A Pastoral Message:
Living With Faith and Hope After September 11
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
November 14, 2001
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted....
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy....
Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they will be called children of God.
Mt. 5:4,6,7,9
These words of Jesus challenge us
and offer us hope today as our community of faith responds to the terrible
events of September 11 and their aftermath. As Catholic Bishops, we offer
words of consolation, criteria for moral discernment, and a call to action and
solidarity in these troubling and challenging times.
After September 11, we are a wounded people. We share loss and pain, anger and
fear, shock and determination in the face of these attacks on our nation and
all humanity. We also honor the selflessness of firefighters, police,
chaplains, and other brave individuals who gave their lives in the service of
others. They are true heroes and heroines.
In these difficult days, our faith has lifted us up and sustained us. Our
nation turned to God in prayer and in faith with a new intensity. This was
evident on cell phones on hijacked airliners, on stairways in doomed towers,
in cathedrals and parish churches, at ecumenical and interfaith services, in
our homes and hearts. Our faith teaches us about good and evil, free will and
responsibility. Jesus' life, teaching, death and resurrection show us the
meaning of love and justice in a broken world. Sacred Scripture and
traditional ethical principles define what it means to make peace. They
provide moral guidance on how the world should respond justly to terrorism in
order to reestablish peace and order.
The events of September 11 were unique in their scale, but they were not
isolated. Sadly, our world is losing respect for human life. Those who
committed these atrocities do not distinguish between ordinary civilians and
military combatants, and there is the threat of possible terrorist use of
chemical, biological and nuclear weapons in the future.
The dreadful deeds of September 11 cannot go unanswered. We continue to urge
resolve, restraint and greater attention to the roots of terrorism to protect
against further attacks and to advance the global common good. Our nation must
continue to respond in many ways, including diplomacy, economic measures,
effective intelligence, more focus on security at home, and the legitimate use
of force.
In our response to attacks on innocent civilians, we must be sure that we do
not violate the norms of civilian immunity and proportionality. We believe
every life is precious whether a person works at the World Trade Center or
lives in Afghanistan. The traditional moral norms governing the use of force
still apply, even in the face of terrorism on this scale.
No grievance, no matter what the claim, can legitimate what happened on
September 11. Without in any way excusing indefensible terrorist acts, we
still need to address those conditions of poverty and injustice which are
exploited by terrorists. A successful campaign against terrorism will require
a combination of resolve to do what is necessary to see it through, restraint
to ensure that we act justly, and a long term focus on broader issues of
justice and peace.
In these brief reflections, we seek to articulate traditional Catholic
teaching as a guide for our people and nation, offering a moral framework,
rather than a series of specific judgements on rapidly changing events. We
believe our faith brings consolation, insight and hope in these challenging
days.
Confronting Terrorism
The war-like acts of September 11 were appalling attacks on our nation, our
citizens and citizens of many other countries. The Holy Father rightly called
these acts crimes against humanity. Terrorism is not a new problem, but this
terrorist threat is unique because of its global dimensions and the sheer
magnitude of the terror its authors are willing and able to unleash. It is
also new for us because we have not experienced war-like acts of violence on
our own soil for many decades.
The role of religion
We are particularly troubled that some who engage in and support this new form
of terror seek to justify it, in part, as a religious act. Regrettably, the
terrorists' notion of a religious war is inadvertently reinforced by those who
would attribute the extremism of a few to Islam as a whole or who suggest that
religion, by its nature, is a source of conflict.
It is wrong to use religion as a cover for political, economic or ideological
causes. It compounds the wrong when extremists of any religious tradition
radically distort their professed faith in order to justify violence and
hatred. Whatever the motivation, there can be no religious or moral
justification for what happened on September 11. People of all faiths must be
united in the conviction that terrorism in the name of religion profanes
religion. The most effective counter to terrorist claims of religious
justification comes from within the world's rich religious traditions and from
the witness of so many people of faith who have been a powerful force for
non-violent human liberation around the world.
A deeper appreciation of the role that religion plays in world affairs is
needed, as is a deeper understanding of and engagement with Islam. The
Catholic community is engaged in dialogue and common projects with Muslims at
many levels and in many ways in this country and around the world. To cite
just one example, in many countries Catholic Relief Services is involved in
fruitful collaboration with Muslim organizations committed to peace, justice
and human rights. More should be done at all levels to deepen and broaden this
dialogue and common action.
The duty to preserve the common good, protect
the innocent, and reestablish peace and order
Our nation, in collaboration with other nations and organizations, has a moral
right and a grave obligation to defend the common good against mass terrorism.
The common good is threatened when innocent people are targeted by terrorists.
Therefore, we support efforts of our nation and the international community to
seek out and hold accountable, in accord with national and international law,
those individuals, groups and governments which are responsible. How the
common good is defended and peace is restored is a critical moral issue. While
military action may be necessary, it is by no means sufficient to deal with
this terrorist threat. From bolstering homeland security and ensuring greater
transparency of the financial system to strengthening global cooperation
against terrorism, a wide range of non-military measures must be pursued.
Among these measures is a persistent effort to pursue negotiations that would
work to protect the interests of both Afghanistan and the United States
Considerable sacrifice by all will be needed if this broad-based, long-term
effort in defense of the common good is to succeed. We must never lose sight,
however, of the basic ideals of justice, freedom, fairness, and openness that
are hallmarks of our society. We must not trade freedom for security. We must
not allow ourselves to be captured by fear. Acts of ethnic and religious
intolerance towards Arab-Americans, Muslims, or any other minorities must be
repudiated. It is the glory of our nation that out of many, we are one.
As criminal and civil investigations proceed and essential security measures
are strengthened, our government must continue to respect the basic rights of
all persons and in a special way of immigrants and refugees. Care must be
taken to avoid assigning collective guilt to all newcomers or undermine our
history as a land of immigrants and a safe haven for the world's persecuted.
The United States must not shrink from its global leadership role in offering
protection to refugees who flee terror in their homelands. Proposals to ensure
the security of our legal immigration system and refugee program must avoid
harming immigrants and refugees who represent no security threat. Enforcement
actions must not be indiscriminate in their application or based upon ethnic
background, national origin, or religious affiliation. The suspension of
refugee admissions is particularly inappropriate.
The use of military force
As part of its broader effort to combat terrorism, our nation has undertaken
military action in Afghanistan and may be considering intervention elsewhere.
As we pray for our service men and women who are risking their lives and for
all those in Afghanistan who are suffering, we also consider how the Church's
long and rich tradition of ethical reflection on war and peace might help
guide the momentous decisions being taken.
National leaders bear a heavy moral obligation to see that the full range of
non-violent means is employed. We acknowledge, however, the right and duty of
a nation and the international community to use military force if necessary to
defend the common good by protecting the innocent against mass terrorism.
Because of its terrible consequences, military force, even when justified and
carefully executed, must always be undertaken with a sense of deep regret.
Every military response must be in accord with sound moral principles, notably
such norms of the just war tradition as non-combatant immunity,
proportionality, right intention and probability of success. [See
Appendix]
Even if the cause is just, the grave moral obligation to respect the
principles of non-combatant immunity and proportionality remains in force and
must govern our nation's political and military decisions. Indiscriminate
attacks on innocent people, whether by terrorists or in war, threaten the
common good. The continuing priority must be to ensure that military force is
directed at those who use terror and those who assist them, not at the Afghan
people or Islam. We welcome the stated commitment to do everything possible to
avoid civilian casualties, a commitment that must be sustained over the
long-term. We must not only act justly but be perceived as acting justly if we
are to succeed in winning popular support against terrorism.
In light of the Church's teaching that the use of arms must not produce
disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated, the effect of military action
on the Afghan people must be closely monitored on an ongoing basis. At the
same time, there is a special need to maintain and fortify our efforts to do
everything possible to address the long-standing humanitarian crisis in
Afghanistan, especially the risk of mass suffering and starvation this winter.
This humanitarian effort should continue to be primarily in response to the
overwhelming human need rather than in the service of military and political
objectives. The United States and other nations have a moral responsibility to
continue aid to Afghan refugees and displaced persons and to assist them in
returning to their homes in safety where possible, or offer them other durable
solutions.
We must do what we can to work with the United Nations and all interested
parties to help Afghans rebuild the political, economic, and cultural life of
their country after this war is over. The actions of our nation and other
nations must ensure a just war now and a just peace later.
Probability of success is particularly difficult to measure in dealing with an
amorphous, global terrorist network. Therefore, special attention must be
given to developing criteria for when it is appropriate to end military action
in Afghanistan.
Policy makers and all citizens must struggle with serious moral questions and
make informed judgments about how our nation can respond justly to a
terrifying threat. While we have offered our own judgment about aspects of
this question, we recognize that application of moral principles in this
situation requires the exercise of the virtue of prudence. Some Christians
profess a position of principled non-violence, which holds that non-military
means are the only legitimate way to respond in this case. This is a valid
Christian response. While respecting this position and maintaining a strong
presumption against the use of force, the Church has sanctioned the use of the
moral criteria for a just war to allow the use of force by legitimate
authority in self-defense and as a last resort. Those who subscribe to the
just war tradition can differ in their prudential judgments about its
interpretation or its application.
True peacemaking can be a matter of policy only if it is first a matter of the
heart. Without both courage and charity, justice cannot be won. In the absence
of repentance and forgiveness, no peace can endure. We need to do more to
share the Church's teaching on war and peace, and to foster Christian
communities where peaceable virtues can take root and be nourished. We need to
nurture among ourselves faith and hope to strengthen our spirits by
placing our trust in God, rather than in ourselves; courage and compassion
that move us to action; humility and kindness so that we can put the
needs and interests of others ahead of our own; patience and perseverance
to endure the long struggle for justice; and civility and charity so
that we can treat others with respect and love.
Pursuing Justice and Peace After September
11
September 11 made ever more clear that globalization is a reality requiring
greater moral scrutiny. If the problems of Afghanistan or Central Asia seemed
irrelevant to Americans before, that is no longer the case. Our nation, as a
principal force for economic globalization, must do more to spread the
benefits of globalization to all, especially the world's poorest. The
injustice and instability in far away lands about which we know too little can
have a direct impact on our own sense of peace and security. Maintaining a
strong military is only one component of our national security. A much
broader, long-term understanding of security is needed. In a world where
one-fifth of the population survives on less than $1 per day, where some
twenty countries are involved in major armed conflict, and where poverty,
corruption, and repressive regimes bring untold suffering to millions of
people, we simply cannot remain indifferent. We should also recognize how the
export of some negative aspects of our culture can help undermine other
societies as well as our own.
Our nation must join with others in addressing policies and problems that
provide fertile ground in which terrorism can thrive. Years ago, Pope Paul VI
declared, "if you want peace, work for justice." This wisdom should not be
misunderstood. No injustice legitimizes the horror we have experienced. But a
more just world will be a more peaceful world. There will still be people of
hate and violence, but they will have fewer allies, supporters and resources
to commit their heinous acts.
Each situation must be addressed on its own merits. Stopping terrorism must be
a priority but foreign policy cannot be wholly subsumed under this campaign.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the suffering of people in Iraq, the lack of
participation in political life, the abuse of human rights, endemic
corruption, grinding poverty amidst plenty, and threats to local cultures are
sources of deep resentment and hopelessness which terrorists seek to exploit
for their own ends. Regardless of terrorists' claims, creative and
constructive U.S. engagement, particularly with the Arab and Muslim worlds, in
resolving these problems will help restore a peace based on justice. Given the
prominence of our country, it is incumbent upon our citizens to pursue in
whatever ways they can a more just international political, social and
economic order. Reasonable persons may differ on the means to employ, but
Catholics cannot remain neutral with respect to that goal. Moreover, the means
chosen must be consistent with this goal, since unjust means cannot ultimately
result in justice. We must work for the common good, measured not just in
economic, political, or security terms, but also in terms of culture, basic
human rights such as religious freedom, and all that is needed for a virtuous
and spiritual life consistent with authentic human dignity. While our first
responsibility is to the common good of our own society, we have an
inescapable obligation to promote the global common good as well.
We highlight here a few specific aspects of the common good that deserve
special attention. These are matters our bishops' conference has addressed
before and in greater depth, but they take on added urgency at this time.
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.
This decades-old conflict must receive urgent attention from all parties,
including the United States, to put an end to the violence and to return to
comprehensive negotiations leading to a just and peaceful resolution of the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict that respects human rights and international law.
We support real security for Israel and the establishment of a viable state
for Palestinians. We recognize that each side in this conflict has deep,
long-standing and legitimate grievances that must be addressed if there is to
be a just and lasting peace. Engagement by the U.S. government and the
international community is necessary and must continue. This urgent engagement
should respond respectfully to the legitimate claims of both parties and not
acquiesce in unilateral actions which undermine prospects for a return to
negotiations.
Iraq. The continuing massive
suffering of the Iraqi people over the past decade is simply intolerable. As
we have done in the past, we deplore the unconscionable policies which have
led to the death, from disease and malnutrition, of hundreds of thousands of
children. The leaders of the Iraqi regime bear a heavy responsibility for this
suffering, not least because of their misuse of resources. They have a moral
responsibility to comply with the reasonable international obligations,
especially to end efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction. At the same
time, the comprehensive economic sanctions, even as modified by the
"oil-for-food" program, are causing horrendous suffering and must be brought
to an end without delay. The goal is not to reward the Iraqi government, but
to relieve a morally unacceptable situation where innocent civilians suffer
for the actions of a regime over which they have no control.
Sudan. As the U.S. seeks Sudan's
cooperation in the campaign on terrorism, our nation cannot ignore the
systematic campaign of terror waged by the government in Khartoum against its
own people, especially Christians and practitioners of African traditional
religions. Stopping the war in Sudan and finding a peaceful settlement to this
conflict is of urgent importance.
The scandal of poverty. Intolerable
extremes of misery and a growing gulf between the "haves" and the "have-nots"
characterize much of today's world, and breed hostility towards economic
globalization. This hostility can be addressed, in part, by a comprehensive
development agenda, including substantially increased foreign aid, more
equitable trade, and continuing efforts to relieve the crushing burden of
debt. We who have so much have a responsibility to the world's needy. We
cannot remain last among donor countries in development aid. The United States
contributes just one-tenth of one percent of its gross national product in
official development assistance, as compared with the international
development target of 0.7% of GNP, a target endorsed by our country many
times.
Overcoming poverty in our own nation requires a continuing commitment as well.
The needs of the jobless, hungry and homeless cannot be ignored or neglected.
New spending in response to September 11 and a declining economy will place
new pressures on international and domestic programs that serve poor and
vulnerable families. The poor abroad and in our own country must not be asked
to bear a disproportionate burden of the sacrifices that will have to be made.
Human rights. The necessity of
maintaining an international coalition against terrorism must not lead our
government to give less public attention to religious liberty and human rights
violations around the world. As a nation committed to promoting human rights,
we cannot compromise these priorities for temporary alliances that would
overlook them.
Weapons of mass destruction and the arms trade.
The world is apprehensive about the threat of terrorist attacks using weapons
of mass destruction. It is a moral imperative that the U.S. government work to
reverse the spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, pursue
progressive nuclear disarmament, take concrete actions to reduce its own
predominant role in the conventional arms trade, and work with other nations
to do the same.
Strengthening the UN and other international
institutions. Each of these problems will benefit from
participation of the United Nations and other appropriate international
institutions. The United States should play a constructive role in making the
United Nations and other international institutions more effective,
responsible and responsive. Our government's recent decision to pay its dues
to the United Nations is a welcome step.
Having said all this, it is necessary to reiterate that no cause, no grievance
can justify flying civilian aircrafts into office towers or infecting postal
workers and public figures. Rectifying this injustice will demand prudent
action to build a safer, more just and more peaceful world.
Conclusion
It has been said many times that September 11 changed the world. That is true
in many ways, but the essential tasks of our community of faith continue with
a new urgency and focus. The weeks and months and years ahead will be:
A time for prayer. We pray for the
victims and their families; for our president and national leaders; for police
and fire fighters; postal, health care and relief workers; and for military
men and women. We pray for an end to terror and violence. We also pray for the
Afghan people and for our adversaries. We call on Catholics to join in a
National Day of Prayer for Peace on January 1, 2002.
A time for fasting. As long as this
struggle continues, we urge Catholics to fast one day a week. This fast is a
sacrifice for justice, peace and for the protection of innocent human life.
A time for teaching. Many Catholics
know the Church's teaching on war and peace. Many do not. This is a time to
share our principles and values, to invite discussion and continuing dialogue
within our Catholic community. Catholic universities and colleges, schools and
parishes should seek opportunities to share the Sacred Scripture and Church
teaching on human life, justice and peace more broadly and completely. In a
special way we should seek to help our children feel secure and safe in these
difficult days.
A time for dialogue. This is a time
to engage in dialogue with Muslims, Jews, fellow Christians and other faith
communities. We need to know more about and understand better other faiths,
especially Islam. We also need to support our interfaith partners in clearly
repudiating terrorism and violence, whatever its source. (See
Joint Statement
of Catholic Bishops and Muslim Leaders, September 14, 2001). As the Holy
Father recently said, dialogue is essential for ensuring that "the name of the
one God become increasingly what it is: a name for peace and a summons to
peace." (Remarks to Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, November 6, 2001).
A time for witness. In our work and
communities, we should live our values of mutual respect, human dignity and
respect for life. We should seek security without embracing discrimination. We
should use our voices to protect human life, to seek greater justice, and to
pursue peace as participants in a powerful democracy.
A time for service. Catholic
Charities throughout the United States is providing assistance to families,
parishes, neighborhoods and communities directly affected by the attacks on
September 11. Catholic hospitals in these cities are also in the forefront in
caring for those injured in these attacks. Catholic Relief Services is
providing critical aid to Afghan refugees and doing invaluable work throughout
Central Asia and the Middle East. This is a time for generous and sacrificial
giving.
American Catholic servicemen and women and their chaplains are likewise called
conscientiously to fulfill their duty to defend the common good. To risk their
own lives in this defense is a great service to our nation and an act of
Christian virtue.
A time for solidarity. We are not the
first to experience such horrors. We now understand better the daily lot of
millions around the world who have long lived under the threat of violence and
uncertainty and have refused to give in to fear or despair. As we stand in
solidarity with the victims of the terrorist attacks and their families, we
must also stand with those who are suffering in Afghanistan. We stand with all
those whose lives are at risk and whose dignity is denied in this dangerous
world.
A time for hope. Above all, we need
to turn to God and to one another in hope. Hope assures us that, with God's
grace, we will see our way through what now seems such a daunting challenge.
For believers, hope is not a matter of optimism, but a source for strength and
action in demanding times. For peacemakers, hope is the indispensable virtue.
This hope, together with our response to the call to conversion, must be
rooted in God's promise and nourished by prayer, penance, and acts of charity
and solidarity.
Our nation and the Church are being tested in fundamental ways. Our nation has
a right and duty to respond and must do so in right ways, seeking to defend
the common good and build a more just and peaceful world. Our community of
faith has the responsibility to live out in our time the challenges of Jesus
in the Beatitudes – to comfort those who mourn, to seek justice, to become
peacemakers. We face these tasks with faith and hope, asking God to protect
and guide us as we seek to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ in these days
of trial.
Appendix
The Church has a long tradition on moral reflection on war and peace. The
following excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the
U.S. Bishops' statement, The Harvest of Justice Is Sown in Peace,
outline the elements of this teaching:
Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic
Church
III. Safeguarding Peace
Peace
- 2302
- By recalling the commandment, "You shall not kill," our Lord asked for
peace of heart and denounced murderous anger and hatred as immoral.
Anger is a desire for revenge. "To desire vengeance in order to do evil to
someone who should be punished is illicit," but it is praiseworthy to impose
restitution "to correct vices and maintain justice. If anger reaches the
point of a deliberate desire to kill or seriously wound a neighbor, it is
gravely against charity; it is a mortal sin. The Lord says, "Everyone who is
angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment."
- 2303
- Deliberate hatred is contrary to charity. Hatred of the neighbor is a
sin when one deliberately wishes him evil. Hatred of the neighbor is a grave
sin when one deliberately desires him grave harm. "But I say to you, Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons
of your Father who is in heaven."
- 2304
- Respect for and development of human life require peace. Peace is not
merely the absence of war, and it is not limited to maintaining a balance of
powers between adversaries. Peace cannot be attained on earth without
safeguarding the goods of persons, free communication among men, respect for
the dignity of persons and peoples, and the assiduous practice of
fraternity. Peace is "the tranquillity of order." Peace is the work of
justice and the effect of charity.
- 2305
- Earthly peace is the image and fruit of the peace of Christ, the
messianic "Prince of Peace." By the blood of his Cross, "in his own person
he killed the hostility," he reconciled men with God and made his Church the
sacrament of the unity of the human race and of its union with God. "He is
our peace."He has declared: "Blessed are the peacemakers.
- 2306
- Those who renounce violence and bloodshed and, in order to safeguard
human rights, make use of those means of defense available to the weakest,
bear witness to evangelical charity, provided they do so without harming the
rights and obligations of other men and societies. They bear legitimate
witness to the gravity of the physical and moral risks of recourse to
violence, with all its destruction and death.
Avoiding war
- 2307
- The fifth commandment forbids the intentional destruction of human life.
Because of the evils and injustices that accompany all war, the Church
insistently urges everyone to prayer and to action so that the divine
Goodness may free us from the ancient bondage of war.
- 2308
- All citizens and all governments are obliged to work for the avoidance
of war. However, "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."
- 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 modern means of destruction weighs very heavily
in evaluating this condition.
These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the "just
war" doctrine. The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy
belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the
common good.
- 2310
- Public authorities, in this case, have the right and duty to impose on
citizens the obligations necessary for national defense. Those who are sworn
to serve their country in the armed forces are servants of the security and
freedom of nations. If they carry out their duty honorably, they truly
contribute to the common good of the nation and the maintenance of peace.
- 2311
- Public authorities should make equitable provision for those who for
reasons of conscience refuse to bear arms; these are nonetheless obliged to
serve the human community in some other way.
- 2312
- The Church and human reason both assert the permanent validity of the
moral law during armed conflict. "The mere fact that war has regrettably
broken out does not mean that everything becomes licit between the warring
parties."
- 2313
- Non-combatants, wounded soldiers, and prisoners must be respected and
treated humanely. Actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to
its universal principles are crimes, as are the orders that command such
actions. Blind obedience does not suffice to excuse those who carry them
out. Thus the extermination of a people, nation, or ethnic minority must be
condemned as a mortal sin. One is morally bound to resist orders that
command genocide.
- 2314
- "Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole
cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man,
which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation."A danger of modern warfare
is that it provides the opportunity to those who possess modern scientific
weapons—especially atomic, biological, or chemical weapons—to commit such
crimes.
Excerpts from The National Conference of
Catholic Bishops,
The Harvest of Justice Is Sown in Peace (1993)
2. Just War: New Questions. The just war tradition consists of a body
of ethical reflection on the justifiable use of force. In the interest of
overcoming injustice, reducing violence and preventing its expansion, the
tradition aims at: (a) clarifying when force may be used; (b) limiting the
resort to force; and c) restraining damage done by military forces during war.
The just war tradition begins with a strong presumption against the use of
force and then establishes the conditions when this presumption may be
overridden for the sake of preserving the kind of peace which protects human
dignity and human rights.
In a disordered world, where peaceful resolution of conflicts sometimes fails,
the just war tradition provides an important moral framework for restraining
and regulating the limited use of force by governments and international
organizations. Since the just war tradition is often misunderstood or
selectively applied, we summarize its major components, which are drawn from
traditional Catholic teaching.
First, whether lethal force may be used is governed by the following criteria:
- Just Cause: force may be used only to correct a grave, public evil,
i.e., aggression or massive violation of the basic rights of whole
populations;
- Comparative Justice: while there may be rights and wrongs on all sides
of a conflict, to override the presumption against the use of force the
injustice suffered by one party must significantly outweigh that suffered by
the other;
- Legitimate Authority: only duly constituted public authorities may use
deadly force or wage war;
- Right Intention: force may be used only in a truly just cause and solely
for that purpose;
- Probability of Success: arms may not be used in a futile cause or in a
case where disproportionate measures are required to achieve success;
- Proportionality: the overall destruction expected from the use of force
must be outweighed by the good to be achieved;
- Last Resort: force may be used only after all peaceful alternatives have
been seriously tried and exhausted.
These criteria (jus ad bellum), taken as a whole, must be satisfied in order
to override the strong presumption against the use of force.
Second, the just war tradition seeks also to curb the violence of war through
restraint on armed combat between the contending parties by imposing the
following moral standards (jus in bello) for the conduct of armed conflict:
- Noncombatant Immunity: civilians may not be the object of direct attack
and military personnel must take due care to avoid and minimize indirect
harm to civilians;
- Proportionality: in the conduct of hostilities, efforts must be made to
attain military objectives with no more force than is militarily necessary
and to avoid disproportionate collateral damage to civilian life and
property;
- Right Intention: even in the midst of conflict, the aim of political and
military leaders must be peace with justice, so that acts of vengeance and
indiscriminate violence, whether by individuals, military units or
governments, are forbidden.
__________________________________
Office of Social Development & World Peace
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
3211 4th Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20017-1194 (202) 541-3000