“We still see the effects of such actions today. The surrender of Crimea, which was supposed to prevent war, has only postponed it. If today Ukraine agreed to voluntarily give up part of its territory, it would thereby agree to postpone in time the next phases of the invasion.”
Kryvytskyi also responded to criticism that Pope Francis and the Holy See have not spoken out more forcefully about Russia’s actions, and about Russian President Vladimir Putin more specifically.
“I also see much love for Ukraine in the Vatican’s actions and in Pope Francis’ prayer for our suffering people. Those who criticize the actions of the Vatican and the attitude of the Holy Father do not listen to his teaching in its entirety, they are only guided by judgments based on sentences often inadvertently torn out of papal teaching,” he said.
“I try to approach these situations with a certain understanding of the Holy Father but I cannot demand the same from other people who may not know this broad context,” he added.
Are those outside Ukraine losing interest in what is happening there? Kryvytskyi acknowledged that this is a real concern.
“After a hundred days, one can notice the fatigue of the mass media, too. At times it seems that some people feel there is too much Ukraine on the internet and in the pages of newspapers. However, the war is not over. It is still going on. People may want to forget about it, but this will not make the war end,” he said.
“What we need most today is persistent prayer. A prayer that is not just a symbol, but a tool that works miracles. We experience them every day. In connection with the prolonged conflict in eastern Ukraine, it seems that this prayer is weakening. Please, let us not stop praying for Ukraine,” the bishop appealed.
Credit: Source link
