Parolin: War is a massacre, but with good will peace is possible

By Vatican news staff reporter

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Tuesday inaugurated a new palliative care centre in the Italian town of Passoscuro just outside of Rome. The new centre is operating under the auspices of the Bambino Gesù children’s hospital, and is currently hosting a number of Ukrainian children who have been forced to flee their homeland due to the war.

Ending the ‘massacre’

In remarks to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration, Cardinal Parolin said the situation that has brought the Ukrainian children to Italy is “truly unacceptable.” He said the it is the people, and especially “the weakest, the most vulnerable people” who pay the price of war.

The Cardinal denounced the now almost month-long war as a “massacre,” saying, “I think we are all at a loss in the face of what has happened and is continuing to happen, without knowing what the future holds, hoping that we will succeed in putting an end to this massacre – I would define it as such – and that we will succeed first of all stopping the war, and then in starting negotiations that can lead to a solution.”

The ‘good will’ necessary for peace

Pope Francis has continually expressed the Holy See’s willingness to do everything possible to end the war, a position repeated by Cardinal Parolin. The Secretary of State insisted however, that a genuine will is necessary for a breakthrough.

“There is always the possibility of finding a solution, a solution that is honourable for everyone,” he said. “Having the good will to do so is sufficient,” the Cardinal continued, adding that in this situation “a lot of good will is needed.” However, he said, “the alternative is war, the alternative is violence, the alternative is death.”

Cardinal Parolin said the Holy See is insisting on the need for negotiations, adding, “we are available [to assist in negotiations] to the extent that the parties think they can also avail themselves of our collaboration to help bring this war to an end.”