Women religious in Ukraine are facing Russia’s full-scale invasion of that nation with determined faith and a commitment to service.

In a visit with few if any precedents, Pope Francis met with the Russian ambassador to the Holy See this morning to express concerns about Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

As Russia fired missiles on several Ukrainian cities and Russian troops reportedly landed in Odessa, the head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church affirmed the right of Ukrainians to defend their homeland.

“Jesus taught us that the diabolical senselessness of violence is answered with God's weapons, with prayer and fasting,” the pope said as the situation continued to deteriorate between Russia and Ukraine.

A “just war” in Ukraine would be a catastrophe for all parties. But a “just peace” framework that recognizes the root causes of the conflict can bring the U.S., Russia and Ukraine to a mutually beneficial outcome.

With the “further escalation of tension in Ukraine,” the president of the Polish bishops’ conference asked Polish Catholics to continue praying for peace, but also to be prepared to welcome Ukrainian refugees.