grow the pessimism In the catholic church. The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 67, spoke by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was in Turkey on Thursday in negotiations with his Ukrainian counterpart. The prelate’s conclusion was bitter: “I am very concerned about what is happening. Now it is a war to all field”.
Cardinal Parolin, Pope’s number two in the hierarchy of the Roman Curia o Francis’ “prime minister”granted an interview to the newspaper “Il Messaggero” to explain why the Catholic Church finds no reason for optimism.
“An opening of all is necessary, only if there is a willingness to try and find agreements. If everyone becomes strong in their positions there’s nothing to do and the war will be more and more bloody”, he explained to Franca Giansoldati, the Vaticanist of the Roman newspaper.
“If each one becomes strong in their positions there is nothing to do and the war will be increasingly bloody”
Pietro Parolin
Vatican Secretary of State
Parolin seriously fears that the prospect is that the war will widen. “I hope not”he added.
The Pope, willing to mediate
The Vatican Secretary of State recalled that the Argentine Pope at all times demonstrated their willingness to intervene as a facilitator, although for now there are no specific spaces for maneuver for anyone.
“We cannot enter if we are not called,” he explained.
The hospital attacked by Russia in Mariupol. photo: AFP
The news of the bombing of the pediatric hospital in Mariupol, in southern Ukraine, moves everyone, especially Europeans.
“This is a mandatory demand because the first version that was given of this war (ed: by Russian President Putin) was that it was a military operation to destroy Ukrainian military installations and ensure the security of Russia. Bomb a pediatric hospital It has nothing to do with that goal.”, he sentenced.
Parolin said that in his telephone conversation with the Russian foreign minister “Lavrov listened to me and then made his point of view present. That’s how we stay. But he didn’t give me any guarantee. It was important on our part to insist and re-present the Pope’s call that he made when he visited the Russian embassy to the Holy See last week, as on other occasions, that can you stop the war”.
“If there is nothing to do and the war will be increasingly bloody and likely to drag on, the situation is terrible. I hope no”
Pietro Parolin
When asked by the Vaticanist Giansoldati if Lavrov had explained to the cardinal what the final objective of the attack is, the Secretary of State replied: “He told me that the objective is ensure the security of Russiathat everything that has happened in these years has endangered the security of the country.”
“Il Messaggero” reflected that “crimes against humanity are being committed that occur before our eyes, civilians are punished every day…”
After declaring his great concern and affirming that “now it is a full-fledged war”, the Pope’s number two said that “it is unacceptable that a hospital be bombed. There are no reasons or motivations to do so.”
Cardinal Parolín concluded the interview emphasizing that “if there is nothing to do and the war will be increasingly bloody and likely to drag on, the situation is terrible. I hope no”.
Rome, correspondent
ap
