Local churches shun Vatican’s moderate stance on Russia

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press
ROME (AP) — The head of the Polish bishops’ conference has done what Pope Francis has avoided doing by publicly condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He also urged the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to use his influence to demand Vladimir Putin stop the war and for Russian soldiers to stand down. The bishop’s tone in a letter to the Russian patriarch was significant, given its sharp contrast to the comparative neutrality used by the Vatican and Francis to date. The Holy See has called for peace, humanitarian corridors, a cease-fire and a return to negotiations But Francis has not publicly condemned Russia by name or its invasion, and the Vatican didn’t comment on the strike on Europe’s largest nuclear plant that sparked a fire Friday.