Ukraine: Catholic Priests Have to Go to War
Zelensky congratulated the bishops and Protestants on Easter and wished Ukraine success in its war against Russia. On the agenda was the issue of priests being drafted into the army.
The following diocesan bishops were present at the meeting: Pavlo Honcharuk, 46 (Kharkov-Zaporozhye), Stanislav Shirokoradiuk, 67 (Odessa-Simferopol), Leon Dubravski, 74 (Kamianets-Podilskyi), Mykola Luchok, 50 (Mukachevo), Vitaly Kryvytskyi, 51 (Kiev-Zhytomyr), Vitaly Skomarovskyi, 60 (Lutsk).
Mgr. Kryvytskyi (Kiev-Zhytomyr) stressed that the mobilisation of parish priests or humanitarian workers would create major problems.
Auxiliary Bishop Oleksandr Yazlovetskyi (Kiev-Zhytomyr), President of Caritas-Spes, stressed that priests will also have to join the fight when the new law on mobilisation comes into force on 18 May.
All religious denominations will be affected, Latin, Greek Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and all clergy, with only exceptions based on age, number of children or state of health. Until now, priests, religious and seminarians were exempt from military service.
The exemption has been lifted for anyone between the ages of 25 and 60 who is not disabled or has fewer than three children.
This law will increase the army by 13,000 soldiers. According to Mgr Yazlovetskyi, this is "not much", but it's a lot compared to "the help they can bring to the population".
He also complained that other categories, such as circus performers, are still excluded from mobilisation.
In addition, military chaplaincy posts for the Catholic Church remain vacant, although some priests asked to become military chaplains at the start of the war.
However, the posts were numerically distributed according to religious denomination, and to become a military chaplain the priests needed a qualification 'recognised' by the regime. Those who have studied at diocesan seminaries don't receive such a recognition.
Picture: Ukrainian Greek Catholic Information Office, #newsUptczyqxfk
