Leaders in every country typically try to justify their actions, especially when they choose to engage in an armed conflict with another nation.
At times the rhetoric used can make it seem that violence is the only possible answer and that fighting a battle is truly warranted and "just" in their eyes.
What does the Catholic Church have to say about such a situation? Are countries free to make war upon another nation in every possible circumstance?
What the Catechism says
The Catechism of the Catholic Church has the most succinct explanation of the Church's official stance towards war. It first begins with the statement that war should be avoided at all costs:
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. All citizens and all governments are obliged to work for the avoidance of war. (CCC 2307-2308)
Catholics are to be first of all, peacemakers. We should not be looking to pick a fight with someone or with another country, but should do everything possible to avoid bloodshed.
The Catechism does mention that only when "all peace efforts have failed" can governments consider such drastic action.
However, according the Catechism, there are several requirements that need to be met before any war begins:
- 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. (CCC 2309)
It should also be noted that, "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" (CCC 2314).
Things are different today
"The power of modern means of destruction" referred to by the Catechism has meant that the Church's long-teaching on just war has new ramifications. Naturally, those in the Middle Ages couldn't have even imagined something like Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Pope Francis was very vocal in his belief that, "Wars are always unjust, since it is the people of God who pay. Our hearts cannot but weep before the children and women killed, along with all the victims of war."
He also recalled that the father of division, that is, Satan, is at the heart of war.
Going to war should never be seen lightly, or easily justified. It might be easy to evaluate these things sitting on our couch, miles away from any violence, but the reality of war is much different for those who are involved firsthand.
Whenever we hear of a war that breaks out in the world, our first reaction should not be to rejoice, but to bow our heads in insistent prayer for peace.
