I woke up this morning to hear the news that the Russians had bombarded a Ukrainian military base just ten kilometres from the Polish border, a place where Ukraine has hosted meetings and training exercises with visiting army personnel from other European countries. Putin warned yesterday that armaments that come in from other countries would be regarded as legitimate targets, but this attack simply killed thirty five people, civilian and military personnel. The conflict threat level rises significantly with the chance of a cross border incident occurring accidentally, as this would constitute an attack on a EU country and NATO member.
Two point seven million people have now fled Ukraine, and one point seven million are in Poland. The way its citizens have risen to the challenge of welcoming refugees unconditionally is truly admirable, but being unable to move enough of them on to other countries, faster than new refugees arrive is putting huge pressure on Poland's resources. Britain has been slow to scale up its response to allowing refugees into the country, despite the government's stated intentions. Given the circumstances, there's no controversy among the public about the substantial numbers involved, which could rise to over a hundred thousand people, but the government has done its utmost to curb inward migration from the outset. Old habits die hard.
When I arrived to celebrate Mass at St German's this morning I was greeted with the news that Father Roy Doxsey, former Vicar of the Parish was seriously injured last night, hit by a car crossing Newport Road on his way home from a meeting in Splott. He has a fractured skull as well as broken bones. He's unconscious and his condition is serious. Everyone was distressed to learn this, as if dreadful news from Ukraine wasn't already a heavy enough burden to bring to the altar of the Lord. Another congregation member is absent at the moment, also in hospital awaiting a life changing operation. We can only watch and pray and wait for whatever news can be gleaned from enquiries about his condition.
Unfortunately he has no next of kin locally, but hopefully, a close friend will be able to obtain some information about his condition. A priest colleague has taken the initiative of visiting the intensive care unit to anoint him, but whether he's be allowed access through the UHW covid security cordon remains to be seen. When Angela heard the news, she went around to his place to collect his two dogs. She often looks after them for him. Fortunately she remembered that Roy was due to take services in Pentyrch today and called Dyfrig the Area Dean to alert him to this, in order to alert the Parish. She didn't know initially whom to call, as the Ministry Area which Pentyrch is part of has just seen the resignation of the Vicar of Radyr its leader.
Clare had her monthly study session this afternoon, so I went out for a damp walk straight after lunch. Clouds and showers yet again. I got back before Clare's guests arrived and confined myself to my study and spent a couple of hours scanning another batch of five dozen negatives - Christmas 2000, and an assortment of photos from Holy Trinity Geneva in the same year, taken at Confirmation and Baptism services. Some negatives scanned seem to have had other origins, mixed in from other sets, It was quite a challenge re-assigning the odd ones out to the correct folders after supper. The real mystery was a few photos of Kath juggling with a fire-stick in a garden which wasn't ours. When I sent the photo to her, she was amazed to learn it was in our collection. I wonder where it was taken?
There wasn't much on telly that I wanted to watch when I'd finished with photos for the night, but I sat with Clare to watch a comedy news quiz programme from the year before last on one of those repeat TV channels. I managed about ten minutes of today's news before calling it a day. All very bleak and grim, except for the amazing response of countries around the world closing ranks against Russian aggression, and reaching out in compassion and solidarity to Ukrainians. So far Beijing, although an ally of Russia, hasn't said anything that makes a difference to the situation. The repercussions of this war on the global economy is going to affect the Chinese economy sooner or later. So how long before Beijing makes it clear to Moscow that its interests are not being served by continuing to invade a country it cannot hope to occupy and rule, as resistance is so strong?
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