Instead, God calls on people to open their minds and hearts, the cardinal said in an interview with "Vatican News" published on Wednesday. Especially in times of war, the synodal path of the Church is important.
Radcliffe has been holding out since 27. February on a two-week visit to war-torn Ukraine. In Kiev, he directed spiritual retreats and met clergy and believers. As an example of the importance of synodality, the Dominican referred to the consistory held in Rome in January.
There, Pope Leo XIV initially insisted that the cardinals listen to each other. Only after that did he himself record the conversation. For Radcliffe, this is "a great gift from the Church to a world of violence."
Radcliffe emphasized at the same time that he had not traveled to Ukraine with finished messages. Rather, he wanted to listen and learn from the people who experience the war directly.
This attitude corresponds to the synodal understanding of the Church. The cardinal also warned of increasing violence in many parts of the world. Conflicts are increasing not only in Europe or the Middle East, but also in Africa, for example in South Sudan. This is why we need a clear Christian witness of hope.
"The war is not inevitable," Radcliffe said.