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Ukraine President Zelenskyy Says He’s Ready to Accept Neutral Non-Nuclear Status

Currents News Staff

As Russia intensifies missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in the west and the east, heavy fighting also continues in the south, where the mayor of the port city of Mariupol has called for a complete evacuation of the remaining population.

A weeks-long siege by Russian forces has flattened the city, leaving an unknown number of civilians dead and forcing hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

Intense fighting also continues in the suburbs of Kyiv as Russian forces attempt to establish a corridor around the capital to block supply routes, according to a Ukrainian defense official.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he’s ready to accept a neutral, non-nuclear status as part of a peace deal with Russia, but any agreement would have to put Ukrainian people in a referendum.

“This was the first point of principle for the Russian Federation, as I recall, and as far as I remember, they started the war because of this,” said Zelensky.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden triggered a political storm after going off-script during a speech in Poland.

“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,” President Biden said.

White House officials and Biden himself are trying to downplay the remarks saying he was really arguing that Vladimir Putin can’t be allowed to exercise his power over neighboring countries.

Cardinal Krajewski to Take Ambulance Blessed by Pope Francis to Ukraine

Currents News Staff

The Head of the Office of Papal Charities, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, is returning to Ukraine, but he’s not going empty-handed. This time, he is going with an ambulance that Pope Francis is donating to the city of Lviv, and which he personally blessed.

Cardinal Krajewski was in Fatima on Friday afternoon March 25, as the pontiff’s envoy to join in consecrating Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary from Portugal.

By Saturday morning, he was back in Rome and ready to make his second trip to Ukraine on the Holy Father’s behalf.

Catholic News Headlines for Friday, 3/25/22

Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan called today’s consecration “a big deal” – saying nothing is impossible for God.

While the consecration was taking place, President Joseph Biden touched down in Poland and got a first-hand look at the refugee crisis.

 

 

 

NATO Holds Emergeny Summit as Leaders Announce New Russian Sanctions

Currents News

President Biden’s visit comes right after he wrapped up a summit with NATO leaders. World leaders unveiled their next phase to hit back at Moscow. Fresh sanctions are on the way as they aim to tighten the economic prowl on the Kremlin forces.

The NATO allies are also sending Ukraine new military assistance. On Europe’s eastern flank, NATO plans to bolster its own defense.

During the summit, President Biden announced that the U.S. will give an additional $1 billion dollars in humanitarian aid and open the U.S. border to refugees.

Ukraine’s president was thankful for the help, but also said he needed far more from the Western allies.

“One percent of all your planes,” said Volodymr Zelenskyy, “one percent of all your tanks.”

Bishop Brennan Joins Pope Francis In Worldwide Consecration of Russia and Ukraine

Calls Worldwide Prayer ‘Remarkable’ Moment for Catholic Church

By Currents News Staff and Paula Katinas

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Darryl Bolisay normally attends Mass at St. Fidelis in College Point, Queens, but he made a special trip to the Cathedral Basilica of St. James in Downtown Brooklyn on Friday morning because he wanted to be a part of history.

Bishop Robert Brennan came to the cathedral to consecrate Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In doing so, he was heeding a call from Pope Francis to perform the consecration in the hope of bringing peace to the two warring nations.

Bolisay wanted to be there to witness the consecration. 

“It’s historic,” he said. “I feel that we will see God’s blessing visit down on us today.” 

Bolisay said the fact that Catholics around the world were pausing on the same day, many in the same hour, to pray for peace sent a powerful signal.

The Holy Father asked the world’s Catholic bishops to join him in consecrating Russia and Ukraine and set the date for the Act of Consecration for Friday, March 25.

In the Catholic Church, to consecrate something is to make it sacred or holy. In the case of the consecration of Ukraine and Russia, the Church is appealing to God, through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, to answer prayers for an end to the war in Ukraine.

Bishop Brennan performed the consecration at precisely noon, the exact time the pope was doing the same at the Vatican. 

He marveled at the sense of unity Catholics were feeling. 

“It’s pretty remarkable when you think about it,” he said after the Mass. “I think it’s a brilliant stroke on Pope Francis’s part — the whole world joining in at this particular moment. At this moment, all around the world, Catholics are united in a single prayer, a single intention.”

Bishop Brennan performed the consecration after leading a Holy Hour of Prayer for Peace. The consecration, which began, “Oh Mary, Mother of God, and our mother, in this time of trial we turn to you,” also included the passage, “Queen of Heaven, restore God’s peace to the world.”

The consecration took place as war continues to rage in Ukraine.

“I hope that hearts and minds will indeed be converted,” Bishop Brennan said. “We’d like to see an end to the violence and the aggression. I’d love to see that happen pretty quickly.”

The Russian invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24. The invasion has upended the lives of millions. Approximately 3.7 million people have fled the country since the start of the war and 6.5 million people who remained in Ukraine have been displaced from their homes. 

According to NATO officials, between 7,000 and 15,000 Russian troops have been killed. So far, Ukraine has not released much information on its military losses, but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated that approximately 1,300 of his country’s troops have been killed.

Friday’s event also gave Catholics the opportunity to consecrate their own lives to God, according to Bishop Brennan, who invoked St. Francis of Assisi.

“A very big part of our Catholic spirituality is that when we pray for peace, we become instruments of God’s peace,” he said. “That has a concrete effect.”