This petition is addressed to his holiness Pope Francis and is calling for disciplinary proceedings against Czech Cardinal Dominic Duka for his unethical remarks at the address of the victims of rape in Ukraine.

 

Cardinal Duka has 25.4. 2022 published article on his blog in which he states his opinion against the use of contraception pills by Ukrainian women who were raped by Russian soldiers. Author of this petition acknowledges controversy around the topic of abortion and so called 'pills after' and respects opinion of Catholic Church. However Cardinal chose to support his opinion with utterly distasteful and unethical claims, among which are the following:

1) 'During Pope Francis' visit to Košice, Slovakia, I was commissioned to celebrate a service for Roman Catholic youth in his place while he celebrated the liturgy with the Greek Catholic faithful. The service was from the texts of St. Anna Kolesár, a young girl who resisted being raped by the Red Army and paid for it with her life. A machine gun shot was enough to end her life. In respect for the great number of young girls and women who paid for this defence with their lives, I consider it necessary that we really make every effort not only to prevent these crimes, but also to kneel in respect before these models of bravery. Yes, it is an extraordinary solution, a heroic solution, and I think we do not emphasise it enough.' - cited from the Cardinal's article and translated into English

What Cardinal seems to be saying is that victim should rather chose death over rape, as it is in his eyes heroic solution which is nowadays not emphasised enough. This statement not only puts guilt on the victim but also assumes victims have in the matter some sort of choice. Cardinal in his article also fails to acknowledge that among the rape victims were also children and men. This stance is insulting to all the victims, assuming the women's right to be free from rape only from their ability to get pregnant and dismissing painfully other victims.

2) 'We must also look for an answer to how to address the issue of the conception of new life by this bestial violence without trying to 'solve' how to prevent this act. The proposed defence with a use of pepper spray or a whistle is based on an ancient tradition that we encounter in pre-Christian times in defence against rape and loss of virginity. I believe that there are a number of options, but one cannot see not resisting the aggressor as the only solution.' - Cited from Cardinal's article and translated in English

Cardinal is proposing that as a means of defence against military aggressor victims should use pepper spray or whistle. There is no speculation about how cynical this suggestion sounds for anyone who follows the news. Even more outrageous belief seems to be, that the rape victims according to him voluntarily choose not to resist, which Cardinal criticizes.

3)  'Since the Middle Ages (because rape is a pain that has afflicted humanity throughout its history) these women have been offered a way out: to give life to the child and than to hand it over to a society which in some way claims some responsibility for the acts of rape. Today, this solution is in the form of so-called baby-boxes.' - Cited from Cardinal's article and translated into English. 

Insensitive statement as it is, Cardinal also seems to assume there are baby-boxes available in the war zone.

4) 'I consider it necessary to see these crimes in their complexity and to take note of all the participants. The whole issue requires not only impartiality, but it must be taken into account that the perpetrator, a member of the armed forces, is often also a victim of the strongest emotions and passions, where the horror of combat, fear and hatred really bring him to the level of a kind of amok. He kills indiscriminately and destroys all living things and all values that represent the enemy. Which is not to say that this excuses him or absolves him of responsibility! In the case of the fighting not only in Ukraine but in other military engagements in the contemporary world (as in both world wars), responsibility for these actions should be placed on the leadership of the military and the specific commander of the individual soldier, which is often not done.' - cited from Cardinal's article and translated into English

Cardinal is making the case for the humanity of the aggressor. However, in context of the article it supports the unacceptable stand that humanity of perpetrators is worth defending while the humanity of the victims remains not acknowledged. In the moment when we did not even get the chance to assess the scope of the war crimes committed, it is not the time to defend deeds of the aggressor.

 

Conclusion

The opinions stated in the article are not in line with Christian values. I do not wish to be represented as a Christian by a person who does not hesitate to publicly vent his own naivety and ignorance and cause pain to people who are going through the unimaginable. Nor do I wish for such a person to hold a post of authority. Therefore I appeal on his holiness Pope Francis to initiate disciplinary proceeding against Cardinal Dominik Duka, as well as on Cardinal himself to apologise for his outrageous statements.

If you agree, please sign the petition.

Original article is available at this address: https://blog.aktualne.cz/blogy/dominik-duka.php?itemid=42525

Photo: Petr Šálek, Creative Commons Licence, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dominik_Duka_2014.jpg