In this statement, part of a major annual address given to the representatives and ambassadors from the countries of the world assigned to the Holy See, Pope John Paul II, with moral clarity, questions the direction of United States policy and the doctrine of preemptive war.
The principles that have guided the Catholic Church over the centuries are clearly evident in the pope's statement. Since St. Augustine reflected on the sacking of Rome in the fifth century, these principles, rooted in the Gospel and based on sound moral reasoning, have been widely accepted by men and women of good will. They have given light to the efforts of nations seeking a just peace with other nations, and they have helped to enlighten citizens and often brought restraint in times of crisis. Taken together, they have become known as the "just-war theory."
A number of principles must be met for a war to be just. A country has a right to defend itself when attacked. War must always be a last resort. Peaceful means of resolving the conflict must first be exhausted. There should be no directly intended attacks on civilians; even unintended attacks on civilian centers must be kept to a minimum. The use of arms must not produce evils which are greater than the evil to be eliminated. This is called the principle of proportionality.
There is now a gathering consensus on the part of bishops and theologians in the Catholic Church, and many other moral leaders, which questions most seriously the doctrine of a preemptive strike, one of the positions now being advanced by our government in an effort to justify this war.
The pope and his advisers, as well as bishops and theologians, guided by these honored principles, are especially looking at the consequences of this proposed strike and the precedents it would set. Simply put, would it make matters worse? Does it have the potential to produce disorders greater than the evil to be eliminated, especially in light of the terrible destructive force of modern weapons? Here are a few of these statements.
"The use of arms is not an inevitable fatality: what is more, no provision is made in the United Nations charter for a preventive war. Nothing should be decided without the consent of nations in international institutions from whence derives the irreplaceable role of the UN." (Archbishop Louis Tauran, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Dec. 23, 2002)
"Whom does it suit to confront 1 billion Muslims and run the risk of decades of hostility from the Muslim world?
"We are asking for a reflection not only on whether a war would be just or unjust, moral or immoral, but also whether it is opportune to irritate a billion followers of Islam. We are against the war. That is a moral position. There is not much that needs to be said about whether the war is preventive or non-preventive. It is an ambiguous term. Certainly, the war is not defensive." (Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State, Jan. 29, 2003)
"The concept of a preventive war does not appear in the "Catechism of the Catholic Church."
(Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Sept. 21, 2002)
"A war against Iraq could have unpredictable consequences, not only for Iraq but for peace and stability elsewhere in the Middle East. Use of force might provoke the very kind of attacks that it attempts to prevent, could impose terrible new burdens on the long-suffering civilian population and could lead to wider conflict in the stability in the region.
"We are deeply concerned about recent proposals to extend dramatically traditional limits on just cause to include preventive uses of military force to overthrow threatening regimes or to deal with weapons of mass destruction." (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Nov. 13, 2002)
One of the foremost specialists on the principles of a just war, Father Bryan Hehir, former dean of Harvard Divinity School and now director of Catholic Charities USA, also looks at the consequences of the proposed action of our country.
"If a single state can seek to resolve a dispute unilaterally by military means, invoking the principle of preemption, it opens the way for others to invoke the same policy in local or regional disputes; Kashmir exemplifies the problem. It is a sobering thought that, whatever people may conclude about the rightness or wrongness of a war on Iraq, it risks undermining the international order, with consequences as yet unimagined." (Article by Father Hehir published in The Tablet, Jan. 4, 2003)
Father Hehir, who found the 1991 Gulf War to be "just but unwise," writes that the question is not whether the goal "is achievable, desirable and simpler than the alternatives, for these criteria are not enough to begin a war. Rather, is it the only way, the last resort?" Father Hehir is convinced that this must be the test." And "so far," he concludes, "it has not been met." (The Tablet, Jan. 4, 2003)
The position presented in the above statements speak to the issue of preemptive war, which is one of our government's principal justifications for war, and the critique arises out of a position based on moral principles. While people of good will may disagree on the application of just-war norms, these teachers and pastors believe that the criteria for a just war have not been met in this case. After prayer, study and reflection, that is my position as well.
At the same time, it should be noted that the Holy Father and his advisers have not taken a one-sided position. The Holy See has sent a special emissary to Baghdad and has received the deputy prime minister of Iraq at the Vatican. He has certainly sought to direct Saddam Hussein to comply with the wishes of the United Nations Security Council to disarm. In all these meetings, the pope insisted that it was necessary for Iraq to respect "with concrete commitments the resolution of the United Nations, guarantor of international legality."
A democracy depends on an enlightened citizenry. I urge everyone to become aware of the issues in this critical matter, to reflect on them in light of the moral principles governing war, and to make your convictions known to our members of Congress.
Prayer for peace
I have asked, and will ask again, our Catholic people to join in prayer for peace. The Holy Father has specifically urged Catholics to dedicate their prayer and fasting on Ash Wednesday for the "conversion of hearts and for the long-range vision of just decisions to resolve disputes with adequate and peaceful means." As the drums of war grow louder, I ask all people of good will to pray for peace in Iraq and throughout the world.
Let us also pray for our brave men and women in uniform, many of them friends of ours, asking God to protect them. They deserve only our honor and respect as they serve our country, in peace and war, with nobility and courage.
I urge the government of our beloved country to step back from the brink of war and continue to press for the disarmament of Iraq through the United Nations and other diplomatic channels. War, as Pope John Paul II has said, is "never inevitable" and is always "a defeat for humanity."
For a more complete view of the just-war theory, consult www.whatthechurchteaches.com, the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" or call Our Sunday Visitor at 1-800-348-2440.
Abuse Crisis 7 part Series - April 2002
