Tag: Pope Leo

For Ukraine

‘I invite everyone to join in prayer for the embattled people of Ukraine
and for all those who suffer due to this war,
that the long-awaited gift of peace may shine upon our days.’  
[Pope Leo]

“So many victims, so many lives and families shattered, such immense destruction, such unspeakable suffering!
Every war is truly a wound inflicted upon the entire human family;
it leaves in its wake death, devastation and a trail of pain that marks generations.
Peace cannot be postponed.
It is an urgent necessity that must find a home in our hearts and be translated into responsible decisions.”

Pope Leo

Almighty and Great God,

Accept our gratitude for your boundless mercy towards us.
Hear the supplication of our afflicted hearts for the land and people of Ukraine,
as they confront foreign aggression and invasion.
Open the eyes of those who have been overtaken by a spirit of deception and violence,
that they be horrified by their works. Grant victory over the powers of evil that have arisen
and bless Ukraine with your gifts of liberty, peace, tranquility, and good fortune.

We implore you, O Merciful God, look with grace upon those who courageously defend their land.
Remember the mothers and fathers, the innocent children, widows and orphans,the disabled and helpless,
those seeking shelter and refuge, who reach out to you and to their fellow human beings
looking for mercy and compassion.
Bless the hearts of those who have already shown great generosity and solidarity,
and those who prepare to receive their Ukrainian brothers and sisters in Ukraine’s greatest time of need.

Bring us together as your children, your creation, and instil in us your strength,
wisdom and understanding.
May you be praised and glorified, now and forever, and to the ages of ages.

Amen

[Diocese of Blackburn]

The Lord’s Prayer in Ukrainian (Cyrillic)

Отче наш, що єси на небесах,
Нехай святиться Ім’я Твоє.
Хай прийде Царство Твоє,
нехай буде воля Твоя
Як на небі, так і на землі.
Хліб наш насущний дай нам сьогодні.
І прости нам провини наші,
як і ми прощаємо винуватцям нашим.
І не введи нас у спокусу,
але визволи нас від лукавого.
Бо Твоє є Царство, і сила, і слава навіки.
Амінь. 

Transliteration (Pronunciation)

Otche nash, shcho yesy na nebesakh,
Nekhay svyatytʹsya Im’ya Tvoye.
Khay pryyde Tsarstvo Tvoye,
nekhay bude volya Tvoya
Yak na nebi, tak i na zemli.
Khlib nash nasushchnyy day nam sʹohodni.
I prosty nam provyny nashi, yak i my proshchayemo vynuvattsyam nashym.
I ne vvedy nas u spokusu,
ale vyzvoly nas vid lukavoho.
Bo Tvoye ye Tsarstvo, i syla, i slava naviky.
Aminʹ. 

Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.

Господи, помилуй. Господи, помилуй. Господи, помилуй.

Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy

Year of Saint Francis

St. Francis Window, Transfiguration Chapel @ the Parish Church
of St. John the Baptist, Epping. Design picture by Piers Northam.

Pope Leo has proclaimed, this week, a year of Jubilee for Saint Francis to commemorate
the 800th anniversary of his death.The year will run from now until January 10th, 2027.
The Pope encourages the faithful to use this time to follow the example of St. Francis as
models of holiness and witnesses of peace.

Here is a poem I wrote in 2023 about St. Francis.

Dearest Francis,
You were led from your raucousness and debauchery.
As leader of the pack
they gathered around you, your followers,
attracted by a charisma that lit up their lives.
Of course, your pockets held the wealth
which made living as free spirits so easy.
You took it all for granted.
The centre of your life was within you,
focusing on that self which has ruined so many.

But another Charisma sought your energy.
Different followers waited to be your disciples.
Different values, to be ripened by true joy.
Perplexed, perhaps that you were losing direction,
uncertainty gripped that carefree heart
and nothing satisfied.

From the centre of things, you were called to the margins,
where your destiny would discover you.
Kneeling, questioningly, in the dereliction of Damiano’s chapel,
You were led to examine your own crumbling life.
In the midst of your despair, Jesus spoke to you,

“Francis, rebuild my Church.”

At first, a physical task,
drawing others to your side as only you could,
but there was so much more to come.
You did not always get it right. None of us do.
That is why God comes among us often,
casting his grace over us, like rose petals at a wedding.

It is said that, near death, Jesus gifted you with stigmata,  
scars, wounds of Christ, as marks on your own body.
But you had received these on your heart long ago,
when you walked as a companion of Jesus.
The Way of the Cross gave you Stations of prayer
by which you were able to shepherd poor, unloved,
uncared for humanity; vulnerable animals;
dancing birds, whose capricious flight was a sign of God’s joy.
And you did not forget the rich,
who more than most need to walk with you, into heaven.

[Mr G. revised January 2026]

Humanity Cries Out!

Pope Leo XIV: ‘Humanity cries out and pleads for peace’

Pope Leo XIV appealed for an end to the tragedy of war, especially in the Middle East, and recalls that war only amplifies problems and creates deep wounds without providing lasting solutions.
“Alarming news continues to arrive from the Middle East, especially from Iran,” said Pope Leo on Sunday at the Angelus address.
The Holy Father’s words came just hours after US bombers struck nuclear sites in Iran, as Israel and Iran carry out strikes on each other’s territory.
“In this dramatic scenario, which includes Israel and Palestine,” continued the Pope, “the daily suffering of the population—especially in Gaza and other territories—risks being forgotten, even as the need for adequate humanitarian aid becomes ever more urgent.”
“Today more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace,” he said.
The Pope said the cry for peace “demands responsibility and reason and must not be drowned out by the roar of weapons or by rhetorical words that incite conflict.”
Pope Leo urged every member of the international community to take up their moral responsibility to “stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss.”
When human dignity is at stake, he said, no conflict is distant.
“War does not solve problems,” noted the Pope. “On the contrary, it amplifies them and causes deep wounds in the history of peoples—wounds that take generations to heal. No military victory can ever compensate for a mother’s pain, a child’s fear, or a stolen future.”
In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV expressed his hope for the din of arms to fall silent.
“Let diplomacy silence the weapons!” he said. “Let nations shape their future with works of peace, not through violence and bloody conflicts!”

[Devin Watkins. Vatican News]

{Mr G 23rd June 2025}