.- Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia called on Catholics to pray for the Church in Ukraine during the country’s recent crisis and to support U.S. restrictions on its political and business leaders.
“Silence from the United States encourages oppression in Ukraine. We can’t let that happen, again, to fellow believers who bore so much suffering for so many decades,” Archbishop Chaput said Jan. 30.
The archbishop said that conditions in Ukraine had improved after the fall of Communism. However, the country’s leaders, beginning in late 2013 “cracked down heavily on demonstrations and dissent, killing some protesters and arresting hundreds of others.”
“Christians in Ukraine – Catholics, Orthodox and others – have not been silent. The Church’s people and leaders have played a major role in denouncing government violence, political repression and corruption,” he said.
“Ukrainian Catholic clergy have given vital pastoral care to those demonstrating for human rights and democratic principles. And they’ve been targeted by the government for doing so.”
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Archbishop urges prayer for targeted Ukraine Christians :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)