Two priests in the Ukraine call for support from Western church leaders amidst an expected Russian invasion.
Newsroom (18/01/2022 10:30 AM, Gaudium Press) “While our TV news shows tanks and army units positioned on our borders, the war in eastern Ukraine continues and the church in the West comments little about it,” stressed Msgr. Gregory Semenkov, chancellor of the Diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhia.
“As faithful Catholics, we have nothing against Russians and we celebrate regular Masses in Russian. Our conference of bishops, not being political, has never taken a position with regard to Ukraine joining NATO or the European Union. But these preparations for invasion pose serious danger to us.”
Some days ago, the priest gave an interview to Catholic News Service. Negotiations between NATO and Russian authorities, the first in two years, failed to reach an agreement on Moscow’s demands to end Western military support for countries that once belonged to the Soviet Union. According to Bishop Semenkov, most Catholics believe that a “great Russian show of force” is expected after the failure of the East-West negotiations.
Catholics in Ukraine are apprehensive, as they do not know how Russian forces will treat the Church. However, in the case of “military aggression, there is an agreement that priests and religious may leave or stay.
Fr. Roman Krat, judicial vicar of the Odessa-Simferopol Diocese in Ukraine, believes that an invasion is likely, given the completion of the 1,200-kilometer Nord Stream 2 pipeline from Russia to Europe.
“Putin knows that some Western countries are already completely dependent on Russian gas and would choose to have their homes heated rather than worry about Ukraine. Russia also faces internal economic and social problems, and Putin needs to divert the attention of public opinion portraying Russia as strong and victorious under his leadership.”
Father Krat warned that several Catholic parishes would be in the path of a Russian attack. “There is a real threat on a military level, so we are seeking prayers for peace as well as material help and support,” he concluded.
With Ucanews information.
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
