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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPope Francis Laments War in Ukraine Without Taking Sides
ROME Pope Francis celebrated a liturgy for peace between Russia and Ukraine, lamenting the vicious war that has overtaken so many people and caused suffering to all...this cruel and senseless war that threatens our world, in his most high-profile gesture yet to deplore the conflict while maintaining his neutrality.
The ceremony on Friday in St. Peters Basilica, which the pope asked Catholic bishops and their flocks around the world to join in through prayer, was marked by tension between his sympathy for what he called our defenseless Ukrainian brothers and sisters under bombardment and his continuing refusal to explicitly name Russia as the aggressor.
Pope Francis neutrality has its roots in Vatican tradition but also reflects his particular agenda, which includes better relations with the Russian Orthodox Church and a wariness of identifying the Vatican with U.S. foreign policy. The U.S. and its European allies are supporting Ukraines defense against Russias invasion with military aid and economic sanctions on Russia.
Pope Francis refrained earlier in the war from referring to an invasion of Ukraine, speaking in terms that could as easily have described a civil war, while his top deputy echoed the Kremlins language by calling the invasion the start of Russian military operations on Ukrainian territory.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/pope-francis-laments-war-in-ukraine-without-taking-sides-11648226928
FarPoint
(12,209 posts)LEADERSHIP!..... This is mass murder.....I am disappointed beyond spitting....
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)He is quoted in the article as saying our defenseless Ukrainian brothers and sisters
.. It doesnt require a degree in journalism or rocket science to figure out the meaning of the statement or who the aggressor is.
Sloppy article by a two bit writer.
old as dirt
(1,972 posts)One of those countries was Colombia. In fact, my wife's ancestors fought Wars for Catholicism.
Victims and perpetrators gather for Pope's Colombia visit
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-41211025
Doy el primer paso - Canción de bienvenida al papa Francisco
Fragmentos
former9thward
(31,805 posts)Your quotes coming from the Pope are not linked. In fact there is nothing about Ukraine in your link.
old as dirt
(1,972 posts)former9thward
(31,805 posts)And you neglected to provide.
But his only explicit references to Russias military have been to sympathize with so many soldiers who are sent to the front, very young, Russian soldiers, poor things, along with their Ukrainian counterparts.
He has also raised doubts about whether he supports Ukraines right to defend itself, saying on two occasions last week that there is no such thing as a just war, thus seeming to dismiss traditional Catholic teaching that allows for the legitimate use of military force for defense.
old as dirt
(1,972 posts)Can the Catholic Church put an end to centuries of sanctioning war, and start promoting peace instead?
MAY 18, 2016, 11:12 AM
https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/05/18/pope-francis-just-peace-catholic-vatican-africa-isis/
Catholic activists praise pope's move away from just war theory
Oct 12, 2020
https://www.ncronline.org/news/justice/catholic-pacifists-praise-popes-move-away-just-war-theory
Wingus Dingus
(8,049 posts)we're-not-taking-sides peace prayer session. It has to do with the Fatima visions of 1917--not sure if the WSJ mentions that (paywalled). It's not about choosing sides or staying neutral in a conflict, it's more of a do-over of an act that is SPECIFICALLY about Russia--and according to Slate, Ukraine asked the consecration to include both Russia AND Ukraine:
"Francis didnt comply. His decision to do another consecration this month, however, didnt come from pressure from Burke or the previous popes skeptics; it came from a plea from the bishops in Ukraine. During this painful and difficult situation of war, we continued to pray, to celebrate the Holy Mass, to adore the Holy Sacrament, to fast and to offer our sufferings requesting Gods mercy. We were joined by the whole world in this, but we see that the war continues, Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki of Lviv, Ukraine, told the Catholic News Agency. But Our Lady of Fatima in 1917 said that the consecration would be followed by a time of peace. That time of peace is over now, so we need to repeat the act of consecration of Russia and Ukraine.
We believe that this act will be listened to by Our Lady and she will intercede before God for peace in Ukraine.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/03/pope-francis-consecration-ukraine-russia-fatima-conspiracy-theories.html