Cardinal Radcliffe: In times of war, Christians are called to be people of hope

Dominican Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe is visiting war-torn Ukraine in order to express his support and solidarity to the local Church, and the communities of the Order of Preachers.

He arrived in the capital, Kyiv, on February 27, where he met the Bishop Vitalii Kryvytskyi of Kyiv-Zhytomyr, and visited a makeshift memorial for soldiers who have died during the war. He then preached a retreat from February 28 to March 1, and will spend the rest of his two-week trip visiting his Dominican brothers.

In an interview with Vatican News, he reflected on the first days of his journey and the need for Christians to pray and hold onto hope in the face of the uncertainty and suffering that comes with war.

I am extremely happy to be here in Ukraine—a country I first visited thirty years ago. I came at the invitation of my brothers and gladly accepted it. Whenever I visit a country where there is suffering, I always learn something. So I have come above all to be with my brothers and sisters, but also because I am convinced that they have much to teach me.