By Courtney Mares and Christine Rousselle
[Catholic News Agency / The B.C. Catholic] – Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski, former eparch of New Westminster in B.C., is among the Catholic voices across Europe reacting to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with expressions of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and prayers for peace.
“The day that we have been hoping would never come has arrived, said Bishop Nowakowski, now Ukrainian Catholic eparchial bishop of London. “This morning we woke up to hear the news that Russia has unleashed its troops into an invasion of Ukrainian soil as well as firing missiles into Ukrainian territory.”
He said, “We place the people of Ukraine under the protection of the Holy Family, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Most Holy Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, and the holy and righteous St Joseph the Betrothed.”
Bishop Nowakowski urged government leaders and those in positions of power to remain steadfast in support of “the innocent citizens of Ukraine.”
Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, president of the Polish bishops’ conference, issued an appeal Feb. 24 saying, “I strongly condemn the actions of Russia and Vladimir Putin as an unacceptable and shameful act of barbarism directed against sovereignty,”
“At the same time – together with the whole Church in Poland – I express my solidarity with all Ukrainians, both in Poland and in Ukraine, assuring them of our closeness, prayer and availability to help,” he said.
Archbishop Wojciech Polak, the primate of Poland, called Feb. 24 a “tragic morning” in a message sent to the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
“On this tragic morning, joining in pain and asking God to stop the Soviet occupier, I remember in prayer and cry for peace for the beloved Ukrainian people,” Archbishop Polak wrote in the text message, according to the Catholic Church in Poland.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a TV statement early Thursday morning that Russia did not have plans to occupy Ukraine, and demanded that the Ukrainian military lay down its arms.
Shortly afterward, Russian troops crossed the north, south, and eastern borders into Ukraine from multiple points. Ukrainian officials reported shelling and missile strikes across Ukraine, including at airfields and military headquarters near Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv.
Both military and civilian deaths have been reported.
According to BBC News, on Thursday Russian military crossed into Ukraine not only from points on the Russian border, but also from Belarus, a Russian ally.
Bishop Oleg Butkevich, the head of the Catholic bishops’ conference of Belarus, commented that “the world was shaken by the tragic news that a military conflict has broken out between our neighbouring countries.”
“I ask that, in peace, we may offer our prayers, both personal and in parish communities, for an end to the conflict as soon as possible and for the least number of victims from the conflict. And that it does not escalate into another world war,” he said.
“Christ tells us: ‘Everything is possible to one who has faith.’ (Mark 9:23-24) God help our unbelief. I also encourage fasting and offering up the sacrifice of suffering for this purpose.”
Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, supported Ukraine’s right to defend its independence as Russia attacked Ukrainian military targets on Thursday morning.
“It is our natural right and sacred duty to defend our land and our people, our state and all that is dearest to us: family, language and culture, history and the spiritual world,” he said.
Related:
Canadian Catholic Bishops issue statement about Russian invasion of Ukraine – LINK
Pope Francis calls for prayer and fasting for peace in Ukraine – LINK
Appeal of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, leader of the Ukrainian Catholic Church – LINK
Statement from Bishop Bryan Bayda of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon – PDF
Ukraine is a country of 44 million people bordering Belarus, Russia, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland.
Shevchuk leads the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the biggest of the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See.
Fears that Russia was beginning a full-scale invasion of Ukraine were heightened this week after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he would recognize the breakaway Ukrainian regions of Lugansk and Donetsk as independent entities.
The eastern regions, which are run by Russian-backed separatists, include land currently held by the Ukrainian armed forces.
“At this historic moment, the voice of our conscience calls us all as one to stand up for a free, united and independent Ukrainian State,” Shevchuk said.
“The history of the last century teaches us that all those who started world wars lost them, and the idolaters of war brought only destruction and decline to their own states and peoples.”
Meanwhile, the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need said it is granting $1.5 million in immediate financial assistance in Ukraine.
“What we all wanted to avoid has happened: Ukraine is in a state of war,” said Thomas Heine-Geldern, executive president of ACN.
“ACN has supported the Church in Ukraine during the past and it will not abandon her at this very critical and difficult time.”
The organization said it will also provide emergency help for the four Greek-Catholic exarchates (eparchies) and the two Latin dioceses in Eastern Ukraine, covering Kharkiv, Zaporizhya, Donetsk, Odesa and Krym.
Caritas Internationalis also launched an emergency appeal to provide relief to Ukraine.
“We cannot ignore the tragic humanitarian implications of this war,” Caritas Internationalis Secretary General Aloysius John said in a statement Thursday. “It is the duty of the international community to protect the Ukrainian people and ensure their access to life-saving assistance.”
Caritas Internationalis called for full humanitarian aid to all those impacted, as well as freedom of movement for those looking to leave areas of conflict.
The appeal, which will benefit Caritas Ukraine, will provide food, drinking water, safe accommodation, and hygiene kits to those who were impacted by the conflict. Additionally, the money raised will assist with safe transportation for those who are looking to reach their loved ones in safe areas.
“The events which began early this morning will inevitably lead to a colossal humanitarian catastrophe,” Tetiana Stawnychy, president of Caritas Ukraine, said in a statement announcing the appeal.
“It is impossible to believe that in the 21st century in the center of Europe people have to wake up at 5 a.m. from explosions and the sound of air raid sirens,” she added. “We need your support to have a chance to respond to the humanitarian crisis and assist the people affected by war.”
Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of more than 160 Catholic aid organizations including Canada’s Development and Peace who work at the grassroots level around the world. According to Caritas Ukraine, nearly 3 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance even prior to Thursday’s attack.
Since the summer, when the situation on the border between Ukraine and Russia appeared to be escalating, Caritas scaled up its operations in Ukraine. In addition to training staff and volunteers to assist with various humanitarian efforts, it also established temporary centres to assist people who were displaced by the conflict.
Stawnychy said the number of those in need is “increasing exponentially” with the conflict.
Donations to the appeal can be made on the Caritas Internationalis website.
The Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada is also appealing for humanitarian support, partnering with the Canadian branch of the papal charity The Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA).
Donations can be made through The Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton. The eparchy said donations will help local Caritas centres assist millions of struggling families, including those who are displaced and in desperate need of food, shelter, medical attention.
Catholic News Agency with B.C. Catholic files