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In a recent homily, my parish priest said
that John Paul II judged the American invasion
of Iraq as an unjust war. I have no reason
to disbelieve him.
The Vatican, having judged this way, leaves your
answer to the Iraq question on your
website in error.
I hope you are not allowing your adherence
to a political point of view to cloud your
judgment.
God Bless You,
Fred Duignan
{ Are you allowing your adherence to a political view (the invasion
of Iraq) to cloud your
judgment? }
Mike
replied:
Hi,
Fred —
Thanks for your comment.
First, your priest is correct, John
Paul II did judge the American invasion
of Iraq as an unjust war. This
is his personal opinion, as well
as others in the Vatican.
The Church leaves the final military judgment
on these issues to those who have
the competence to judge such matters.
Countries are obliged to use "just
war" criteria to assess whether
their acts fall into the "just
war" criteria or not. The Holy
Father's personal opinion though,
is not an issue of faith and morals.
The Holy Father does not have the
competence to know the military power
and might of all countries and to
what degree they can justly go to
war.
As Catholics we have a right and
obligation to defend ourselves when
attacked for no reason,
like on 9/11. We are a temple of
God.
This is an issue where I have an
opinion that differs from the Holy
Father. Issues
like these fall into the category
of "theological opinion",
which is not morally binding to Catholics. The Catechism says:
Avoiding war.
.
.
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. (cf. Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes 79 § 5)
Mike Humphrey
Eric
replied:
Fred —
According to an article published
in March 2003, the Pope told Bush
in a Papal message delivered just
before the war by a special envoy, “A
war would be a defeat for humanity
and would be neither morally nor
legally justified. It is an unjust
war.”
Catholic teaching says that there
is such a thing as a just war, and
such a thing as an unjust war. In
other words, in any given situation,
a war might be justified, or might
not be justified, depending on particular
circumstances. Here, the Pope is
making a judgment about the circumstances
of this particular situation, based
on his knowledge of it. (This is
to be contrasted with his judgment
on a doctrinal teaching which is
always and everywhere true, such
as the immorality of abortion.)
While this is not a judgment that
is morally binding on the faithful
(as a doctrinal statement would be),
it is something we should give much
respect and deference to, and not
something I would lightly contradict
or dismiss.
Eric Ewanco
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