100 days of war

RICHARD A. SOKERKA

June 3 marked the 100th day of the war in Ukraine. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, since Russia’s invasion began on Feb. 24, 4,183 Ukrainian civilians have been killed, of whom 268 are minors. In addition, 5,014 people have been injured, including 427 minors.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that nearly 7 million refugees have fled Ukraine to neighboring countries since the fighting started, and millions more have been displaced from their homes to other parts of Ukraine.

Marking 100 days since Russian forces invaded his country, the Ukrainian Catholic bishop of Kyiv has called for continued prayer.

“During the 100 days of the war, Ukraine and the entire international community underwent a transformation of mutual relations. Ukraine has been seen as a victim of war and at the same time as a partner worth helping,” Bishop Vitaliy Kryvytskyi of the Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr said.

“I also see much love for Ukraine in the Vatican’s actions and in Pope Francis’ prayer for our suffering people. Those who criticize the actions of the Vatican and the attitude of the Holy Father do not listen to his teaching in its entirety, they are only guided by judgments based on sentences often inadvertently torn out of papal teaching,” he said.

On June 4, Pope Francis had a poignant exchange with a young Ukrainian boy who asked him to visit Ukraine “to save all the children who are suffering there now.”

The conversation took place at the Vatican where the Pope met with 160 schoolchildren of various faiths participating in a program called “Treno dei Bambini,” Italian for “Chil­dren’s Train,” an initiative of the Ponti­fical Council for Culture in collaboration with the Italian state railways.

The request for Pope Francis to visit Ukraine came from a young Ukrainian boy named Sachar, who left Ukraine as a refugee and now lives in Rome, according to Vatican Media.

“I do not have a question but a request: Can you come to Ukraine to save all the children who are suffering there now?” the boy asked the Holy Father.

“I am glad that you are here. I think a lot about the children of Ukraine, and for that I have sent some cardinals to help there and to be close to all the people, to the children,” responded the 85-year-old Pope, seated in his wheelchair.

“I would like to go to Ukraine,” he told the boy. “I just have to wait for the moment to do it, you know, because it’s not easy to make a decision that can do more harm than good to the whole world.”

The Pope went on to say that “this coming week I will be receiving representatives of the Ukrainian government, who will come to talk, also to talk about my possible visit there. Let’s see what happens.”

Hopefully, Pope Francis’ health will allow him to be able to go to Ukraine and answer that young boy’s request for him to: save all the children.”

In the meantime, Bishop Kryvytskyi said, “What we need most today is persistent prayer. A prayer that is not just a symbol, but a tool that works miracles. We experience them every day. In connection with the prolonged conflict in eastern Ukraine, it seems that this prayer is weakening. Please, let us not stop praying for Ukraine.”

Until the war ends, all Catholics should heed the bishop’s words and pray unceasingly for all the brave people in the Ukraine so that the young boy’s request “to save all the children” will be answered by our prayers.