Vatican cardinal brings ambulance from Pope Francis to Ukraine

Hannah Brockhaus   By Hannah Brockhaus for CNA

March 28, 2022 Catholic News Agency News Briefs 1 Print

 

Pope Francis and Cardinal Konrad Krajewski with the ambulance bound for Ukraine. / Vatican Media. See CNA article for full slideshow.

Vatican City, Mar 28, 2022 / 05:35 am (CNA).

A Vatican cardinal is bringing an ambulance blessed and donated by Pope Francis to the authorities in Lviv, western Ukraine.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who runs the pope’s charitable office, left Rome on Saturday afternoon to drive the ambulance to Ukraine, the Vatican said.

This is the second time that the 58-old Polish cardinal has traveled to Lviv, which is about 45 minutes from the border with Poland, since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war on Feb. 24.

The papal almoner returned to Rome on March 12, after spending almost a week in Lviv, where he donated fuel and helped load trucks with supplies to be taken to areas of Ukraine under bombardment.

The Vatican said on March 26 that the ambulance from Pope Francis would be donated to Ukrainian authorities to assist with medical treatment as the city responds to the influx of people seeking safety from shelling in the capital Kyiv and other parts of the country.

The U.N. Refugee Agency estimates that around 6.5 million people have been displaced from their homes within Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Around 40% of the 6.5 million fled to the west, including Lviv, the largest city in western Ukraine. An additional 3.8 million Ukrainian refugees have left the country.

Krajewski left for Ukraine just hours after returning from Fatima, Portugal, on March 26.

The almoner was Pope Francis’ envoy to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, where on March 25 he recited the solemn act of consecration of Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary together with Francis, who was in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

The cardinal told Vatican News on March 26 that he was leaving for Ukraine “with a heart full of hope” after the Marian consecration.

Around 15,000 people reportedly took part in the consecration at the Fatima shrine. Krajewski said that “all the people recited the pope’s prayer with me.”

“A cry for peace” arose from Fatima, he said, adding that “with faith, the war can stop, and with all my faith I go to Ukraine to experience the concrete consequences of the act of entrustment to Mary.”

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The most frequently asked questions about Pope Benedict XVI

December 28, 2022 Catholic News Agency 2
Pope Benedict XVI greets the faithful in St. Peter’s Square on the occasion of the Beatification of Pope John Paul II on May 1, 2011, in Vatican City, Rome. / Jeffrey Bruno / Shutterstock

CNA Newsroom, Dec 28, 2022 / 11:00 am (CNA).

On Dec. 28 the press office of the Holy See announced that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s condition had taken a turn for the worse and that he was receiving medical care at his residence at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.

The news has sparked an outpouring of prayer for the 95-year-old retired pope and renewed interest among Catholics and others around the world in the details of his life and pontificate. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Benedict XVI:

How many years was Benedict pope?

He was pope for eight years, from April 19, 2005, to Feb. 11, 2013.

When and why did Benedict resign?

Benedict announced his resignation from the papacy on Feb. 11, 2013. On that day he explained that, due to his advanced age, he no longer had the strength to properly exercise the Petrine ministry.

Why is he called pope emeritus?

The title with which the pontiff is designated, who of his own free will decides to resign from the papal ministry, is pope emeritus or also bishop emeritus of Rome.

Where does Pope Benedict XVI live?

Pope Benedict XVI lives in Mater Ecclesiae, a monastery in Vatican City. This place was named in honor of the Virgin Mary (Mother of the Church) and is located on Vatican Hill within the Vatican gardens.

How old is Pope Benedict?

Benedict is 95 years old.

Where is Benedict from?

Benedict was born in the city of Marktl, in Bavaria, southern Germany.

How many trips did Benedict make?

During his pontificate, Benedict visited 24 countries on six continents. Antarctica was the only continent he didn’t travel to as pope.

Did Benedict have siblings?

Yes, Benedict was the youngest of three siblings. His siblings were Georg and Maria Ratzinger, both of whom have died. Georg, who died on July 1, 2020, was a priest.

Why did he take the name, Benedict XVI?

After being elected pope, he chose the name Benedict XVI inspired by the memory of St. Benedict of Nursia, the man who founded the Benedictine order and who is considered the patron saint of the West, and also as “a link to the venerated Pontiff, Benedict XV, who guided the Church through the turbulent times of the First World War.”

Is it true that Benedict was part of the Nazi army?

Although his family did not support the Nazis, at age 16, Joseph Ratzinger was forcibly recruited into the German army during World War II. He never saw combat, and in 1945 he deserted and was taken as a prisoner of war by U.S. troops.

Is it true that Benedict loves cats?

Yes, Benedict loves cats and had two as pets when he was pope. One of them was a stray cat that he found in Rome.

In an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC in 2005, Cardinal Tarsicio Bertone, who a year later would become the Vatican’s secretary of state, said that Benedict was an “inveterate cat-lover.”

“On his walk from Borgo Pío to the Vatican, he stopped to talk with the cats; don’t ask me in what language he spoke to them, but the cats were delighted. When the cardinal approached, the cats raised their heads and greeted him,” the cardinal said.

Is it true that Benedict likes beer?

Yes. In fact, Weideneder Brau Vertriebs GmbH, a family-owned brewery in the town of Tann, Germany, created a special beer called Pabstbier (Pope’s Beer). The label read: “Dedicated to the Great Son of our Country, Pope Benedict XVI.”

How many languages does Benedict speak?

The pope emeritus is fluent in nine languages: German, Italian, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Ancient Greek, and Biblical Hebrew.

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