From intolerance to genocide: religious liberty violations driven by ‘tense’ global conditions, says report June 23, 2023By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, War in Ukraine, World News “Tense” global conditions — including the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and increases in the cost of living — lead to religious freedom violations in countries around the world, according to a new report by Aid to the Church in Need, a pontifical foundation of the Catholic Church.
Papal envoy heads to Ukraine for sixth time to ‘assist those in need,’ put spotlight on suffering people June 22, 2023By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News While desperation mounts in Ukraine amid more than 480 days of war — and in the aftermath of the destruction of a dam that caused the flooding of dozens of towns in the south of the country — Cardinal Konrad Krajewski traveled to the country June 22 for the sixth time “to assist those in need.”
U.S. Ukrainian bishops call on Catholics to be direct agents of ‘God’s healing touch’ in Ukraine June 20, 2023By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News The Ukrainian Catholic bishops of the U.S. are calling attention to the profound psychological consequences of Russia’s war on Ukraine, urging the faithful to “be the conduits that direct God’s healing touch to our suffering brothers and sisters.”
‘Wars are not just,’ pope tells U.N. Security Council June 15, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News “The time has come to say an emphatic ‘no’ to war” and state decisively “that wars are not just,” Pope Francis said in a message to the U.N. Security Council.
Ukraine dam destruction a ‘diabolical act’ in genocidal war, says archbishop, Ukrainian Catholics June 8, 2023By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News The destruction of a dam and hydroelectric power plant in a Russian-occupied area of Ukraine marks a “dastardly and diabolical act” that “defies imagination,” Archbishop Borys Gudziak, metropolitan of Ukrainian Catholics in the U.S., told OSV News.
Papal envoy meets Zelenskyy in Kyiv amid destruction of critical dam that flooded south of country June 6, 2023By Lilia Kovalyk-Vasiuta OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Pope Francis’ peace envoy to Ukraine, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, was finishing his two-day visit to Ukraine June 6. He met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy amid breaking news of the destruction of a critical dam and hydroelectric power plant along the front lines in southern Ukraine that Zelenskyy blamed on “Russian terrorists.”
Ukrainian religious scholars provide advice to British experts collecting evidence of Russian crimes for trial in The Hague June 5, 2023By Lilia Kovalyk-Vasiuta OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News Leading forensic experts at the British University of Exeter are collecting evidence and testimonies of Russian war crimes in Ukraine. In the course of their work, they met with Ukrainian religious scholars on May 25 to better prepare for future investigations in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands.
After visit to Ukraine, Swedish cardinal says he hopes for ‘just peace’ May 31, 2023By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Cardinal Arborelius and Bishop Varden visited Ukraine May 9-10 on behalf of the Nordic bishops’ conference, which comprises Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. The purpose of the visit, Cardinal Arborelius said, was “to convey our solidarity and prayers to the faithful of Ukraine.”
Ukrainian church leaders cite lack of information on Vatican initiatives May 30, 2023By Jonathan Luxmoore OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Ukrainian church leaders have voiced skepticism over a planned Vatican “peace mission” to their war-torn country and have complained of being left in the dark about Rome’s intentions.
Cardinal Zuppi, pope’s peace envoy, talks about war in Ukraine May 23, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News “War is a pandemic. It involves us all,” said Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Italian prelate chosen by Pope Francis to lead an initiative for peace in Ukraine.
Vatican secretary of state calls for ‘creative’ peace efforts in Ukraine May 18, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Asking European leaders for “creative efforts for peace” in Ukraine, the Vatican secretary of state said the Holy See “will continue to do its part.”
US Ukrainian Catholics greet Zelenskyy-Pope Francis meeting with elation, concern May 16, 2023By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Ukrainian Catholics in the U.S. are hailing a surprise meeting between Pope Francis and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a mixture of elation and wariness.
