Archbishop of France: RCC must have a clear stance on Ukraine
Antoine Hérouard emphasizes that peace cannot be merely a ceasefire; it requires a minimum understanding of justice.
On 11 March 2025, the French Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church and Vice-President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union stated that the new geopolitical situation poses a serious threat not only to Ukraine but to all of Europe, reports Vatican News.
The Ordinary of the Archdiocese of Dijon of the Roman Catholic Church, Antoine Hérouard, believes that Europe must take responsibility for its own destiny.
He stated: “In this context of a new global security architecture, we Europeans must also be able to defend certain principles and values that seem essential to us: the rule of law, respect for commitments and agreements, respect for peoples, and the dignity of every individual.”
“I think it is important to recognize the weight of situations and the truth of the words being used. This is an aggression of one country against another, against internationally recognized borders. That can never be acceptable,” said Archbishop Hérouard.
The French Archbishop continued: “Otherwise, there will be no peace—only a pause foreshadowing another war. That is why COMECE has reaffirmed its closeness and solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the suffering they have endured over the past three years.”
Archbishop Antoine Hérouard recalled that he had the opportunity to visit Ukraine, specifically a military cemetery in Lviv.
“They told me there had been too much suffering, too many deaths, too many wounded, and too many families separated to accept just any cessation of hostilities,” said the French Archbishop.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Catholic bishops of the EU had outlined what peace in Ukraine should look like.
