As war broke out in Europe Feb. 24, with Russia's early morning attacks on various parts of Ukraine, Catholics in the U.S. joined Pope Francis in prayers for the people of the East European nation and for peace.
"We join @Pontifex in calling
As Russia fired missiles on several Ukrainian cities and Russian troops reportedly landed in Odessa, the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church affirmed the right of Ukrainians to defend their homeland and assured his people that God would watch over them.
"At this
With Russia’s military power appearing ready to move into Ukraine, Michael La Civita, communications director for Catholic Near East Welfare Association, explores the long, shared history of the Russian and Ukraine people. He writes: “A massive buildup of Russian arms, munitions and
Ukrainian-American Catholics warn a Russian military buildup on Ukraine's border poses a grave threat not only to that nation, but to Europe and democracy itself.
"It is a question of life or death for thousands, who will be massacred by an escalated invasion,"
Two priests in Ukraine asked Western church leaders for support, especially in anticipation of a widely expected Russian invasion.
"While our TV news shows tanks and army units deployed on our borders, the war in eastern Ukraine is continuing -- but the church
During his first visit to Russia, the Vatican foreign minister said relations between the two "have been steadily strengthened," but added that greater cooperation could benefit the global community.
Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Vatican secretary for relations with states, visited Moscow Nov. 8-10,
A prominent Russian Catholic urged his nation's bishops to condemn the mass arrest and beating of protesters, but the Moscow archdiocesan chancellor said the church could not comment on "political matters."
Opposition leader Alexei Navalny was jailed Feb. 2 for three-and-a-half years for
Catholic Church officials in Russia criticized planned religious law changes that will require all clergy who studied abroad to retrain in a Russian college.
"Like other confessions, we find it absurd to talk of recertifying priests who are already in service and of
Pope Francis welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Vatican July 4, and the two discussed the ongoing wars in Eastern Ukraine and in Syria, the Vatican said. Russia plays a major role in both conflicts.
The Orthodox world is reeling from the Russian Orthodox Church’s decision in mid-October to split from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople over its steps in recent weeks to recognize an independent Orthodox Church in Ukraine. The move breaks sacramental union between