Eight Bishops from England and Wales, representing the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, have written to UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss to welcome the government’s “resolute defence of Ukraine’s sovereignty and opposition to Russia’s invasion.”
Stressing how important the Ukrainian Greek Catholic community is to the Church in England and Wales, the Bishops, including Ukrainian Eparch Kenneth Nowakowski, assert the importance of providing humanitarian assistance especially the need to offer “sanctuary to people who are forced to flee their homes.”
The Bishops, all members of the Bishops’ Conference International Affairs department, assure the Foreign Secretary that their prayers are with “those seeking to end this conflict through peaceful means, including dialogue and negotiation, which can be the only way forward.”
“We are deeply aware of the danger that, without a swift and peaceful resolution, violence will only spread further, becoming a threat to the wider continent, and compounding the suffering already being experienced by Ukraine’s people.”
Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH
25 February 2022
Dear Foreign Secretary,
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales joins with the Church across Europe in calling for the international community to act together, and with determination, to put an immediate end to Russia’s war against Ukraine and to do everything possible to protect innocent men, women, and children.
The Ukrainian Catholic community is an important part of the Church in England and Wales. Many have family members and friends in Ukraine, who have suffered from Russia’s illegal military actions since 2014 and now face a catastrophic escalation of violence.
Our country has a clear moral duty to support Ukraine’s people. We welcome the UK Government’s resolute defence of Ukrainian sovereignty and opposition to Russia’s invasion.
As this crisis worsens, it is essential that we also provide humanitarian assistance and offer sanctuary to people who are forced to flee their homes.
We are deeply aware of the danger that, without a swift and peaceful resolution, violence will only spread further, becoming a threat to the wider continent, and compounding the suffering already being experienced by Ukraine’s people.
His Beatitude, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, reminds us that: “the world cannot develop and find answers for the challenges of today by resorting to might and violence, by showing disdain for shared human values and the truth of the Gospel.”
Please be assured that our prayers are with you, your colleagues, and all those seeking to end this conflict through peaceful means, including dialogue and negotiation, which can be the only way forward.
Yours sincerely,
Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski
Eparchial Bishop
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the UK
Bishop Declan Lang
Chair
Department for International Affairs
Bishop Nicholas Hudson
Lead Bishop for Europe
Bishop William Kenney CP
Lead Bishop for Conflict and Peacebuilding
Bishop Paul McAleenan
Lead Bishop for Migrants and Refugees
Bishop Tom Neylon
Department for International Affairs
Bishop John Arnold
Department for International Affairs
Bishop Paul Swarbrick
Department for International Affairs
