Pope Condemns Putin’s “Perverse Abuse Of Power”

The Associated Press reports:

Pope Francis on Friday denounced the “perverse abuse of power” on display in Russia’s war in Ukraine and called for aid to Ukrainians who he said had been attacked in their “identity, history and tradition” and were “defending their land.”

Francis’ comments, in a message to a gathering of European Catholic representatives, marked some of his strongest yet in asserting Ukraine’s right to exist as a sovereign state and to defend itself against Russia’s invasion.

It came just days after Francis told the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, that the concept of a “just war” was obsolete since wars are never justifiable and that pastors must preach peace, not politics.

Read the full article.

Pope Francis asserts Ukraine’s right to defense in denouncing Russia’s invasion (from @AP) https://t.co/2R3hoxGEmi

— David Crary (@CraryAP) March 18, 2022