Catholic News

The Most Reverend John Wilson spoke passionately to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic community in the UK about the disastrous consequences that war has brought to Ukraine.

The Archbishop of Southwark was invited to preach at the Divine Liturgy at the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in central London on Sunday 27 February.

He spoke to us afterwards:

"The gospel today in the Ukrainian liturgy is the gospel of the Last Judgment. Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do it to me, said the Lord Jesus. We must hear these words. They must cut into our hearts.

"They're not just words for Christians, they're words for any decent person, that what we're doing to others, we're doing to Christ. We are misusing the gifts that we have to build up for peace by destroying through war. And so this must cease.

"This is the message of Christ, this is the message of every right thinking person - every right thinking nation. We must say no to war, we must say yes to peace and we must pray. We can feel powerless when we look on. We can give material support. We need to do that individually and as nations and governments, but as believers, as disciples of Christ. We must pray."

In a pastoral letter to the Catholic faithful of his diocese, Plymouth, Bishop Mark O'Toole has urged the community to pick up the spiritual weapons of prayer, fasting and almsgiving this Lent for the people of Ukraine.

This follows Pope Francis’ call to observe Ash Wednesday, 2 March, as a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace.

“We all feel somewhat impotent,” said the Chair of the Department of Evangelisation and Discipleship at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales in a Pastoral Message being sent to parishes in the Diocese of Plymouth today. The disciplines of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving “have a particular focus for us,” he said, “as we link these spiritual weapons to the reality of what we are living through in Europe at this time.“

In a pastoral letter to the Catholic faithful of his diocese, Plymouth, Bishop Mark O'Toole has urged the community to pick up the spiritual weapons of prayer, fasting and almsgiving this Lent for the people of Ukraine.

This follows Pope Francis’ call to observe Ash Wednesday, 2 March, as a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace.

“We all feel somewhat impotent,” said the Chair of the Department of Evangelisation and Discipleship at the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales in a Pastoral Message being sent to parishes in the Diocese of Plymouth today. The disciplines of Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving “have a particular focus for us,” he said, “as we link these spiritual weapons to the reality of what we are living through in Europe at this time.“

Speaking at a Mass in Brixton, South London, a week before Racial Justice Sunday, Archbishop John Wilson has talked about how important it is we use the occasion to affirm the dignity and place of every person in the life of the Church.

Stating explicitly that there is no place in the Church for racism and racial injustice, the Archbishop of Southwark said:

"One of the challenges for us is to think not just about the 'heart' in this question of appreciating people of different cultures and nationalities, but also to think about the 'mind'. In a sense, we could say, 'yeah, we've got to love everyone.' I mean, that's true. It comes from the Gospel. It's the commandment of the Lord Jesus. But we also need not just to broaden our hearts, to love, but we need to broaden our minds to understand and to recognise that in the cultures of others, in the languages and traditions of others, there is something enormously enriching for the whole of the world.

"What none of us should do, I think, is live with a very narrow focus, that the world is about 'me' and where I live, my town, my country - it's not - the world is about all of us. We should actually broaden our minds through education, to learn about different traditions."

Racial Justice Sunday is celebrated in parishes throughout England and Wales on Sunday 13 February 2022.

Speaking at a Mass in Brixton, South London, a week before Racial Justice Sunday, Archbishop John Wilson has talked about how important it is we use the occasion to affirm the dignity and place of every person in the life of the Church.

Stating explicitly that there is no place in the Church for racism and racial injustice, the Archbishop of Southwark said:

"One of the challenges for us is to think not just about the 'heart' in this question of appreciating people of different cultures and nationalities, but also to think about the 'mind'. In a sense, we could say, 'yeah, we've got to love everyone.' I mean, that's true. It comes from the Gospel. It's the commandment of the Lord Jesus. But we also need not just to broaden our hearts, to love, but we need to broaden our minds to understand and to recognise that in the cultures of others, in the languages and traditions of others, there is something enormously enriching for the whole of the world.

"What none of us should do, I think, is live with a very narrow focus, that the world is about 'me' and where I live, my town, my country - it's not - the world is about all of us. We should actually broaden our minds through education, to learn about different traditions."

Racial Justice Sunday is celebrated in parishes throughout England and Wales on Sunday 13 February 2022.

Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer for peace in Ukraine as the threat of Russian troops invading the Eastern European country continues to rise.

Catholics around the world will join in prayer on Wednesday, 26 January.

The Right Reverend Kenneth Nowakowski is the Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London.

We spoke to Bishop Nowakowski about the alarming situation in Ukraine, the various prayer initiatives and live streams, the history, how we can respond in England and Wales and the long-term pathway to peace.

“We can pray along with the Ukrainian people and people of goodwill throughout the world for peace because it will not only be Ukrainians or Ukrainian citizens who will suffer in this, it’ll also be Russian citizens whose fathers, brothers, husbands will be involved in the fighting and will also be suffering…

“Any form of peace starts at home, in your own heart, in the community that you live in. If we live in a country of peace, if we live in a community of peace, if we live in our homes in peaceful ways, this will affect the way the world also lives. So I think the first thing is to make sure that we are a peaceful people, a peace-loving people, a people that know how to cooperate with each other, that respect each other – that is an example for the world.”

Pope Francis has called for a day of prayer for peace in Ukraine as the threat of Russian troops invading the Eastern European country continues to rise.

Catholics around the world will join in prayer on Wednesday, 26 January.

The Right Reverend Kenneth Nowakowski is the Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London.

We spoke to Bishop Nowakowski about the alarming situation in Ukraine, the various prayer initiatives and live streams, the history, how we can respond in England and Wales and the long-term pathway to peace.

“We can pray along with the Ukrainian people and people of goodwill throughout the world for peace because it will not only be Ukrainians or Ukrainian citizens who will suffer in this, it’ll also be Russian citizens whose fathers, brothers, husbands will be involved in the fighting and will also be suffering…

“Any form of peace starts at home, in your own heart, in the community that you live in. If we live in a country of peace, if we live in a community of peace, if we live in our homes in peaceful ways, this will affect the way the world also lives. So I think the first thing is to make sure that we are a peaceful people, a peace-loving people, a people that know how to cooperate with each other, that respect each other – that is an example for the world.”

Providing a hot meal and friendly conversation is an act that sits well with those of a Franciscan persuasion. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal are known for embedding themselves alongside the poor, the homeless and the destitute.

Saint Fidelis Friary, in Canning Town, London, was established in 2000. As part of their work of ‘making all things new in Christ’, the friars provide material and spiritual care to those in need at Friar Benet’s Kitchen.

Listen to Father Christopher McBride CFR and, ‘Clare’, one of the soup kitchen’s volunteers, talk about this vital ministry of service and support.

Providing a hot meal and friendly conversation is an act that sits well with those of a Franciscan persuasion. The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal are known for embedding themselves alongside the poor, the homeless and the destitute.

Saint Fidelis Friary, in Canning Town, London, was established in 2000. As part of their work of ‘making all things new in Christ’, the friars provide material and spiritual care to those in need at Friar Benet’s Kitchen.

Listen to Father Christopher McBride CFR and, ‘Clare’, one of the soup kitchen’s volunteers, talk about this vital ministry of service and support.

Pope Francis has given BBC Radio 4 his ‘Thought for the Day’ reflection focussing on the environment and climate change ahead of the COP26 UN climate summit.

Used with kind permission of BBC Radio 4.