Religious Leaders Support Pope Francis’ Call for Diplomacy to End War in Ukraine
BVM Leadership has joined the Peace in Ukraine Coalition and many religious leaders by signing onto statements in support of Pope Francis’ call for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Support Pope’s Call for Ceasefire & Negotiations to End the War in Ukraine
We, the undersigned, are grateful for Pope Francis’ mission to secure a peaceful resolution to a war that never should have been launched in Ukraine.
IT’S TIME TO STOP THE KILLING AND DEVASTATION IN UKRAINE. CEASEFIRE AND PEACE NEGOTIATIONS NOW.
As people of conscience who value human life, we encourage other religious leaders to support the Pope’s call for a ceasefire and diplomatic resolution to the war in Ukraine. We also ask that these leaders issue a public call among their congregants to also support a ceasefire.
The war in Ukraine has left hundreds of thousands dead or wounded, uprooted millions, contaminated land, air and war and worsened the climate crisis.
The longer the war drags on, the greater the danger of spiraling escalation, which can lead to a wider war, environmental devastation and nuclear annihilation.
Every day this war continues, more lives are lost, more people become refugees, and the closer we risk a wider conflict and even a nuclear confrontation.
We understand how difficult this peace mission is, but as members of a diverse group of faith communities we are well-versed in the language of miracles. Whether it is Moses parting the Red Sea, Jesus feeding the multitudes, prophet Muhammad (PBOH) sharing the revelations of the Quran or Buddha performing the Miracle at Shravasti, ancient faith traditions draw on works of wonder. The supernatural phenomena in ancient texts inspires us to embrace our convictions that radical devotion to human life can bring miracles, even in the most challenging situations.
Indeed, as the 86-year-old leader of the world’s smallest country, Pope Francis, models diplomatic efforts urgently needed to end this war before it escalates further. The Pope helped mediate successful prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Vatican City to request Zelensky meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Pope appointed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi as a peace envoy, and met with leaders of countries that can influence Russia.
As the Pope said, “whatever is built on rubble can never be a true victory … “Let us not get used to conflict and violence. Let us not get used to war.”
As people of conscience, committed to peace and reconciliation, we join in Pope Francis’ message to “appeal to those in authority over nations to make concrete efforts to end the conflict, to reach a ceasefire and to start peace negotiations.”
Again, we urge you to talk about the Pope’s ceasefire call in your sermons and other communications within your religious congregation. The fate of the world rests on all of our shoulders.
- Simon Mary A. Aihiokhai, Ph.D., Professor of Theology, University of Portland
- Zainab Al-Suwaij, American Islamic Congress, Co-founder and Executive Director
- Dr. Ansel Augustine, Director, Office of Black Catholic Ministries, Archdiocese of New Orleans
- Joyce Ajiouny, General Secretary, American Friends Service Committee
- Fr. Benedict Ayodi, Franciscans International John Bach, Quaker Chaplain, Harvard University
- Michael Baxter, Ph.D., Director of Catholic Studies, Regis University Bridget Bearss, RSCJ,
- Leadership Conference of Women Religious
- Fr. Robert Bossie, SCJ
Sr. Danielle Bonetti, CSJ, Coordinator of Justice Ministry
Sr. Kathy Brazda, CSJ, President
Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Executive Director, Religions for Peace USA
Kenneth Butigan, Ph.D., Professor of Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies, DePaul University
Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director, Churches for a Middle East Peace
Br. Kevin Cawley, Deignan Institute for Earth and Spirit at Iona University
Sr. Genevieve Cassani, School Sisters of Notre Dame
Sr. Janice Cebula, President, Sisters of St. Francis, Clinton, IA
Shane Claiborne, Co-Founder of Red Letter Christians
Sarah Clarke, Director & UN Representative, Quaker United Nations Office, NY
Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn
Fr. John Dear, Nobel Peace Prize nominee
Marie Dennis, Senior Advisor, Pax Christi International Rohan Dominic, Claretians at the UN
Sr. Laura Donovan, President, Sisters of the Divine Compassion
Michele Dunne OFS, Executive Director, Franciscan Action Network
Fr. John Lewis Eagle
Sr. Mary Flick, CSJ, Justice Coordinator, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis Ariel Gold, Executive Director, Fellowship of Reconciliation
Fr. John Lewis Heagle
Sr. Frances Katherine Homes
Sr. Teresa R. Hougnon, President, Maryknoll Sisters
Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellermann, United Methodist Church
Rev. Fred Kammer, SJ, Loyola University, New Orleans
Sr. LaDonna Manternach, BVM, President
Anne McCarthy, OSB, Benedictines for Peace
Eli McCarthy, Ph.D., Georgetown University
Sr. Joellen McCarthy, BVM
Martha Inés Romero Medina, Secretary General, Pax Christi International
Bridget Moix, General Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation
Dan Moriarty, Program Coordinator, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Rev. Robert Moore, Coalition for Peace Action
Sr. Maryann Mueller, Felician Franciscan Sisters of North America
Rev. Joseph E. Mulligan, S.J.
Michael Neuroth, Director of the Washington Office, United Church of Christ
David J O’Brien, Professor Emeritus, College of the Holy Cross
Sr. Mary Catherine Rabbitt SL, Loretto Community
Sr. Jeanne Ronzani SHCJ, Provincial Leadership Team
Sr. Cynthia Sabathier, CSJ
Maria Santelli, Executive Director, Center on Conscience and War
Clare Schaeffer-Duffy, Catholic Worker House
Sr. Linda Scheckelhoff, Tiffin Franciscans
Mark Schroeder OFM, Franciscans for Justice
Friar Patrick Sieber, Holy Name Province
Jean Stokan, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team Bishop
John Stowe, OFM, Diocese of Lexington
Joshua R Snyder, Director of Faith, Peace, and Justice at Boston College
Sr. Evelyn Thompson, SHCJ
Carmela Trujillo O.S.F., Co-Chair Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation
Rev. James Allen VanderWeele, Community Church Unitarian Universalist, New Orleans
Rev. Dr. Joseph Varghese (Orthodox), Institute for Religious Freedom and Tolerance, Executive Director
Rabbi Elyse Wechterman, Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association, CEO
Mary T. Yelenick, Main UN-NGO Representative for Pax Christi International
Sr. Maryanne Zakreski
Johnny Zokovitch, Executive Director, Pax Christi, USA
Additional Signers:
Jim Albertini, Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace Jacqueline Allen, Hartford Catholic Worker
Sr. Judi Angst, Rochester Franciscans John Dennis Apel
Mary Beth Appel
Catherine Artale
Johanna Berrigan, Catholic Worker Magret Bonin
Rev. Bernard Bonnot Kathy Bradley
Sr. Barbara Mary Breaud Brandywine Peace Community Beth Brockman, Spiritual Director Karen Burke
Rev. Harry Joseph Bury Irmgard Busemann Rev. Jennifer Butler Jeremiah Cahill
Jean Carr Susan Cedrone
James Claffey, UN Representative
Sr. Mary Clardy, OFS, Council member Joseph Clementi
Mark Colville, Catholic Worker
Tom Cordaro, Pax Christi, USA Ambassador of Peace
Frank Cordaro, Des Moines Catholic Worker
Faith Cosky
Bernadette Cronin-Geller
Rev. Robert A Cushing Lynn Cummings
Stephen E DeVol, Dayton Catholic Worker
Margaret Doherty
Sr. Ramona Dombrowski, Felician Sisters
Anthony Donovan, Co-Founder of the East Village Local Faith Communities
Christopher J Doucot, Hartford Catholic Worker
Shelley M Douglass Sr. Diane Dube RSM
Sr. Ann Durst, SHCJ
Dr. Matthias-W. Engelke
Ched Myers & Elaine Enns, Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries
Margaret Fitzpatrick
Sr. Lilianne Flavin
Sr. Margie Fort, CSJP, Leadership Team
Toni Kathleen Flynn
Catherine Clubb Foley, Pax Christi-Houston
Moira Frawley, OSF
Frank Fromherz Sr. Eileen Gannon
Sr. Patricia Gardner, Co-Director of JPIC, Sisters of St. Francis, OH
Sr. Julie Grote
Adam Hirsch, Clerk of Quaker Meeting, Madison
Rev. Eric Garbison
Karen Gargamelli-McCreight, Benin Casa Community
Sr. Sheena Georgek
Jack Gilroy, NY Peace Action
Santiago Francisco Masferrer Gonzalez, Latin American Cultural Association
Philomena Grimley, Society of the Holy Child Jesus
Susanna Maria Gonzalez Francine Andrea Gunther
Michael Harank RN
Sr. Maureen Harris, Sisters of St Francis
William J Hartman, Organizer
Judith Heffernan, M.Div.
Martha Hennessy, Catholic Worker
Sr. Frances Katharine Holmstrom
Sr. Barbara Ann Hughes, CSJ
Mary E. Hunt, Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual Isabelle
Izika, UN Representative
Edwin M. John
Jane H Kavaloski
Susan Kettell
Sr. Marcella Kiesel, Franciscan Sisters of Stella, NY
Birke Kleinwaechter
Madeline Labriola, Pax Christi USA National Council Member
Art Laffin, Catholic Worker, DC
Michelle Loisel, Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul
Sister M. Elizabeth Loomis
Joan M Johnson
Ellen R. Judd, CFSC
Ed Juillard
Cecelia Lavan, Justice Promoter, Dominican Sisters
Terence Lover, Franciscan Justice Circles
Madelyn MacKay
Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge
Tom Malthaner, Catholic Worker, NY
Ursula Mathern
Scott Mathern-Jacobson
Frank McCann, CSJP-A
Stephen J. Mcgeady, Sacred Heart Peace Community
Mary C. McGovern
Mike Merryman-Lotze, American Friends Service Committee
Norbert Mette, Professor of Catholic Practical
Theology Jason Miller
Mary Alice Minogue
Susan V Monroe
Rev. Terrence Moran
Patrick J. Mulligan
Karherine Murphy, Teacher of Ethics and Social Justice, Gonzaga High School
Margaret Mwarili, UN Representative
Joanne Oleksiak, Quaker
Sr. Maria Orlandini, Director of Advocacy, Franciscan Action Network
Augie Pacetti, Saint Ignatius High School, OH
Janet Palafox, Institute of Blessed Virgin Mary
Sabine Pfeiffer, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Sr. Margaret Phelan, RSCJ
Martin Pilgram, Chair of Pax Christi Munich, Germany
Sr. Rita Rosaline Pinto
Francesca Po
Sr. Marguerite Polcyn, Sisters of St. Francis Jane Pulkkinen
Bill Quigley, Loyola University, New Orleans
Sr. Betty Reinders, School Sisters of St. Francis
Rosalie G. Riegle
Eileen Marie Ripsin
Dr. Karin Ritter-Pichl, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Frances Elaine Riudabush
Wiltrud Roesch-Metzler, Pax Christi
Gene Roman
Margaret Rogers
Dale Rose
Phillip M. Runkel
Sr. Jean Rupertus
Joseph Sannino, M.Div.
Helen F. Scanlon
Jennifer Schelter
Torsten Schleip
John Schuchardt, House of Peace
Mark Scibilia-Carver
Stefan Silber, Professor of Catholic Theology, Germany
Daniel Sicken
Janice Sevre-Duszynska
Barbara Sheehan, Catholic Peace Fellowship of Philadelphia
Christine Silvestri
Carol Ann Smith
Robert M. Smith
Pam Stout, OFS, Secular Franciscans
Sr. Nancy Surma, OSF
Fr. Bernard Survil
Brian Terrell, Catholic Worker Farm Jennifer Thomas
Sr. Sheila Marie Tobbe, Ursuline Sisters, OH
Fumiaki Tosu, Catholic Worker
Rev. Jalani Akeem Traxler
Annelle Velivis, Felician Sisters
Marlene Weisenbeck, Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration
Patricia Paki Wieland
Hartmut Wihstutz
Angelika Wilmen, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War
Michael Wisniewski, Los Angeles Catholic Worker
Bernadette Wisniewski, Los Angeles Catholic Worker
Scott Wright, Ambassador of Peace, Pax Christi
Brad Wolf Gail Worcelo
Rev. John Zachritz