Mgr Keith Newton at the Tenth Anniversary Mass, 9 November 2019; Photo © Mazur/CBCEW

Statement by The Right Reverend Mgr Keith Newton, Ordinary of The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, on the situation in Ukraine

In the face of the terrible violence being carried out in Ukraine as a result of the Russian invasion, and in response to the pleas of Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham joins the Holy Father in prayer for the people of the Ukraine and all those caught up in the fighting.

We stand with the Archbishop, and the people of the Ukraine in closeness to the country’s “wounded population”. The invasion of a country, with a democratically elected government, is a matter of deep sorrow, and contrary to all the norms of international relations. Our prayer is for the violence to stop and the invading troops to withdraw.

The Holy Father has requested that we all keep Ash Wednesday, 2 March 2022, as a day of prayer and fasting, especially for the people of Ukraine. He said: “I encourage believers in a special way to dedicate themselves intensely to prayer and fasting on that day. May the Queen of Peace preserve the world from the madness of war.”

We encourage all Christians to pray for an end to this terrible situation and for the brave people of Ukraine.