Bishop calls for prayers and fasting for Ukraine
NEW BLOOMFIELD — Bishop Shawn McKnight of the Jefferson City Diocese is calling for Catholics in Missouri to pray and fast for peace as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.
In a statement released Friday, McKnight said "An unjust war is never a solution to disagreement among nations." He called for local parishioners to join Catholics throughout the world in following a call from Pope Francis. "On Ash Wednesday, as we begin the holy season of Lent, we join with Catholics throughout the world in observing a day of fasting and prayer for peace," the statement said.
The Jefferson City Diocese includes 106 parishes and missions in 38 counties in central and northern Missouri.
About 10 percent of Ukrainians are Catholics, accounting for some four to five million people, according to the Catholic News Agency.
