Easter Day repeats to his disciples: ‘Peace be with you! (Lk 24:36; Jn 20:19.21),” the pope said.
“I ask everyone to increase prayer for peace and to have the courage to say, to show that peace is possible,” he concluded. “Political leaders, please, listen to the voice of the people, who want peace, not an escalation of the conflict.”
In an interview with an Argentine newspaper published last week, Pope Francis said a meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in Jerusalem will no longer take place as planned. He also indicated in the same interview that he did not anticipate visit Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, because of the continued fighting.
If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!
Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.
Where was? Is? Pope Francis when it comes to tradegy, death and suffering of Christians, specifically Catholics, in the Middle East or China, Vietnam, or Australia?. Why Ukraine suddenly in a war which has been going on for years, seemingly without the interest of Pope Francis? How many Millions, yes Millions have left the Church since his selection as Pope?
It would appear the Pontiff holds the value of any Ukranian’s life to be many times that of a Syrian Catholic or a Maronite or Melkite.
An attempt at humor mixed with concern of greater tragic outcome in response to the article, “Pope Francis to Patriarch Kirill: Let’s be ‘true peacemakers’ for war-torn Ukraine” seems futile and ill-considered. Silence, a prevailing apathy virtually oblivious to the danger of two nuclear superpowers closing in on direct combat is distressing. Especially with the loud outcry for increased armaments, greater commitment [if Vladimir Putin is as mad as some contend then what does the mad do when pushed back and cornered?].
It really isn’t a matter of humor. Pope Francis I joked cannot always be wrong. Well, in this instance he’s in this writer’s estimate absolutely correct. Obviously, I fear for the many of us who are not prepared to meet judgment.