“You see the consequences of war which is forcing millions of people to leave their land,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, ACT Alliance general secretary, noting the heightened risk for human trafficking and forced labor.
“We heard from ACT members and from church workers that the first wave of refugees were mainly people with healthy financial situations and good connections in Europe,” he said, while a second wave comprised people with fewer resources.
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Pope Francis—united to all the Bishops and Catholic faithful around the world—will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Friday, the feast of the Annunciation.
The Act of Consecration will be prayed during the “24 Hours for the Lord” Lenten penitential service in St. Peter’s Basilica, which begins at 5 PM Rome time.
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During a 22 March press briefing, a delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) and ACT Alliance shared their observations from a recent trip to Hungary, Romania and Ukraine, where they witnessed firsthand both urgent humanitarian needs and a robust church response.
“You see the consequences of war which is forcing millions of people to leave their land,” said Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, ACT Alliance general secretary, noting the heightened risk for human trafficking and forced labor.
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Supply chains of food and medicines have been disrupted. Much of the society has been mobilised due to the military response and most sectors of society, including farming and industries, have come to a standstill.
All ports in the Black Sea (including the Azov Sea) have been closed for trade. This conflict is posing serious challenges to health and food security, as well as to the wider economy of Ukraine and beyond.
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WCC deputy general secretary Prof. Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri said she saw a confirmation of what we have been taught before: that churches are usually the first responders to any crisis in the world.
“What I’ve also seen is the people are emphasizing the fact that we belong to the same faith, and we are the same people, so they are looking at the Ukrainians as one of them,” she said. “You see people treating the refugees with so much respect.”
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Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Tuesday inaugurated a new palliative care centre in the Italian town of Passoscuro just outside of Rome.
The new centre is operating under the auspices of the Bambino Gesù children’s hospital, and is currently hosting a number of Ukrainian children who have been forced to flee their homeland due to the war.
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Pope Francis on Friday will consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and Catholic bishops from around the world have already announced they will answer his request for them to join him in the consecration.
March 25 is the feast of the Annunciation, and a solemnity on the Church calendar.
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After a delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) and ACT Alliance visited Hungary, Romania and Ukraine last week, the group came away with reflections on how churches are making a difference in the lives of thousands upon thousands of people fleeing the war.
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For Samira Dajani-Budeiri, the very soil on which she stands in Sheikh Jarrah is sacred. Her home and the ground on which it stands is wrapped in memories of her parents, her neighbors—and her wish to live in peace and dignity.
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Pope Francis used his Sunday blessing and address in Vatican City to say the conflict in Ukraine was an unjustified “senseless massacre” and called on leaders to stop “this repugnant war”.
“The violent aggression against Ukraine is unfortunately not slowing down,” the Pope said to the thousands of people who had gathered in St Peter’s Square.
“It is a senseless massacre where every day slaughters and atrocities are being repeated,” he added.
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