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Ukraine's Catholic Archbishop says 'No Choice' but Dialogue with Russia
Crux ^

Posted on 06/14/2018 8:43:09 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege

Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuck, leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has emphasized the importance of dialogue and forgiveness between the parties at war for the future of Ukraine. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has cost more than 10,000 lives since 2014.

"There is no official dialogue among the different Orthodox churches, and there is no official dialogue between Catholic churches and our Orthodox brothers,” Shevchuck said, adding that this is a cause for “regret.”

Shevchuck made his remarks after a closed-door roundtable discussion on religious freedom with Vatican officials and diplomats at the U.S. embassy to the Holy See in Rome on Wednesday. The event was hosted by U.S. Ambassador Callista Gingrich.

The meeting took place ahead of the U.S. government’s first-ever “Ministerial,” which will happen in Washington July 25 -26, aimed at advancing religious freedom. It will be presented by Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State.

In her speech, Gingrich didn’t pull punches: “Today, Russia ranks among the worst violators of religious freedom and human rights. There is no sign that its persecution of religious minorities and foreign missionaries is coming to an end."

The ambassador said that regions in Ukraine occupied by Russia are suffering “a deterioration of human rights and religious freedom,” and that religious minorities - including Catholics, Jews and Orthodox denominations - are subject to “beatings, detention and kidnapping.”

Despite its divisions, religion remains a powerful force in Ukraine. Quoting the country’s president, Ambassador Tetyana Yizhevska, said that “there are two things in which Ukrainians believe in the most - the army and Church. The army protects our soil, our language protects our heart, and our Church protects our soul."

But it won’t be politics, diplomats or the army to bring peace to Ukraine, Shevchuck said, but God alone.

(Excerpt) Read more at cruxnow.com ...


TOPICS: History; Religion
KEYWORDS: gingrich; russia; ukraine; vatican

1 posted on 06/14/2018 8:43:09 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
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To: CondoleezzaProtege

Shevchuck is a false prophet, neo-Nazi apologist. Russians will not talk with him at all.


2 posted on 07/15/2018 2:35:24 PM PDT by Lukasz
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