Not somewhere in the left-right-out corner either. On the front line. Just as she was in this picture (front) when she was packing medical supplies.

This isn't a sudden whim. She and her American-based partner Jason Zan have been providing hands-on support in Ukraine since the 2022 invasion.

In August, the couple intend returning to feed hungry soldiers and civilians via a semi-mobile food kitchen.

They're targeting areas with the most need, possibly Kharkiv or Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, Campbell says.

Horrific situation

She describes the situation in Ukraine as "horrific" and said during her latest visit Kharkiv was hit about four times in a week.

Animals as well as people are traumatised, homeless and in need of support. Some die.

"I was working in the northern end of the city and could feel and hear the missile strikes and at least one of those strikes killed a whole family.

"This time it felt very different, and I saw how people who have worked tirelessly and bravely for two years trying to hold the line are feeling the strain and looking tired.

"The mental toll it's taking on both soldiers and civilians is massive. This only motivates us to want to return to help in any way we can."

Why do it?

Campbell says she finds it hard to explain why she and Zan are willing to put their safety at risk for the Ukrainian people. They're not Ukrainian and have no Ukrainian relatives.

"It's hard to put in a few words, but I think it was seeing how the people of Ukraine are so determined to keep fighting ... Their unbreakable spirit and generosity are awe-inspiring, and they drew me in.

"I've made some deep and meaningful relationships during my visits to Ukraine and that only motivates me even more to want to return."

Ukraine need still high

Tenby Powell, former Tauranga mayor and chairman of volunteer humanitarian aid organisation Kiwi K.A.R.E (Kiwi Aid and Refugee Evacuation), first met Campbell in Kharkiv in November 2022.

"I hadn't been made aware Harriet was in Kharkiv and was thrilled to meet her.

"She was running a kitchen and cooking for internally displaced persons. Harriet was also working in a bakery supplying military hospitals and schools with fresh bread and hot meals."

At that time Ukraine had some 14 million displaced people, he says.

"In late 2022, Kharkiv was still hit regularly and intensively by missile and drone attacks and I admired Harriett for being there and getting stuck in with a practical Kiwi can-do attitude.

"Despite media attention having been diverted almost exclusively to Gaza, the full-scale war in Ukraine is still raging and Harriet and her partner will be welcomed back with open arms."

Source

• NZ Herald

The outrage follows the death last month of a 59-year-old Orthodox priest, Fr Stepan Podolchak (pictured). The Tablet reports he was tortured to death by Russian soldiers.

Human rights groups condemned his death and those of other priests as egregious violations of religious freedom and as potential war crimes.

Arrests and torture for refusing Russian demands

Maksym Vasin, executive director of the Institute for Religious Freedom, revealed disturbing accounts from Ukrainian clergy detained by Russian troops.

He said they reported being tortured, beaten and subjected to inhumane treatment for refusing to collaborate with Moscow's religious authorities.

"Ukrainian religious leaders were subjected to beatings, arbitrary imprisonment, torture and even attempted rape...for refusing to submit to Russian religious centres" Vasin stated.

Some testified they were abused for declining orders to learn the Russian national anthem.

Lethal strikes on places of worship

The scale of the Russian military assault on Ukraine's spiritual fabric is staggering.

Yevhen Zakharov, director of the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, said at least 30 priests have been killed and 26 imprisoned by Russian forces since the invasion began in February 2022.

Ruslan Khalikov, head of the Religion on Fire project documenting attacks, confirmed that over 550 religious buildings across Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed, with many deliberately struck despite there being no military targets nearby.

"There are cases when a church is the only building...and there is no nearby object that the Russians could aim at and miss" Khalikov said, emphasising such strikes likely constitute war crimes under international law.

Alleged motives

According to Vasin, clergy reported three key drivers fuelling the mistreatment by Russian military:

• Russian hatred and suppression of Ukrainian identity
• Persecution of denominations outside the Russian Orthodox Church
• Refusal to take orders from Kremlin-allied religious leaders

"The Russian military and representatives...could not believe that Ukrainian religious leaders...could be independent" Vasin added.

Global outcry "egregious violations"

While Moscow has denied the allegations, human rights groups have forcefully condemned Russia's actions, decrying the systematic campaign as an unconscionable attack on religious liberty.

On the invasion's second anniversary, Robert Rehak, chairman of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance, revealed that over 50 Ukrainian clergy had been killed or imprisoned

Russia had committed "egregious violations of religious freedom" he said.

As the conflict grinds on, concerns mount over the indiscriminate targeting of Ukraine's sacred spaces and spiritual leaders defending their nation's sovereignty against Russian aggression.

Source

• The Tablet

The following day they received a personal thanks from Pope Francis.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner confirmed that the Pope was aware of the men's hard work.

"I asked them whether they'll come again today and so they came all dressed in their work clothes. Instead of work, we surprised them with the Holy Father personally thanking them," the Cardinal told OSV News.

Many of the men are temporary residents at Palazzo Migliori next to the Bernini Colonnade in Rome,

These homeless men, hailing from countries such as Argentina, Peru, Brazil, Italy, the Dominican Republic, and Congo, have been given temporary shelter and employment opportunities in Rome.

After unloading the truck, the men were invited to lunch that was prepared by the sisters in Santa Sofia.

Krajewski also confirmed they were paid for unloading the truck.

The Cardinal, a Polish native who has been an ardent supporter of Ukraine, plans to deliver more supplies to the war-stricken country in September personally.

He also aims to open a shelter for mothers in Ukraine, run by the Albertine sisters.

Acting on behalf of Pope Francis, this will be Krajewski seventh humanitarian visit to Ukraine;

In 2022 alone the Dicastery for the Service of Charity spent US$2.2 million in 2022 on aid for the country.

When asked about the Pope's recent comments praising Russia's historical empire, a subject that could be considered sensitive given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Cardinal Krajewski described the situation as a "minefield."

"During the war, such speeches are difficult," he said, underscoring the complexities of offering public remarks while navigating Ukraine's geopolitical tensions.

The intervention of these homeless men in aid distribution efforts and the Pope's personal acknowledgement of their contributions highlight the broader commitment of the Vatican to not only international humanitarian aid but also social inclusion and dignity for all.

Source

• OSV via UCANews.com

Pope Francis will arrive in Lisbon, Portugal on Wednesday for the August 1-6 international WYD gathering.

Delegations of young Russians and Ukrainians are expected to be there despite their countries being at war, Church sources say.

L'Œuvre d'Orient, the Paris-based Church agency that supports Christians from the East, says it's helping pay for nearly 300 Ukrainians' WYD costs.

The Vatican says 18 young adults from Russia will also be at WYD. They'll be with one of Russia's Catholic bishops.

Both groups are said to include young women for the most part, as in both Russia and Ukraine most young men have military obligations.

Some foreign university students living in Russia are among the Russian delegation.

Vatican support

The Vatican is eager to highlight the presence of the young Russians and Ukrainians as an opportunity to encourage 'reconciliation'.

"WYD is traditionally a time for intercultural encounters which can also be encounters of peace," a Vatican source says.

Young people from other war-torn countries will also be at WYD, the Vatican source confirms. These include youth from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

However, a group of Syrian Catholics had to cancel their WYD plans as Portuguese authorities have refused to grant them entrance visas.

Pope's programme

During his five days in Portugal, Francis's programme does not include any specific initiative to bring young Russians and Ukrainians together.

However, there may be an opportunity to do so.

Since the war began, Francis has twice brought Ukrainians and Russians together.

Some criticised him, not for being pro-Russian but for putting the two countries on the same level.

This was the case during the celebration of the Via Crucis (Stations of the Cross) this past Good Friday, when he asked a Russian and a Ukrainian to offer side-by-side testimonies about the horrors of the war.

The pope did something similar in 2022 when a Russian and a Ukrainian woman to carry a large wooden cross together and in silence at one of the Stations.

During a weekly general audience last April, Francis urged people to pray for the mothers of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers killed died in the war.

This also provoked criticism.

Fatima, a symbolic location

Peace will likely be a recurring theme in the speeches and homilies Francis delivers at WYD.

He will almost certainly focus on peace this coming Saturday when he goes to the Marian Shrine of Fatima.

About 100 years ago the shrine was a constant reference point for the Church as it prayed for the conversion of 'atheist' Communist Russia.

One of Fatima's 'visionaries' revealed Our Lady had told her to pass a message to the pope: he was to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Francis referred to this message in March 2022, when he re-consecrated Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

"This is no magic formula but a spiritual act," Francis said. Rather, the consecration was like calling to a "Mother" for help.

Source

• La Croix

The Catholic charity's 2022 annual accounts show almost 10 percent of its aid went to support 353 vital projects in Ukraine. Some of that was spent on internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Ukranian Bishop Yosafat Hovera is grateful for the support.

"We sincerely thank Aid to the Church in Need, [its] colleagues and benefactors for the gesture of sacrifice, solidarity and support. We are praying for you and may God bless you."

Aid to the Church in Need support

Over the year ACN provided:

• Direct emergency aid to over 2,200 IDPs via Church institutions
• Essential equipment - including portable ovens - for 231 parishes, monasteries, seminaries and other Church institutions caring for displaced families
• Subsistence aid for 7,447 priests and religious providing spiritual and material support. The religious include the contemplative Benedictines in western Ukraine. They opened their cloisters to families fleeing the fighting. So far they have helped over 500 people since the conflict began
• Vehicles, so that the Church can bring relief to difficult-to-access places and provide pastoral support.

"Under the conditions of war, Ukrainian society has been facing challenges with danger related to life, property and basic means of existence," says Bishop Hovera.

"However, seeing the support of the international community, we do not feel left alone with our difficulties.

"Priests and consecrated people, enduring all the problems caused by the war, keep supporting parishioners, refugees… and everyone searching spiritual and material help."

Another Catholic bishop, Pavlo Honcharuk, thanked ACN for supporting the Church's essential work in Ukraine.

"I would like, on behalf of all those who receive aid, as well as myself, to sincerely thank you all for your open hearts and your help.

"It doesn't matter whether it was a lot or a little, what is important is that you have not remained indifferent to our situation.

"I sincerely thank you - may God bless you."

Aid money

Last year, ACN's 23 national offices reportedly received over €145 million from more than 364,000 international benefactors. It does not receive any government or state subsidies for its work.

Africa was ACN's biggest beneficiary. It received 31.5 percent of ACN's support.

Source

• Aid to the Church in Need

Literally, it means God (Isten) brought you here. And in the case of Pope Francis' weekend visit to Budapest, the nation's picturesque capital straddling both sides of the Danube, one could also say "ITA hozott".

ITA, of course, is currently Italy's flagship airline. It was established in 2020 when Alitalia was closing down its operations.

ITA now transports the pope - along with his entourage and some 70 journalists - to and from his foreign destinations.

(By the way, the reporters and camera crews in the back of the airbus don't fly for free. Those in the press pay premium prices for cattle class, thus subsidising the pope's travels.)

It used to be standard procedure that the pope would return from his foreign journeys on the flagship airline of the last country on his itinerary. That doesn't happen much anymore. But if it did, it would pose a slight problem for this trip.

Hungary's national carrier, Malév, went out of business in 2012.

The only thing approximating something like a flag carrier in the Central European country now is privately owned Wizz Air, a multinational Budapest-based super low-cost airline.

Can you imagine the headlines? "Pope is Wizzed back to the Vatican"... "Francis takes a Wizz flight home"...

The pope's dogged determination

Seriously, though, the pope deserves our admiration for his dogged determination to keep travelling, despite being 86 years of age and having extreme difficulty walking.

But as our correspondents have noted, his decision to visit Hungary has confounded many observers.

Francis was in Budapest for a few hours in September 2021 in order to celebrate the closing Mass of the International Eucharistic Congress before moving on to neighbouring Slovakia for a State visit.

While he was here back then, he held talks with Hungary's president and prime minister, privately addressed the nation's Catholic bishops, and met with representatives of the Ecumenical Council of Churches and some Jewish communities.

No such ecumenical or inter-confessional meetings were scheduled for this weekend's trip, which is odd given that Hungary is a multi-faith, if mostly Christian, country. In any case, it is not predominantly Catholic.

And although this papal trip is an official State visit to Hungary, the entire itinerary was planned to unfold in central Budapest. No trips to any other cities in this small, landlocked country.

A visit to the famous Benedictine Archabbey of Pannonhalma? Nem köszönöm. A trip to the Ukrainian border? Not on the schedule...

One of my Hungarian friends joked that Francis wanted to come back to Hungary because he probably misses the food! It's delicious, of course, but many non-Hungarians find it a bit too rich and heavy for their daily diet.

Anything for peace in Ukraine

The best possible explanation for the papal visit is that Francis is once again exercising what I like to call his "diplomacy of vulnerability".

This pope has shown time and again that he is willing to go to any length - even to abase himself - in order to achieve certain results.

Such was the case with his historic meeting with Kirill, the Russian Orthodox Patriarch, in 2016.

The pope practically had to beg for the meeting, which took place at an airport hangar in Havana. He even set aside certain guarantees and pre-conditions that his Vatican aides were insisting on.

Relations between the pope and the patriarch, which were never what you'd call rosy, have soured terribly since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

There's that little matter of Francis accusing Kirill of being Vladimir Putin's "altar boy", of course, an odd thing to do if you really believe - as the pope for some reason does - that the Holy See can play a role in mediating an end to Russia's aggression and land grab.

It cannot. But, again, one must admire Francis for trying so hard even to the point of debasing himself.

The pope evidently believes that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose government has warm relations with the Kremlin, can help him get to Putin or somehow end the Russia-Ukraine war.

And Francis doesn't give a fig if Mr Orban or others in Hungary try to use the papal visit for their own advantage, the pope will happily allow them if the end result is peace in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch

The big news from the Vatican this past week was the announcement that Pope Francis has decreed that a fixed number (70) of "non bishops" (priests, deacons, non-ordained religious, lay men and women) are now to be full voting members of assemblies of the Synod of Bishops.

Naturally, this was greeted by reform-minded Catholics - and bemoaned by traditionalists - as some sort of ecclesial revolution.

The former see it as a major breakthrough that includes the laity (especially women) in the Church's decision-making process.

The latter seem to see that, too, but they are not in favour of taking authority away from bishops (heirs of the apostles).

Neither group seems to have grasped what has happened. The bishops are still very much in charge. Well, one of them is anyway - the Bishop of Rome.

He's the one who decides who the 70 non-bishops will be, choosing them "from among a list of 140 people selected (and not elected) by the five International Reunions of Bishops' Conferences (CELAM, CCEE, SECAM, FABC, FCBCO), the Assembly of Patriarchs of Eastern Catholic Churches and, jointly, by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Canada (20 for each of these ecclesial realities)".

The Synod secretariat said that it is"requested that 50% of them be women and that the presence of young people also be emphasised" (italics mine).

The pope can also add more people if he chooses. Another development is that heads of Roman Curia offices are not automatically ex officio members of Synod assemblies.

The pope will decide which Vatican hierarchs to include.

That's because the Synod of Bishops is not part of the Roman Curia. It is a permanent body that functions as a consultative body at the discretion of its president, the Bishop of Rome.

• Robert Mickens is editor-in-chief of La Croix International
• Published in La Croix and republished with permission

"There is a mission in course now but it is not yet public. When it is public, I will reveal it," the pope told reporters during a flight home after a three-day visit to Hungary.

"I think that peace is always made by opening channels. You can never achieve peace through closure. ... This is not easy."

The pope added that he had spoken about the situation in Ukraine with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and with Metropolitan (bishop) Hilarion, a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Budapest.

"In these meetings we did not just talk about Little Red Riding Hood. We spoke of all these things. Everyone is interested in the road to peace," he said. Continue reading

"Hitler is dead but Putin is alive and he is repeating history with the Ukrainians," declared Stanislaw Fidurski, a 95-year-old retired colonel at Friday's march, which was led by four hussars dressed in historical costumes.

He said Poland could form a larger state with Ukraine — an idea supported by two septuagenarians Marek and Piotr who said it would help Warsaw to "resist Russia". Read more

Their stories "simply break the heart, make the blood run cold in your veins.

"This war will go down in history as one in which Russia uses sexual violence as a weapon against Ukraine," said Shevchuk.

Pramila Patten, Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, confirmed last week that rape is part of Russia's "military strategy".

It is a "deliberate tactic to dehumanise the victims," Patten says.

"When women are held for days and raped when you start to rape little boys and men, when you see a series of genital mutilations when you hear women testify about Russian soldiers equipped with Viagra, it's clearly a military strategy."

Patten says the UN has verified over 100 cases of rape or sexual assault in Ukraine since Russia invaded in February.

Victims' ages range from four to 82 years old.

"It's very difficult to have reliable statistics during an active conflict, and the numbers will never reflect reality because sexual violence is a silent crime," Patten observes.

"Reported cases are only the tip of the iceberg."

On Monday this week, over 100 Ukrainian women were released from Russian captivity.

Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, says it was the first female-only exchange. It was "especially emotional and truly special," he says.

"Mothers and daughters, whose relatives were waiting for them, were held captive."

The next day, Shevchuk thanked God that the women were able to return to their families.

"Let us wrap these women together today with our attention, love and prayer, and warm them up with our national warmth," he said.

Reflecting on recent Russian attacks on Ukraine, the archbishop noted in conditions of war, families find themselves in a sea of violence and malice that destroys a person.

"This war will go down in history as one in which Russia uses violence against the intimate sphere of a person as a weapon against Ukraine," he said, citing statistics about rapes and pregnancies resulting from rape.

"It is impossible to imagine how much this violence against the intimate sphere of a person hurts the Ukrainian family, the dignity of men and women [and] destroys what the Lord God created for love."

Source

• Catholic News Service
• Forbes

Krajewski, was sent by Pope Francis to Ukraine to show the pope's "closeness" to the Ukrainian people.

"It would be good if you could go again to Ukraine, to the war zones, to visit and bring aid to those communities that are still there after almost 200 days of war," Francis told him during the recent meeting of cardinals in Rome.

Krajewski told the Italian daily, Corriere della Sera, that he had gone into war zones where only soldiers entered.

Describing the task as bringing aid to people trapped in no-man's-land, Krajewski told Vatican News "No one besides soldiers enters anymore.

"While we managed to give the first portion of humanitarian help peacefully, during the second one they started to fire on us," said Krajewski.

"For the first time in my life, I didn't know where to run. Because it is not enough to run, you have to know where to go," said the Polish-born cardinal.

Krajewski was grateful to a Ukrainian soldier who guided the group to shelter and warned that they had 10 minutes before the second round of attacks would start.

"They say there are a lot of traitors in that terrain," Krajewski told Crux, referring to people who collaborate with Russian forces.

"When they spot humanitarian help being distributed, they give a location through their mobile phone and the gunfire starts."

Krajewski said that after taking shelter, everyone was well, adding "We managed to distribute papal rosaries to the soldiers.

"Almost all of the Ukrainian soldiers, no matter what their faith was, put the rosary on their necks immediately."

On Sunday Krajewski and his team went to visit the site of mass graves left behind by Russian occupiers, declaring "the entire world now knows they're real".

So far, officials of Ukraine's Defence Ministry say that at least 440 unmarked graves have been discovered in the wake of a Russian withdrawal from the eastern city of Izyum, despite repeated denials from Russian officials that their forces have targeted civilians or committed war crimes.

In the past, Moscow has suggested that purported images of civilian casualties or mass graves in conflict zones amount to Ukrainian propaganda.

Krajewski removed any doubt saying the mass graves were located in pine tree forests, and some victims displayed signs of torture, with their hands tied behind their backs.

Sources

• AP News
• Vatican News
• America Magazine
• Crux

Since the end of February 2022, they have welcomed hundreds of needy families.

"During the first few weeks of the war, there was a lot of movement in our monastery. People came from many different cities in Ukraine, such as Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Boryspil, Irpin, Zhytomyr, Chernobyl, Odessa, Horlivka, Slovyansk, Donetsk and Luhansk.

It was mostly women and children, accompanied by their husbands who would help their families cross the border before returning to fight for their country", explains Sister Klara.

The nuns estimate that to date, more than 500 people have been through their monastery.

"Currently, the monastery mostly hosts those who do not plan to go abroad, and some of them don't have a home to return to either. Now we have 75 people here, including the sisters from our community in Zhytomyr", says Sister Klara.

The Benedictines of Zhytomyr were finally forced to evacuate their convent after spending several days in air raid shelters in the basement of the local cathedral, as their building was under constant threat of bombardment.

To help people overcome these difficult and traumatic times, the nuns involve everyone in the daily chores and services, such as cleaning the monastery or working in the kitchen and the dining hall.

One of the cells has been turned into a playroom for the 20 children who are staying there.

Roman, Anna and child

Roman, Anna and their two children, a month-old baby and a seven-year-old boy, are one of the families currently living in Solonka.

They are originally from Kharkiv and held on for 10 days or so after the war started, but when the situation worsened, they decided to leave.

They had already packed their bags and were in the hallway when a rocket hit their building.

"The house caught fire; all the windows were blown out", Roman tells ACN.

They thought they would not be able to leave because the house was filled with thick black smoke.

The neighbour's house had also been hit, causing even more damage.

Out in the street, people were running in all directions to get as far from the house as possible, fearing the gas pipes might explode. Roman and Anna took their children and their bags and started walking.

Eventually, they waved down a car that drove them to the house of a friend's mother. "But there were bombings there as well, especially at night. It was awful. We couldn't sleep, and the kids were getting nervous", Roman explains.

They decided to head to Lviv on the train with other refugees.

When they arrived, they realised that what they had read online was true, the city was overcrowded, and there were no rooms available.

Anna found a place to stay on the floor of a home for mothers and their children, but that was not what she wanted, especially as her baby was still so small.

With growing frustration, they were going from one place to the next, but nobody was able to help.

Finally, they sat on a bench, completely worn out.

The baby was cold, and they didn't know what to dress it in.

That was when a nun came up to them and asked: "Do you have a place to stay? Is anybody expecting you?"

They replied in the negative, adding that they were desperate.

The nun suggested they go to the monastery, where they were given a clean room, food, clothes and powdered milk for the baby.

Anna was beside herself with joy. "We will remember this moment and be grateful for the rest of our lives."

Later they learned that Sister Hieronima, the nun who offered them help, had not planned to go by the train station that day but felt that she should see if anybody needed help.

Anna has no doubt: "It was divine providence. A sign from God!" and Roman agrees: "The Lord saved us!"

The sisters have left their cloister and the silence to which they are usually committed, but they believe that this is what God is asking of them at this time.

"This is how our community of nuns and monks reads the signs of the times, and this is how we envision our service now".

This ministry of selfless hospitality is bringing many people closer to God.

"Most of the refugees are not believers, but sometimes they come to pray", explains Sister Klara.

"During the feast of the Annunciation, we celebrated the wedding of an elderly couple from Zhytomyr in our church. Another young couple from Kharkiv is preparing for the sacraments of reconciliation and marriage and will also baptise their son. Several people have made their first confession".

She ends by saying that despite all this new work and dedication, prayer time continues to be the mainstay of their lives.

"We have kept up our rhythm of common prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours, and we have additional hours of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Glory to the Lord in all things!"

• María Lozano writes for Aid to the Church in Need.
• Republished with permission.

Honcharuk describes life in his diocese at the moment.

Could you describe the situation in your diocese, which has become the main theatre of this terrible war?

Our Church is alive and active!

Priests and faithful are in their places, and prayer continues to flow, as does the daily liturgy in parishes.

More in some than in others, depending on the location: where war activities are going on, or territories are occupied, there is no such possibility. Yet our Church serves the people, the elderly, and children, as well as helping our soldiers who defend our homeland.

How do you feel in this fifth month of the war?

The first shock is over; now there is permanent tension.

We're constantly in anticipation, especially when there's shelling and it's unclear when and where it will hit.

The day before yesterday, it was some 1,000-1,200 meters from us, in a straight line.

Last night, the bombs hit somewhere very close to us.

I know that I will not hear the missile that strikes me. So, when I hear an explosion, it means I'm still alive.

We are prepared for sudden and unexpected death.

That means we often go to sacraments, especially confession.

It is a completely new experience, a different way of life. I get up in the morning and realise that I am alive.

In addition to that pain, suffering adds a sense of helplessness because it overwhelms you.

Evil is so great and so cynical that it topples the great of this world from their thrones.

Wars are very easy to trigger, but how to stop them?

On the other hand, there are also great signs of God's presence amid the whirlwind of war, in the hearts of people who are serving in various places as soldiers, medics, firefighters, policemen, as well as in other services.

By looking into the faces of these people, we can witness the great, divine power of love with which God inspires them.

What is the situation in Kharkiv now? Are people coming back, or have they now begun to leave again?

The situation is constantly changing.

For example, one man might come to see his apartment but immediately leave again.

In general, people are leaving because of the constant shelling in Kharkiv.

There is shelling before lunch, after lunch, and at night.

We are very close to the front line, literally twenty kilometres.

Before the war, the city of Kharkiv had a population of 1.7 million. At the moment, there are about 700,000, less than half.

But other cities in the diocese, such as Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, or Bakhmut, are very dangerous places in the actual warzone.

Practically everyone has already escaped; there are few people left in those cities.

What is everyday life like in a city under constant fire?

The situation of each family or each person is different.

If a person's house is undamaged, they have a place to live, and if they have a job, they have funds.

If the house is destroyed, the person has nowhere to live. And if they don't have a job, if their workplace has been destroyed, the person is left without funds.

And when on top of that they have been injured…

Sometimes people have only what they were wearing because everything burned down with the house.

Therefore, some people need clothes, some need shoes, medicine, or food, some just need support, and some a place to stay.

Others need someone to take their family to safety.

There are many problems and tasks ahead.

Do people have access to the things they need? Is there work?

The destruction of the city is calculated at about 15%.

This is irreparable damage.

But the city's infrastructure is working; it can withstand the strain.

Those plants and companies that can continue to work, people in them still have jobs, and some others have been completely moved to other Ukrainian cities.

Hospitals, and municipal services, which are responsible for electricity, gas, water, sewage, garbage collection, street cleaning and public transport, are still working.

It all works.

If they destroy something, in twenty-four hours, you wouldn't even know anything happened; the municipal services clean everything up and take it away.

The fire department, police, and other services are fully working too.

People try to live normally even though the war is so present in our city. Schools and universities work online.

And what about the financial situation?

Only some banks have their branches open.

Also, only certain ATMs work. For the most part, these physical locations remain closed for security reasons. But the entire financial sector is working; bank cards are working everywhere. Shops are partially open.

I was in the market yesterday - only half of it burned down.

Where stalls and kiosks survived, they are still selling there.

Cathedral of Kharkiv used as warehouse due the war.

But people can't buy anything because they don't have money. People here are not wealthy.

The wealthy left long ago, but those who live from paycheck to paycheck remain, they count every penny, and now they are in a very difficult situation.

Even from the clothes, one can see that such a person has always led a dignified life, but the war has made them poor, or homeless.

Many people have also been affected psychologically, and some began abusing alcohol.

In some cities, far from the front, people are already ignoring the air-raid alert. How about in Kharkiv, are people taking cover, or ignoring the alerts and just going about their lives?

At the beginning of the war, people reacted more when there was shelling, they generally did not come out of their basements and shelters.

Many did not come out at all, they lived there constantly, and some are still very panicked to this day.

There are streets where people hardly felt that the war is going on because it was completely quiet. And there are also neighbourhoods where everything is destroyed.

I see that most people have become braver; the tired psyche begins to suppress the sense of danger.

What is the security situation like?

People stand around and keep talking when the shelling is far away, and when the shells are heard closer, they scatter.

But when nothing happens for two or three minutes, people come out again.

The day before yesterday, a father was driving a car with his son. They had come to the city to file papers for university and were returning home.

Suddenly a shell directly hit the car. Some debris was left from the car, but their bodies were torn to pieces.

As you see, people continue to drive during the shelling, and some will make it through, and some will not.

But let's not think that people are irresponsible.

The danger lasts so long that somehow you have to learn to ignore it, but you also have to think and make decisions.

Previously, people just didn't control it: they would run away, and then they would start to think. But it is very exhausting when you have to run away ten times in a day.

People fleeing but also seeking refuge in the diocese

Some people from Kharkiv, or other frontline cities, moved to the nearest villages - to their relatives or to empty houses there. But when they saw that it didn't end, some began to go further.

Inside the country, too, you need to find a place to live and work, and there are many difficulties involved. On the other hand, going abroad means that only the wife and children can leave, and the husbands have to stay in Ukrainian territory, because of martial law.

This is a huge blow to the family, and to the spouses; it causes great suffering.

People are constantly on the move.

Some settle somewhere and get a job, and some fail.

Sometimes it seems as if people are finally settled in a new place, and suddenly they are told: "sorry, we have to ask you to leave our house".

The fate of each move is different but always difficult.

Some come back because they say it is easier for them to live under fire, in danger, than to live as refugees.

In this situation, who are you? You have no rights, you can't plan anything, you have nothing of your own.

You always feel that you are hovering over someone's head and that others are watching you too.

It is very difficult psychologically.

If someone wants to try, let them leave their home for a month, inviting themselves to another's house, then another, then a third, then a fourth, always as a guest, and moving all the time.

Working with refugees and internally displaced people?

Here in Kharkiv, we have the Marian Fathers and Caritas, they are helping displaced people, as many people who have lost their homes have come to the city.

Here, not far from the border, twenty houses in one village were wrecked yesterday.

Russian troops are simply destroying our Ukrainian villages, and then the survivors flee to the city because it is no longer possible to live there.

Displaced people from nearby villages are also coming to Kharkiv, although Kharkiv is still under shelling every day.

We also work in other places, we help by distributing humanitarian aid, things for children, food, diapers, or just being available to talk. There are such cases in Poltava, Sumy, Konotop, Dnipro, as well as in Zaporizhzhia and Pokrovsk.

• Fr Jurij Blazejewski for Aid to the Church in Need.
• Aid to the Church in Need is supporting the Catholic Church in Ukraine in its commitment to stay on the ground and keep serving its flock in the face of material and economic war.

The Center for Countering Disinformation, an agency of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine - which advises the president of Ukraine - has compiled a list of over 78 international figures who are accused of promoting so-called "Russian propaganda."

And I happen to be included on that list.

Now that begs the question: Why is an internationally syndicated Catholic social justice and peace columnist on such a list?

Well, I don't exactly know why. But I have a pretty good hunch.

Just a few days before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I participated in an international Zoom conference hosted by the Schiller Institute - which sought to warn against possible imminent nuclear war and to inspire a fresh non-violent, just, egalitarian approach to the never-ending wars and economic injustices experienced by the world's poor and disenfranchised.

My small contribution was a concise presentation entitled, "War is not inevitable! We have a moral obligation to save Afghans from starving! The need to create a new, human-centred paradigm."

In my presentation, I highlighted the moral necessity of the U.S. - considering its 20-year history of waging war in Afghanistan - to significantly increase emergency and ongoing developmental aid to Afghanistan, ensuring that all Afghans, especially the children, do not starve to death - a tragedy still unfolding.

Additionally, I attempted to highlight the obvious catastrophe of the imminent war between Russia and Ukraine, hoping to help avoid that preventable armed conflict.

Also, I urged for a new economic, political, and societal global model that replaces corporate greed, indifference, and raw military power with total respect for all human life and human dignity.

Some of the speakers participating in this and other Schiller Institute conferences have been intellectually critical of certain aspects of the Ukrainian government, as well as U.S. and NATO designs on Ukraine. For example, the apparent openness of NATO to the future possibility of Ukraine becoming an actual member of their military alliance, even though Ukraine borders the Russian Federation.

So, my hunch is that because I was a participant in a Schiller Institute conference and because in a few of my columns, I have been critical of the U.S. and NATO pumping billions of dollars' worth of weapons into Ukraine - which is helping to fuel the war, not end it, and is lining the pockets of weapon producing corporations like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Boeing - Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation has decided that I am a promoter of "Russian propaganda."

But truth be told, I am a promoter of the nonviolent Gospel of Jesus Christ!

As illustrated in the war between Russia and Ukraine, armed conflicts, and violence of all sorts, are tools of the devil. Christians need to relearn the Gospel truth that the words and example of the Lord Jesus always clearly oppose the use of violence.

The late preeminent theologian and biblical scholar, Fr John McKenzie said, "If Jesus does not reject violence for any reason, we do not know anything about Jesus. Jesus taught us not how to kill but how to die."

John Paul II powerfully said, "Violence is evil, that violence is unacceptable as a solution to problems, that violence is unworthy of man. Violence is a lie, for it goes against the truth of our faith, the truth of our humanity. Violence destroys what it claims to defend: the dignity, the life, the freedom of human beings."

• Tony Magliano is an internationally syndicated Catholic social justice and peace columnist. He is available to speak at diocesan or parish gatherings. Tony can be reached at tmag6@comcast.net.

Ukrainians would be glad to welcome him if he were able to visit, Zelenskyy told the pope.

Francis had already mooted the idea, telling journalists on his return flight from Canada last month that he would like to go to Ukraine.

"Grateful to the pontiff for his prayers for Ukraine. Our people need support of world spiritual leaders who should convey to the world the truth about acts of horror committed by the aggressor in Ukraine," the Ukrainian president tweeted after speaking to Francis.

"Briefed him on the Russian Federation's aggression against Ukraine and its horrible crimes," he added.

Francis and the Ukraine president have spoken twice before by phone and video call.

Speaking to the Italian Parliament on 22 March, Zelenskyy spoke about a conversation with Francis, adding that the Pope had said "very important words".

Earlier, on 26 February, two days after Russia's invasion, the two men spoke by phone.

During that conversation, Francis expressed to the president "his deepest sorrow for the tragic events that are taking place in the country".

Shortly after that call, Zelenskyy said "I thanked the Pope for praying for peace in Ukraine and for a truce. The Ukrainian people feel the spiritual support of His Holiness".

Since the beginning of the conflict, Francis has said publicly his thoughts are with the people of Ukraine.

At his most recent General Audience, on 10 August, he lamented the ongoing suffering of the Ukrainian people "who are still suffering from this cruel war".

He also expressed a special thought for the "many migrants who are continually arriving".

Ever since the war began, Francis has continuously appealed for the world not to forget the war in Ukraine nor to tire of welcoming those who are forced to flee their homes in search of peace.

Next month he is scheduled to participate in the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan.

It is possible he might meet with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who is also expected to participate in the Congress.

Source

• Vatican News
• Ukrinform
• Catholic News Agency

Zavada is quick to point out the city of Lviv has been spared the brunt of violence that's ripped through many other parts of the country, especially in the east. But still, life in western Ukraine carries constant reminders of the realities of war on the front lines.

Zavada, a priest of 13 years, also ministers as assistant priest at the Parish of the Ascension of our Lord in the northeast part of the city.

We see many priests serving together in images of funerals from Ukraine. Has this always been common in Ukraine, or did it begin during the war?

Normally in Ukraine when a person dies, one priest is present for the funeral service. But when a person dies that played an important role in society, it's normal that many priests come for the funeral. Even priests from different denominations come. As you know, the religious situation in Ukraine is that we have a couple of Orthodox Churches, we have the Roman Catholic Church, we have the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which I belong to.

This tradition, to gather many priests together at a funeral, seems to me to come from (the pro-European protests) in Maidan, in 2014, when many heroes that we call nebesna sotnya (the heavenly hundred) were killed.

The war with Russia began in 2014. Not 2022. It seems to me that from that period in 2014, it became a tradition for people to meet the body of a fallen soldier: They go out on the street and they bow down on their knees and they make a live chain.

It's a pity that we have such a tradition, but there it is.

So these funeral practices both among clergy and laypeople are not new —they date from earlier national events — the Maidan uprising, Revolution of Dignity, and Russia's invasion of Crimea and the Donbas in 2014?

Yes, yes. But of course, now, since Feb. 24 (2022), we have many, many more deaths of our soldiers. So this practice is almost everywhere and ongoing.

We have many, many funerals in Lviv. We have one church (Sts. Peter and Paul Garrison Church) — it's a chaplaincy church for soldiers. In this church there are funerals of fallen soldiers very often.

We have videos, photos, these sorts of social networks. So in this way, we can hear sermons during the funerals. You feel that you participate in these funerals, even if you are not present in the building.

Of course some soldiers who are killed, we know (personally). For example, one priest I know, his son was killed a couple of weeks ago: Father Mykhaylo Dymyd, his son, Artem Dymyd, was killed.

You say there are often clergy from many different Christian traditions at funerals. Are there Ukrainian priests from the Moscow Patriarchate who attend these funerals?

I don't know of any such cases — that priests from the Moscow Patriarchate come for funerals. You know, the position of people, of our faithful, of Ukrainians in relation to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate, is quite, quite negative. In different regions of Ukraine, the local regional administrations have made decisions to forbid these parishes (under the Moscow Patriarchate) in their regions.

I should say that they (those Ukrainian priests under the Moscow Patriarchate) are trying not to raise their voices. It seems to me they don't know what will be next for their church in Ukraine. But you should understand, and keep in mind, that I'm talking mostly from the perspective of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

What is the weekly service schedule like during wartime?

Normally for Lviv parishes, we serve liturgies every day. So every day in our parish, we have liturgy, matins, vespers.

So we continue our daily schedule.

But the archeparchy decided, when the war started, to pray day and night. So starting from the end of February, in our parish, for example, we (have) had constant, ongoing prayer day and night. The whole day is divided into one hour (slots). A person is responsible for that hour.

It's not easy, you know. Getting up in the night. But it's our spiritual front.

We call it parish prayer, it's mostly lay people who take responsibility for a concrete hour. (Though also) priests participate in this chain of prayer.

What are some other things the Greek Catholic Archeparchy in Lviv is doing in response to the war?

One of the first archeparchal decisions, in addition to prayer, was that priests should stay in their parishes. Many priests sent their families abroad at the end of February and it seems to me now that many families of priests are abroad. Priests cannot cross the border now, because it's wartime and during wartime many men (are not permitted) to cross the border. Many priests see their family only over the internet.

From the beginning of the war, my family moved to a village near the Polish border. They are still there. And once, every two weeks, I try to visit them. For an American, it's not a big distance: 70-80 km. But for Ukrainians it's quite far. Normally I arrive Sunday in the evening and on Monday afternoon, I depart to Lviv again.

What have you noticed people in your parish struggling with the most during this time of war?

Many of our people are always (consumed) by the news: in social media, Facebook, TV, radio. A person cannot stay, all the time, in the news. So people needed to have some rest. It seems to me they found a short time of peace while in church, in prayer.

Also to do active things, it seems to me, helps our people. For example, women in the parish, they prepare vereniki (traditional Ukrainian dumplings). For them it's like their weekly service. They get together for a couple of hours, they prepare vereniki, some others prepare cakes. We freeze them and we find a way to pass this food to our soldiers. Or to those people who are in need.

These active things — preparing food, cooking, baking — it helps people not to be involved in the news all the time.

Have you noticed more people coming to church during the war?

Many, many people, not only from the north of Ukraine, eastern Ukraine, southern Ukraine, (but also) many people from western Ukraine moved abroad. Especially young people, young families with small children. I very often hear from priests that the number of people who visit church is reduced. And also we should keep in mind, before the war was the pandemic. So we have had different restrictions for liturgical presence and participation.

You describe such a lot going on in Lviv, from constant funerals to constant prayer. Are you tired, Father? How are you feeling?

How am I feeling?

It's a difficult question.

Truthfully, I should like to have some rest. (He laughs.) I would like to have a vacation. But I think that for now it's not possible for me. And I say to myself, my situation, as a priest in Ukraine living here in the western part of Ukraine — in comparison to those priests in the north part of Ukraine, or east or south — we are in quite good condition.

During this war we cannot say we are tired. I just compare my situation (to the) situation of those who are under rockets and bombs. For now my conscience says I cannot have rest. I should work. We should work all together. Of course many people say, I am tired. But if we say this, we will lose this war. We will have rest after victory.

• Marika Proctor is an author at RNS. Republished with permission.

It isn't just any war, of course, but a war of conquest perpetrated by Russia invading a sovereign nation.

And it is a war that has seen massive numbers of unspeakable war crimes.

These war crimes have included, among other things, the intentional and systematic targeting of civilians.

The evidence includes mass graves, intentional destruction of hospitals, execution-style shootings of civilians, and, yes, horrific sexual violence.

Sexual violence is being explicitly used as a tool of war, not only to motivate the grotesquely evil soldiers who are raping Ukrainian women and girls, but also to subdue the population in the short term and impact Ukrainian birth rates in the longer term.

Russian soldiers, apparently, hoped that "their captives would recoil from sex in the future and thus not bear Ukrainian children."

I hope that everyone reading these words is outraged that anyone could even contemplate (much less engage in) acts that are so evil.

I can barely write them without feeling rage in my heart.

The level of evil present in the acts is so overwhelming that one thought about whether anyone should ever engage in them is one thought too many.

But here is why academic arguments over ethical theory, though at times esoteric and deeply disconnected from reality, can be so important for the real world.

The ethical theory that dominates so much of our secularized culture — whether we are talking about medicine, whether we are talking about finance, and, yes, whether we are talking about foreign policy — is utilitarianism.

This is the theory that explicitly says that all acts are in principle morally acceptable if they can produce the greatest good (pleasure, preference-satisfaction, happiness, etc.) for the greatest number of people.

Now, there are several deep problems with this ethical theory.

There is, for instance, no way to peer into the distant future to determine what will in fact produce the greatest good for the greatest number.

Human beings are notoriously bad at making these calculations — just look at the super confident and longstanding (but deeply misguided) worries about so-called "overpopulation."

Also, some goods just cannot be compared with each other in ways that can be made to fit into a utilitarian calculation. Ethicists call this the "incommensurability problem."

We just lived through several examples of this problem in the early part of the pandemic.

How, for instance, should we have compared the utility of young children learning how to communicate through facial expressions versus the utility of masking children in school?

How should we have compared the utility of the elderly not dying alone versus the utility of keeping healthy people away from those infected with COVID?

The answer is that these goods cannot be compared in any meaningful way — for the goods involved are incommensurable. But comparing them is exactly what utilitarianism requires.

Perhaps the central problem with utilitarianism, however, is that it cannot simply say an act is wrong because it is an act of injustice against another person. So, Russian soldiers executing or raping a 12-year-old girl might be wrong on this view, but one would need to first show that the act produces less utility.

Now, the best advocates for utilitarianism are what are sometimes called "rule" utilitarians.

They agree that it is silly to make a comparison of net utility for every single act but instead insist that, over time, we have learned which rules produce the most utility.

It is bad to execute or rape a 12-year-old girl, not because it violates fundamental justice but because — in the long run — it will produce less utility than if we didn't have a rule against it.

But it just isn't clear that these practices don't "work" in very similar ways to other kinds of tried-and-true war-time tactics. Indeed, Russia has been taught that these practices "work" in multiple circumstances, including the horror show of the war on Chechnya, in which they used the massacre of civilians in a "deliberate campaign to terrorize the population into submission."

Ultimately, however, the question of whether killing the innocent and engaging in violent nonconsensual sex are wrong must not be a question of whether or not they "work."

Some acts are just so heinous, so evil, so utterly inconsistent with the good that they can never be done under any circumstances.

In my world of Catholic moral theology, we call them "intrinsically evil acts," actions that have such evil, such grave evil, at their heart or object such that there can never be exceptions.

Basic, fundamental justice and human dignity require that the act is always and everywhere deeply wrong.

This doesn't mean doing away with complexity and gray areas.

Plenty of Catholic moral theologians who reject utilitarianism still engage in difficult moral questions on a host of matters, from abortion to save the life of the mother to the use of large doses of pain medication at the end of life to when one can legitimately foresee that one's actions will lead to the death of the innocent without intending that death.

But the horrific war crimes perpetrated by Russia should be yet another reminder of the morally impoverished vision of utilitarianism.

We must stand for fundamental justice in ways that deem certain actions always and in every circumstance deeply, profoundly evil. And this means rejecting utilitarianism in favour of fundamental justice, especially for the most vulnerable.

• Charles Camosy is a professor of theological and social ethics at Fordham University.
• First published in RNS. Republished with permission.

If he were alive today, he would be in his 90s, but he died when he was three years old, victim of what would today be a minor infection. However, before the development of antibiotics there was no such thing as a minor infection.

Had Martin caught that infection two decades later, he probably would not have died. He was a victim of the not-yet that living when he did imposed upon him and his family.

That is the problem with living in time rather than some sort of timeless eternity. The past puts limits on us in the present while the future only tantalizes us with hopes and possibilities that may happen but will themselves be limited by constraints handed on from and through our time.

There is no such thing as "starting from scratch." We cannot erase the past and start anew. We must build on what the past presents to us, advancing the good and ameliorating the bad. But we cannot start over.

Our action or inaction occurs in a context that shapes it and forces a response that falls short of any ideal. And so, my grandparents could only watch, weep and pray as their little boy suffered and died.

Jesus lived with the same limitations. The Incarnation means that he, though God the Son, was hemmed in by his time, his culture, his language, his religion, his education, his society and much else. He transcended many aspects of it.

But there was much he could not do. He and we can only live in the world we inherit and inhabit.

That is why searching Scripture for simple answers to modern challenges is seldom of use. WWJD (what would Jesus do?) today is unknowable because he did not have to "Do" what we must do.

That is one of the reasons that Christian doctrine and practice have evolved over the millennia: they must re-do their "Do" in every new age.

That uncomfortable truth faces us as we gaze horrified at Russia's war against Ukraine.

While there are people — generally people far removed from reality — who like war for political or voyeuristic reasons, most of us want peace despite the different descriptions and conditions we might give to it.

Vladimir Putin has created a context of violence for Ukraine and the rest of the world that cannot be met solely by nonviolence. It must be met with varying degrees of regret-filled counter-violence.

The day when violence can be halted by non-violence has not yet come

The alternative is to allow violent bullying to go unconfronted in any realistically effective way. The war in Ukraine poses a challenge to absolute pacifism that would condemn any military action, or at least refrain from supporting it.

We know that the violent response to Russia's attack and violations against the few norms to limit atrocities in war will do little to relieve the world of violence.

That response may even create a new Cold War if it does not expand to the broader World War 3 that Russia's foreign minister has threatened.

In fact, by supplying Ukraine with weapons and military intelligence while damaging the Russian economy and oligarchs through sanctions and confiscations, other countries are engaging in that war by proxy.

Is there a realistic alternative? If it were possible to reset the world to a state where violence could, in fact, be headed off or halted by innocence, then non-violence of the sort epitomized by saints like Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King would be more generally effective than it has been.

Thanks in part to their example, a case can be made that non-violence is growing as a way to defang the demon of violence. Perhaps through activities such as theirs the world will one day be violence-free. We can and must hope, pray and work for that day.

It took the worst war in history to stop the genocidal madness of Nazi Germany and Japan in the last century and there is no reason to believe that anything other than war would have done so.

One result of that horrific violence was revulsion toward much that was considered normal until then and is now deemed atrocity.

Russia's use of indiscriminate urban bombing and the threat to use tactical nuclear, biological and chemical weapons are condemned as a throwback to a kind of warfare that in Europe at least has been outgrown.

So perhaps we are advancing, but the day when violence can be halted by non-violence has not yet come and we must live without a reset button in a world of not-yet.

That means that even we who follow the Prince of Peace must in some situations accede to and even participate in war with the hope that it may somehow make the situation better for those who come after us.

As my grandparents faced Martin's illness and death, I assume they hoped for a day when other parents would not endure the same.

• William Grimm is a missioner and presbyter in Tokyo and is the publisher of UCA News.

His intense advocacy for the health of our planet, his concern for the poor, and his courageous stance to protect the rights of migrants and refugees is unparalleled on the world stage.

And we can only applaud him for his disarming witness as a man of sincere dialogue and as a global moral leader who refuses to divide the world into black and white, winners and losers, villains and heroes, the evil and the righteous.

Without a doubt, Francis has been the most evangelical, non-sectarian and "catholic" (as in universal and all-embracing) pope the world has seen in many centuries.

Deep anxiety over the Russian invasion

In the past two months we have seen him agonizingly consumed with the horrors of war in Ukraine. His deep anxiety over the Russian invasion and the seemingly unstoppable destruction it unleashed is palpable.

Even if he has not mentioned the aggressor-nation or its leader by name, Francis has made it crystal clear that he's extremely frustrated with Vladimir Putin and his "chaplain", Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia.

We are told that the pope has decided not to name names in the hope of securing a role for himself or Holy See diplomats in mediating an end to the Russian-Ukrainian "conflict".

He's said various times that he's willing to do whatever he can to stop this war.

But perhaps it's time to face the fact that there is probably no role for him or the Holy See here.

The Russian Orthodox and the "Pope of Rome"

In fact, it is really quite surprising that there are those who believe that the leaders and prominent adherents of the Orthodox Church — both in Russia and in Ukraine — would even trust the "Pope of Rome" or any cleric under obedience to him to mediate Russian-Ukrainian talks.

Francis may have been able to secure the long-coveted meeting with the Russian Patriarch that eluded his predecessors, but that has not significantly changed the calculus of Russian Orthodox-Roman Catholic relations, which are still hampered by lingering distrust that stems from even the recent past.

It is just as ludicrous to believe that a papal visit to Kyiv would do anything to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian conflict or that the Orthodox would even welcome Francis. The Russians are certainly not in favor of him going there.

And Orthodox leaders in Ukraine don't seem particularly thrilled about the prospects of him visiting their country either.

Since the Russian invasion on February 24, Francis has spoken to Patriarch Kirill only once — at the patriarch's initiative. But he seems to have had no contact at all with the Orthodox hierarchs in Ukraine.

A Jew and three Catholics walk into a...

None of the four Ukrainian "authorities" who are urging Francis to visit Kyiv are members of the Orthodox Church.

First of all, there is President Volodymyr Zelensky. He is a secular Jew who came into office vowing he would not take sides in Ukraine's volatile Church disputes.

Then there is Major Archbishop Sviatolslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), which is Orthodox in every conceivable way except that it is professes loyalty to the Roman papacy. And for this reason the Orthodox in Russia and Ukraine intensely dislike and distrust these Byzantine Catholics.

Another figure that has backed a papal visit is Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki of Lviv. He is the de facto head of Ukraine's Latin Rite Catholics, who are mostly located in the western part of the country near the border with Poland where the archbishop was born.

And, finally, there's Ukraine's new ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash. He just presented the pope with his credentials this past week and is now the most vocal advocate of a papal visit to Kyiv.

Yurash happens to be a Byzantine Catholic, a member of Archbishop Shevchuk's flock.

The impotence of papal diplomacy

Pope Francis obviously wants very badly to help bring about a peaceful resolution to the horrible situation in Ukraine. But he has begun to show flashes of frustration with his inability to do so.

Last week he even took aim at the United Nations, lamenting the organization's "impotence" in the face of what's currently happening.

But he must admit that papal diplomacy has been just as impotent.

His Secretary of State and chief diplomat, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said in a recent interview with the Catholic News Agency that the Holy See has been in dialogue with Russia and Ukraine since at least 2014 to avert the war that is now raging.

He openly admitted that the Holy See's efforts had failed.

"In a dialogue situation, it was logical that there should be no hostile act. Still, an attempt should be made to use all the means of the negotiation, hoping that the talks would be successful — which, unfortunately, did not happen," the Italian cardinal said.

The Holy See has tried to present itself as a neutral, even-hand mediator. But given the religious demographics in the region, it is not difficult to see why the Russians might be somewhat careful to actually trust such professed neutrality.

According to Vatican statistics, there are fewer than 500,000 Catholics in Russia, out of a population of 105 million.

But there are nearly five million Catholics (Latins and Byzantines) in Ukraine, where they make up more than 11% of the total population.

The pope cannot work miracles

Francis has been a remarkable gift to the Catholic Church and to all of humanity. But he cannot solve all the world's problems, stop all of its wars and heal all of its ills.

And no one should expect him to.

We are blessed to have a pope who, in many astonishing ways, is extremely Christ-like. But he is not the Christ. And he simply cannot work miracles.

Those who are pushing hard for a papal visit to Ukraine evidently think he can. Because if he were to go to the war-ravaged country, he would not be able to resolve anything short of something miraculous happening.

The pope — and not just this pope — simply lacks the type of quasi-superhuman power and influence that many of his adulators believe he has.

They need to admit that there is probably nothing more he can do in this situation except continue to speak out and pray for peace.

• Robert Mickens is LCI Editor in Chief.
• First published in La-Croix International. Republished with permission.

Francis held the flag as he welcomed a half-dozen Ukrainian refugee children up to the stage of the Vatican audience hall at the end of his Wednesday general audience and gave them each a giant chocolate Easter egg. He urged prayers for them and for all Ukrainians.

"The recent news from the war in Ukraine, instead of bringing relief and hope, brought testimony of new atrocities like the massacre in Bucha, even more horrendous cruelty carried out against civilians, defenceless women and children," he said.

"They are victims whose innocent blood cries up to the sky and implores that this war be stopped and that the weapons be silenced. Stop disseminating war and destruction."

He held up the dirtied Ukrainian flag that he said had arrived Tuesday at the Vatican from Bucha, where evidence has emerged since the Russians pulled out of what appears to be intentional killings of civilians.

Kissing it, the pope said: "This flag comes from the war, from that martyred city Bucha. Let us not forget them. Let us not forget the people of Ukraine."

And gesturing to the children, Francis said: "These children had to flee to arrive in a safe place. This is the fruit of war." Continue reading

Meanwhile, many of us are discovering just how little of the geography of the Ukraine we knew and are saddened that knowing the names of the suburbs of Kyiv and the of towns like Mariupol is but a grim index of human inhumanity.

"Homo homini lupus"

With every passing hour the number of deaths in that war, the images of human suffering, and the wanton destruction grows. It challenges us as human beings, as Europeans and as Christians.

Meanwhile, many - but, sadly, not all - religious leaders are seeking media space to condemn aggressive war and the trampling of frontiers, to encourage us to pray for peace, and, often, to point out that so many in both Russia and Ukraine claim the name of Christian and declare themselves to be followers of him whom we greet as the Prince of Peace (Is 9:6).

One Loaf / One People "Though many, we are one body because we all share in the one loaf" (1 Cor 10:17) - we need to show this unity in sacramentally.

Words are cheap

But there is a problem with these Christian leaders calling for dialogue, their awareness of common values of respect and co-operation, and their presentation of a vision of peace.

What if these leaders were presented with a request from one of their communities that it invite some other Christians - who do not share the same ecclesial or theological background - to their Eucharistic meal? What would these leaders then say about common roots, common values, and a common destiny?

With deepest regret I have to acknowledge that these same Church leaders would be quite strident in their willingness to build up walls of exclusion, to note dividing and unbridgeable chasms, and even to suggest that their ideal union of sisters and brothers in Christ could only come about by the complete absorption by them of another Church.

In the ecclesiology of these leaders - now rightly clamoring that Christian sisters and brothers make peace and build bonds of love - the ideal unity for which Jesus prayed (Jn 17:21) can only come about if another community is like a wayward province which has to be forced back into subjection.

Or it can only come when that degree of harmony is reached which they know to be impossible except at the eschaton!

Being prophetic vs using dissonant language

Preaching prophetically can be difficult but we are called also to act prophetically.

If we use the language of division and the practice of separation at the Lord's table - which is, after all, the very expression of our unity in the Anointed One (1 Cor 10:17) - then using the language of peace when looking outwards is undermined as inauthentic.

The urgency of the human situation which needs models of people transcending division and selfishness demands that we model this in our very core: at the table that recalls the table-fellowship of Jesus who scandalously created unity out of division (e.g. Lk 15:2) and the table of our human destiny when people will come from north and south and east and west to rejoice in peace (Lk 13:29).

We need to model peace and communion

A Church leader, no matter how eminent in title, who is unwilling to actually model with his/her sisters and brothers in baptism the unity in the one loaf and one cup (1 Cor 10:14-7) cannot with integrity preach or witness peace and community to a fractured, suffering world.

In addition to common statements and pleadings that point out that war is sacrilegious, we need to demonstrate that we, the baptized, can actually share at the Lord's Table.

This would manifest reconciliation, show that what unites us is greater than what separates us, and model sacramentally our vocation in Jesus.

Many Church leaders who are happy to add their names to statements might find that actually sharing the loaf and cup with a brother just too difficult!

If we cannot solve this division - and stop our unbloody war (bellum incruore) — what hope is there that we that we can offer anything to those who make bloody war?

Embracing is not enough: the time has come to show their unity in the sacrament of unity.

Imagine!

Imagine Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and Pope Francis of Rome sharing fully that the Lord's Table by eating and drinking as brothers in the Lord!

Imagine Pope Francis and Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury doing likewise!

If you cannot imagine that, then you should not be surprised that shells are falling - with a perverse "Christian" benediction - on Mariupol.

Our fresh embrace of one another in Eucharistic fellowship - humbly sharing in the Loaf and Cup - ­is the euangellion, the Botschaft, the Hope, the Gaudium Magnum that suffering humanity needs to see right now.

• Thomas O'Loughlin is a presbyter of the Catholic Diocese of Arundel and Brighton and professor-emeritus of historical theology at the University of Nottingham (UK). His latest book is Eating Together, Becoming One: Taking Up Pope Francis's Call to Theologians (Liturgical Press, 2019).
• First published in La Croix International. Republished with permission.