‘Hurry up, Lord’ and bring peace to Ukraine, pope prays November 16, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News VATICAN CITY (CNS) — “We can pray for Ukraine by saying, ‘Hurry up, Lord,'” Pope Francis told visitors and pilgrims at his weekly general audience. The day after a Russian-made missile landed in Poland, close to Ukraine’s border, killing two people, and after Russia fired close to 100 missiles on Ukrainian targets, causing at least one death and leaving many people without electricity, Pope Francis made another appeal for peace Nov. 16. Polish President Andrzej Duda said Nov. 16 there was a “high probability” that Ukrainian forces had fired the Russian-made missile as part of its defense against the Russian barrage and it accidentally landed in Poland. Russia had not fired such a barrage in weeks but seemed to be targeting Ukraine’s electrical grid and other infrastructure ahead of the winter cold. After praying for victims of a terrorist attack Nov. 13 in Istanbul, the pope told people in St. Peter’s Square, “Our constant prayer is also for martyred Ukraine. May the Lord give Ukrainians consolation, strength amid this trial and give them hope for peace.” Pope Francis said he had learned “with grief and concern of a new and even stronger missile attack on Ukraine, which caused deaths and damage to much civil infrastructure.” “We pray that the Lord will convert the hearts of those who still encourage war and let the desire for peace prevail for martyred Ukraine, to avoid any escalation and open the way to a cease-fire and dialogue,” he said. Read More Crisis in Ukraine Catholic leaders appeal to end Russia’s religious persecution in Ukraine ‘The power with which Christ rose is entirely nonviolent,’ pope says in Easter peace message Pope Leo XIV calls Israeli, Ukrainian leaders on Good Friday, urging peace Russian drone strikes damage historic church, monastery in Lviv ahead of Holy Week Eastern Catholic bishops issue ‘cry for peace and justice’ as global conflicts rage U.S. peacebuilding a ‘strategic and moral imperative,’ advocates say at Notre Dame event Copyright © 2022 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Print
