Page 8 - The Portal magazine - February 2025

THE P RTAL February 2025 Page 8

the UK, with social media it is right next door.” the war in a day. Bishop Kenneth was unequivocal in
his reply. “I think that Ukraine will welcome peace so
The bishop is concerned about high levels of anxiety, long as there is justice. Whether American politicians
and apprehension, as to what happens next. “How will can end the war within 24 hours is yet to be seen. But
families reunite? If people return to Ukraine, what certainly peace is not just the secession of fighting.
then? Villages and towns have been bombed. Homes That could start anytime again.
do not exist anymore. Places of work no longer exist.
The infrastructure has gone. What do people have to Without justice, without those who have perpetrated
go home to? Outside Ukraine there is the realisation horrible war crimes not being brought to justice, there
that this war may be a long haul.” will be no peace. If someone is successful in bringing
the war to an end, with a just peace and not just ending
Nevertheless, Bishop Kenneth was anxious to strike the fighting, I think every Ukrainian would welcome
a positive note. “I think these things affect us all. But that. The danger, of course, is that you end up with
I have to say the encouragement that our Ukrainian a partial peace. The danger is that such a peace gives
people have received from the British population Putin’s army the opportunity to regroup, reset and
during this time gives us hope and a sense that they restock their forces.”
we are not alone. This is important, so important to
everyone.” The Ukrainian welcome centre, when it started, was
to provide services that other NGOs were not doing
We asked about the people still in Ukraine. He for people in Ukraine. It is a specific niche, to help
replied, “It is challenging when you think that you those who were arriving in Ukraine to go through any
may have your flat, even in a secure part of Ukraine type of red tape bureaucracy that they may face; to
- whatever that means - and it’s higher than the fifth assist the tens of thousands of local sponsor families
floor. You are not sure whether or not you want to take to understand their guests; to provide a facilitation
the lift. What if it goes out while you’re in it? Or you for the Home Office and other government agencies
do not take the lift, and you live on the twentieth floor. in directly communicating with the newly arrived

How many times do you want to negotiate the stairs? Ukrainians. It also provides English language courses
I also know that a number of people are mourning that would help people get jobs.
loved ones who have lost their lives, either fighting
at the front or civilians who have been killed because It also has activities to help those who were not
of the missile attacks. All this has a horrible effect on engaged in employment, to help them in communities
morale. But I would not say the resolve of the people so that they didn’t feel alone or abandoned. However,
has diminished. Ukraine and Ukrainians know why the role has to change and needs to be like an accordion.
they are defending their country, their heritage, their When it needs to expand their services, they can, and
culture, their language and their right to exist. This is when it needs to slow down it can do so.
what keeps them going.
Bishop Kenneth told us, “Prior to the full scale
“World leaders can say maybe it’s time to stop. But at invasion we would have somewhere around 2500
what price? So the resolve is strong. There is tiredness people attending services here at the Cathedral.
of course. I often think that here in the UK, when Since the full scale invasion I think we could add
we start seeing signs of spring it means so much to another 500 to 700 people on a regular Sunday. Also
us because we may have come out of a very dreary in the last five years I’ve established four new parish
and dull winter. But the first signs of spring mean communities in London, 21 new ones throughout
we’re ready to plough on for another couple weeks England, six new ones in Scotland and three in Wales.
until the flowers are there. I don’t mean to reduce the Most denominations at Christmas and Easter have a
suffering and the situation of our brothers and sisters larger number of people coming. This past Easter here
in Ukraine. I know it is a long drawn out winter. But it at the cathedral in Duke Street; from Grosvenor Park
doesn’t mean that we have given up hope that spring Square to Oxford Street was blocked off. It is estimated
will come. We know it will. Ukrainians believe that that between 13,000 and 14,000 people attended our
they will have victory. Over the last three hundred Easter service.”
and seven years Ukrainians have been attacked more
than twentyfive times by Russia, imperial Russia, the We are grateful to Bishop Kenneth for his time,
Soviets and so on. Yet we still exist, and we will exist.” frankness, and candour. We assure him of our prayers
for his suffering people and - we are sure – of those of
We asked the Bishop about the reported remarks of all our readers.
various politicians in the USA that they would stop