Catholic Just War

Catholic Just War ^ | 02.27.03

[Coleus]

Catechism of the Catholic Church
Do nations have the right to go to war?
Catechism: 2308 ..."as long as the danger of war persists and there is no international authority with the necessary competence and power, governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed."105
What are the necessary conditions for to justly go to war?
Catechism: 2309 The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time: the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; there must be serious prospects of success; the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modem means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition. These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just war" doctrine.
Who determines if these conditions are met?
Catechism: 2309 (continued) The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.
TAKEN FROM:  http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm

[RnMomof7]

I believe that the Pope's stand on the issue, while it may harm us in the short term, actually helps us in the long run. It gives lie to the radical islamist position that the US is spearheading a "Crusade" against all of Islam. How can they make this claim when the originator of the term "Crusade," the heir of St. Peter, is so wholeheartedly against the military option? Indeed, with the Pope on their side, the idea that the US is launching a crusade against Islam appears ludicrous.

I just wanted to tell you I passed on this bit of wisdom today. They announced that next week they are going to look at "Just Wars " from the Westminister Confession because of the possibility of war. I shared your thought on the Pope's actions with the girl next to me..(I did not take credit for it.:>))

[Antoninus]

Glad to be of service, ma'am.

[Coleus]

Catholic Just War.org

Catholic Just War Update
New Remarks:

Have you heard what the Pope has said about the war?  Or only what the media has told you? (Read his Address)

Also read Ambassador to the Vatican’s Interview (Read Article)
News:  A Call during the Arab Summit for Saddam to step down and go into exile (Read Story)
Iraq’s Deception: Iraq pledges to disarm some weapons, but this tactic was used before to stall for time (Read Story)
Catholic Debate Rages: Many Catholics continue to debate the justification for war (Read Some Postings)
Resources: Summa Theologica on War & War, a Catholic technical definition

Catholic Just War Update March 7, 2003
New to the Site:

Cardinal Laghi, Special Envoy from the Holy See, met with President Bush (Read his statement)

Noted Catholic Scholar Responds to this Statement (Read The War is Just)

Are Catholics free to disagree on the conclusion of the just war doctrine? (Read Deal Hudson's Article)

Wisdom:

Particularly relevant to the discussion of the pending war with Iraq and countries such as France standing against the war is this quote.  This is from Maritain's France My Country Through the Disaster (1941), pps.16-17:

"Could the democracies have avoided the war?  They unquestionably could have avoided this war if they had had the wit and moral courage either to forestall Hitler's taking power by adopting at once a generous and firm policy toward Germany while she was still disarmed, or by overthrowing Hitler before he got too strong.  Instead of that, both in England and in France, the democracies wretchedly deserted their own cause and their own ideals everywhere in the world and allowed themselves to be led to the slaughter by an incompetent and not altogether honest leadership. . . .
Nations that want to survive and live in peace have to understand that neither of these two goals is to be attained without clearly facing the risk of war; it is only when the existence of this risk has been taken cognizance of and accepted that it is possible to adopt an intelligent enough policy to obviate it.  The European democracies understood this too late.  Every democracy whose rule of life is not heroic but hedonistic will grasp such things too late."

Catholic Just War Update

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church "Peace is the work of justice and the effect of charity." (CCC # 2304).  This is the peace that must be sought after not simply the absence of war.  This war was not sought after but rather it was thrust upon us.  Saddam still has within his power the ability to avoid this war.  The United States and the other members of the coalition have exhausted all other diplomatic means and it has come to this.  Would it be just to leave Saddam in power after his lawlessness and dangerous behavior?  Would it be charitable to ignore this threat to Iraq's neighbors, the Iraqi people, and the United States?

News:

• President Bush’s Final Warning to Saddam (Read his remarks:www.catholicjustwar.org/bush.asp) 
• Archbishop O'Brien of the Military Archdiocese says a pre-emptive strike can be justified (Read Interview: www.catholicjustwar.org/obrien.asp)
• The Catholic Debate continues - Fox News and CNN have interviewed members of Catholics for a Just War. (Read Excerpts: www.catholicjustwar.org/fox.asp)
• Fr. Neuhaus on Why War with Iraq is Justified (Read Interview: www.catholicjustwar.org/neuhaus.asp)
• Update on the Catholic Petition -   6% have reservations, 5% believe it would be unjust, but 89% believe this is a just war. (www.catholicjustwar.org/results.asp)

Catholic Just War Update

Bishop's Statement Clarified

If you have not heard already there is a bishop in Ohio that has stated the war is intrinsically evil and (at least in his Romanian rite diocese) Catholics can not participate in this war under pain of sin.  He states that participation in this war is as if you were participating in an abortion.  The authority upon which he states this is beyond his scope as a bishop. This bishop states, "I hereby authoritatively state that such direct participation (in this war) is intrinsically and gravely evil and therefore absolutely forbidden."  He is not stating his opinion or even using this as public opportunity to challenge or educate.  On the contrary he says he is not speaking "as a theologian or as a private Christian voicing his opinion, nor by any means am I speaking to you as a political partisan. I am speaking to you solely as your bishop with the authority and responsibility I... have been given as a successor to the apostles on your behalf."

Like many of you this statement frustrated me, so I contacted the diocese directly.  Their response was polite and respectful but they did not offer a clarification and would not consider a retraction.  So I pursued a clarification from Archbishop O'Brien of the Military Ordinariate.   More quickly then I expected I received a fax from the diocesan offices of the Military Ordinariate.  Archbishop O'Brien is a great and worthy bishop who used his experience, knowledge and faithfulness to help bring clarity to Bishop Botean's statement. 

In response to my inquiry, Archbishop O'Brien reaffirmed that the position of the bishops and the Church is not and has not been that this war is evil or unjust.  He took exception to Bishop Botean's statements regarding this war and clarified that soldiers can in good conscience serve their Commander in Chief in this war.  He also made the point that Catholics in good conscience can disagree about the conclusion in using the just war doctrine.  His letter in response can be read online at http://www.catholicjustwar.org/obrienreply.asp.

Many people are being confused by this bishop's statement and I urge you to spread Archbishop O'Brien's response far and wide.

For more on this topic: Read Posts at Brumley's Blog  & Read a Canon Lawyer's Blog (regarding Bishop Botean's statement)

Other Items:

• William Bennett articulates Why We Must Fight - and Now!
• The Legality of the Use of Force In The liberation of Iraq (Read Article)

Thank You. For those of you who sent in a $25 contribution to help defray the costs of website development, maintenance and promotion.  Since Amazon does not supply us with the contributor's information I am not able to contact you directly.  Thank you again.

***If you would like to make a contribution to Catholics for a Just War visit: http://www.amazon.com/paypage/PF90BNDCHFC75

 

[ponyespresso]

I have one question though...

IF one person has caused the death of many and has the very real potential to continue to cause the death of many more...

And IF there is a perceived lack of willingness to effectively deal with this threat by major governing bodies whose indecision and appeasement only continue to put more innocent lives at risk...

then

would these be accpeptable, morally legitimate conditions to shoot an abortion doctor?

[dsc]

"would these be accpeptable, morally legitimate conditions to shoot an abortion doctor?"

Well, every time I pray on that, de answer come back, "No."

[Coleus]

In the past 16 months. . .
(Each + represents 8,000 human lives)Capital Punishment killed 98 Americans .
War in Iraq killed 100,000 people + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Abortionists murdered 1,750,656 American infants + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
"The common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights -- for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture -- is false and illusory if the right to life is not defended with maximum determination." -- Pope John Paul II

Catholic Just War

[NYer]

Abortionists murdered 1,750,656 American infants

Thank you for this reminder. We certainly won't hear it on the nightly news.

Another informative statistic to add to this list, would be the number of murders committed each day, in the US. That should far exceed those who gave their lives in support of freedom in Iraq. One more statistic that won't be delivered via the media.