Coming Soon: New Full-page
Ceasefire Ad with Pope Francis
The Peace in Ukraine Coalition
(July 20,2023) — In their August-October issue, Sojourners Magazine will publish our full page Peace in Ukraine Coalition ad featuring Pope Francis’ repeated call for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war. (see attached mock-up of the ad below) Please print out the ad, as well as the press release from the Franciscan Action Network, and share these items with your networks and congressional reps.
According to Pew Research, 74% of US adults identify with one religion or another so let’s be sure to reach out to the faith-based community, particularly at this time when the Pope’s peace envoy is meeting with President Biden to discuss peace efforts.
See my letter to signatories to the ad below.
Warm regards,
Marcy Winograd, co-chair, Peace in Ukraine Coalition
Dear Faith-Based Community:
Many thanks to those of you who have signed on to statements in support Pope Francis’ call for a ceasefire in Ukraine, as well as previous statements in support of a Christmas truce.
In August, Sojourners Magazine will publish the Peace in Ukraine Coalition’s full page ad (see attachment) with quotes from Pope Francis and a partial list of signatories. (not enough room for all–but thank you!!!)
Please print out the attached ad and discuss it with your congregations and/or your religious leaders to urge that a ceasefire in Ukraine be the subject of sermons and other communications. If you are a priest, minister, rabbi, imam or other spiritual leader, ask for a meeting with the faith-based liaison at the White House:
ACTION: White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Melissa Rogers, Executive Director. Email: whpartnerships@who.eop.gov
Please also share the Franciscan Action Network’s press release (below), issued as Pope Francis’ Peace Envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi meets with President Biden to discuss humanitarian relief and peace efforts.
Our Peace in Ukraine Coalition ad follows an article published in the Independent Catholic News sharing Pax Christi’s support for the Pope’s ceasefire message.
Marcy Winograd is co-chair of the Peace in Ukraine Coalition
230 Religious Leaders Support Pope Francis’
Call for Diplomacy to End War in Ukraine
The Franciscan Action Network
WASHINGTON, DC (July 18, 2023) — The war in Ukraine continues to deepen the dehumanization of persons and devaluing the sense of being one human family. The U.S. President decided to send cluster munitions to Ukraine, which will extend the killing during and after the war, especially for civilians.
The recent suspension of the grain deal threatens the lives of many others living in areas of poverty. As Archbishop Zuppi, the envoy of Pope Francis, visits Washington DC, more than 230 religious leaders and people of faith have decried this war in a recent letter sent to Congress. They support Pope Francis’ calls for “gestures of humanity” and courageous diplomatic initiatives to end the mass slaughter in Ukraine and cultivate a just peace. The time for peacebuilding is now.
(July 3, 2023) — 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.
May the miracle of peace prevail.
