Brussels, the 24th of February 2022
Following the troubling news coming from Ukraine, FAFCE associates itself to Pope Francis’ appeal for peace, addressed in particular “to political leaders so that they make a serious examination of conscience before God who is the God of peace and not of war, the Father of all and not of a few, who wants us to be brothers and not enemies.”
FAFCE President Vincenzo Bassi said: “We pray that common sense may prevail over arms. Communities and many families suffer greatly. We feel close to the victims and to all families who see their children involved in war. Only through the concrete reality of mothers and fathers of families can we together reject all ideology and all violence. We fully agree with the appeal to the International Community made by the Council of Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE), representing Catholic bishops within and beyond the European Union.”
Cornel Barbut, FAFCE Vice-President, from Bucharest, adds: “What we feared is happening now. Armed attacks are taking place all over Ukraine. We express our full solidarity with all the families and we will fast and pray this Ash Wednesday, March 2, responding to the request of Pope Francis.”
In a message published this morning, the Primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, recalled that “the idolaters of war have brought only destruction and decline to their own states and peoples”.
