Cardinals from Poland and Ukraine, together with Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, have appealed to continue the path of Polish – Ukrainian reconciliation and to “disarm the language on both sides.” In a joint statement dated 29 June, they recall the words of St John Paul II on Volhynia and stress that reconciliation touches the credibility of Christian witness.

A Joint Voice

The document was signed by Cardinal Mykola Bychok CSsR, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, and Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halych of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Together, the authors emphasize their unity with Pope Leo XIV and his efforts to build peace based on the common good, but not closing the way to forgiveness.”

A Time of Tension

The authors write that they are observing “with pain the rise in mutual tension and the resurgence of hostile attitudes between Poles and Ukrainians.” They point out that this is happening while Ukraine experiences the cruelty of war, Poland has shown solidarity with millions of Ukrainian sisters and brothers, and Ukrainian Catholics mark the 25th anniversary of the historic visit of the Polish Pope to Ukraine.

In this context, they return to a letter by St John Paul II dated 7 July 2003. The Pope wrote: “The new millennium, which we have recently entered, requires that Ukrainians and Poles not remain enslaved by their sorrowful memories of the past.”

The Path of Reconciliation

The signatories recall that Poles and Ukrainians have behind them years of prayer, meetings, joint letters, declarations and messages, as well as cooperation in helping refugees and those in need. This legacy, they note, obliges both sides to speak the truth “without contempt or hatred.”

The document emphasizes that conversion begins in one’s own heart. “Only then can we call another to conversion if we ourselves humbly acknowledge our own faults,” the authors write. They appeal for the shared path begun with the blessing of St John Paul II not to be abandoned: “Too much unites our Nations for us to allow our common heritage to be squandered.”

Karol Darmoros