May 2010
New START Treaty Resources
President Obama and President Medvedev signed a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) on April 8, 2010. The signing of the treaty will generate public debate and offers an opportunity to study and act on Catholic Social Teaching on nuclear weapons. The Office of International Justice and Peace of the USCCB has a number of resources on its web site to inform this debate.
[The following excerpts are from the contribution to Catholic University's Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies Panel Symposium " The Ethics of the Obama Administration's Nuclear Weapons Policy: Catholic Perspectives," by Archbishop Edwin O'Brien of Baltimore, a member of the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the USCCB. The complete talk is available on the USCCB web site.]
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Within our Bishops' Conference I am often a defender of the proper role of military action and a skeptic of naïve hopes for peace in a still dangerous world. I have been on battlefields. I know the devastation of war. And I have great respect for our military institutions and for the men and women who serve in them. In this talk I will offer moral directions, not easy answers. I bring the voice of a pastor and teacher, not an expert analyst or policy maker
Addressing the critical issue of nuclear weapons is not new for the Catholic Church. Almost 45 years ago, the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, unequivocally condemned "total war" and what we would now call "weapons of mass destruction." They solemnly declared: "Any act of war aimed indiscriminately at the destruction of entire cities or extensive areas along with their population is a crime against God and man himself. It merits unequivocal and unhesitating condemnation."
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Our Church works consistently to defend the life and dignity of all: unborn children, poor persons, vulnerable immigrants, and persons in every age and condition of life. This moral commitment to protecting human life led to the adoption and development of the Church's just war teaching—a teaching that makes war a last resort and places limits on the use of military force. It is a tradition that complements the Gospel's imperative to peacemaking.
The Fathers of the Council were also profoundly skeptical of the long-term efficacy of "deterrence" as a basis for peace. They argued that "the arms race... is not a safe way to preserve a steady peace, nor is the so-called balance resulting from this race a sure and authentic peace." They concluded that "the arms race is an utterly treacherous trap for humanity, and one which ensnares the poor to an intolerable degree." The Council called for multilateral, verifiable disarmament as a surer path to true peace.
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The aims of just war teaching are to reduce recourse to military force and to restrain the damage done by war. Some of its principles are particularly applicable to nuclear weapons:
- The use of force must be discriminate. Civilians and civilian facilities may not be the object of direct, intentional attack and care must be taken to avoid and minimize indirect harm to civilians.
- The use of force must be discriminate. Civilians and civilian facilities may not be the object of direct, intentional attack and care must be taken to avoid and minimize indirect harm to civilians.
- And there must be a probability of success.
Nuclear war-fighting is rejected in Church teaching because it cannot ensure noncombatant immunity and the likely destruction and lingering radiation would violate the principle of proportionality. The real risks inherent in nuclear war make the probability of success elusive. In his 2006 World Day of Peace message, Pope Benedict XVI declared starkly: "In a nuclear war there would be no victors, only victims."
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At the 2005 Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Vatican made its position on nuclear deterrence clear: "When the Holy See expressed its limited acceptance of nuclear deterrence during the Cold War, it was with the clearly stated condition that deterrence was only a step on the way towards progressive nuclear disarmament. The Holy See has never countenanced nuclear deterrence as a permanent measure, nor does it today when it is evident that nuclear deterrence drives the development of ever newer nuclear arms, thus preventing genuine nuclear disarmament."
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In a moral analysis of nuclear weapons policies and programs, it is important to start with the end and work backwards. The moral end is clear: a world free of the threat of nuclear weapons. This goal should guide our efforts. Every nuclear weapons system and every nuclear weapons policy should be judged by the ultimate goal of protecting human life and dignity and the related goal of ridding the world of these weapons in mutually verifiable ways.
Although we must always keep our eyes on the horizon of a world without nuclear weapons, it is equally important to focus on our next steps because the journey is long and dangerous and we must take one step at a time if we are to be successful.
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The Conference of Bishops is urging members of the U.S. Senate to come together across party lines to ratify the New START Treaty. As the experts on this panel can tell you in more detail, the New START Treaty: reduces deployed strategic warheads; limits the United States and Russia to fewer delivery vehicles; and includes new verification requirements. This arms reduction treaty is a significant, yet modest, step in the right direction, and sets the stage for future reductions.
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As bishops, we are pastors and teachers, not technical experts. We cannot map out the precise route to the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons, but we can offer moral direction and encouragement. Although we cannot anticipate every step on the path humanity must walk, we can point with moral clarity to a destination that moves beyond deterrence to a world free of the nuclear threat.
It will not be easy. Nuclear weapons can be dismantled, but both the human knowledge and the technical capability to build weapons cannot be erased. A world with zero nuclear weapons will need robust measures to monitor, enforce and verify compliance. The path to zero will be long and treacherous. But humanity has a moral obligation to walk this path with both care and courage.
On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), I join with the Catholic bishops of Arizona in strongly opposing the enactment and implementation of Arizona SB 1070. This new law, although limited to the State of Arizona, could have impact throughout the nation, in terms of how members of our immigrant communities are both perceived and treated.
SB 1070 gives law enforcement officials powers to detain and arrest individuals based on a very low legal standard, possibly leading to the profiling of individuals based upon their appearance, manner of speaking, or ethnicity. It could lead to the wrongful questioning and arrest of U.S. citizens and permanent residents as well as the division of families—parents from children and husbands from wives. It certainly would lead to the rise in fear and distrust in immigrant communities, undermining the relationships between their members and law enforcement officials.
SB 1070 is symptomatic of the absence of federal leadership on the issue of immigration. For years now, the U.S. Catholic bishops have called upon Congress and two Administrations to enact meaningful and just comprehensive immigration reform.
"We are all grateful for how Bishop Matthiesen raised fundamental questions regarding the morality of nuclear weapons," stated Sr. Kathleen Pritty, RSM, interim chair of the National Council of Pax Christi USA. quot;Bishop Matthiesen led by example, demonstrating in word and deed the force of his convictions and his belief in the gospel."
While many of our federal elected officials have made good faith efforts to pass reform, too many still view the issue through a political lens, using it to gain political or partisan advantage. This gamesmanship must stop.
Our national leaders must educate the American public on the need for reform and show courage in making it happen. Until immigration reform is passed, other States will attempt to create and enforce immigration law, with harsh and ineffective consequences.
The U.S. Catholic bishops stand in solidarity with the bishops of Arizona in opposing this draconian law. We call upon the Administration to review its impact on civil rights and liberties. We renew our call for the Administration and Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to enact comprehensive immigration reform as soon as possible.
(En Español)
En nombre de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de Estados Unidos (USCCB), me uno a los obispos católicos de Arizona en su firme oposición a la reciente promulgación e implementación de la ley SB1070 en Arizona. Esta ley, aunque limitada al Estado de Arizona, podría tener impacto por todo el país en la manera en que se percibe y se trata a los miembros de nuestras comunidades inmigrantes.
La SB 1070 mantiene un estándar legal muy bajo que permite a la policía detener y arrestar a personas basándose solo en su apariencia, su forma de hablar o su procedencia étnica. Podría conducir al cuestionamiento y arresto erróneo de ciudadanos estadounidenses y residentes legales así como a la separación de familias – padres de sus hijos y esposos de sus esposas. Ciertamente aumentaría el temor y la desconfianza entre las comunidades inmigrantes, socavando la confianza entre sus miembros y la policía.
La SB 1070 es sintomática de la ausencia de liderazgo en el Gobierno federal en el tema de inmigración. Por años, los obispos católicos de Estados Unidos han hecho un llamado al Congreso y a las dos últimas Administraciones a aprobar una reforma de inmigración inteligente, integral y justa.
Mientras muchos miembros del Congrego han realizado esfuerzos de buena fe para aprobar una reforma migratoria integral, muchos todavía ven el tema a través de lentes políticos, usándolo para obtener ventajas políticas o partidistas. Este juego debe terminar.
Nuestros líderes nacionales deben educar al pueblo estadounidense sobre la necesidad de una reforma y tener el coraje de hacerla realidad. Mientras la reforma migratoria no se apruebe, otros Estados intentarán crear y aplicar leyes migratorias inadecuadas, con resultados catastróficos.
Los obispos católicos de Estados Unidos se hacen solidarios con los obispos de Arizona en su oposición a esta ley draconiana. Hacemos un llamado a la Administración a examinar su impacto sobre los derechos y libertades civiles. Renovamos el llamado a la Administración y al Congreso a trabajar de manera bipartidista para alcanzar una reforma migratoria integral a la mayor brevedad posible.
The presidency of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) issued a statement on April 29 opposing the enactment and implementation of Arizona SB 1070, which criminalizes undocumented immigrants.
The full text of the statement follows.
We, the presidency of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, express our opposition to the enactment and implementation of Arizona SB1070 which criminalizes undocumented immigrants. It is unthinkable to us that in this country a state legislature and governor would give law enforcement officers power to detain and arrest individuals based on the color of their skin or manner of dress or of speaking.
For many years Catholic sisters in LCWR member congregations have worked closely with immigrant communities and understand their suffering, frustration, and fear of being detained, separated from their children, and deported. Through both Republican and Democrat Administrations LCWR has advocated for meaningful and just immigration reform. We welcome the recent statement of Bishop John Wester, chair of the Migration Committee of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, supporting the bishops of Arizona in their opposition to the enactment and implementation of this legislation.
We hope and pray that this appalling legislation will never be enacted. We also hope that it will serve as a wake-up call to Congress and the Administration about the urgency of enacting comprehensive immigration reform that is both just and humane. In the absence of comprehensive reform, other states may follow the misdirected lead of Arizona.
On November 3, 2009, the Woodstock Theological Center sponsored a Forum, "Honoring Human Dignity and the Common Good: A Catholic Approach to Immigration Reform." The forum marked the beginning of Woodstock's long-term public education campaign aimed at educating Catholics about what their faith tradition teaches about migrants. More than 300 people attended the forum where Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, DC, reminded the audience that "We are all brothers and sisters in God's one family."
A video of the forum can be viewed by clicking here. A free DVD of the forum with additional features including panelist and author interviews will be available in late May 2010 as a result of a generous contribution from the Carnegie Foundation.
The Spring 2010 Woodstock Report is dedicated to the issue of migration and includes excerpts of the speeches delivered by the forum's panelists as well as several theological reflections by Woodstock fellows on what the Catholic Church teaches about migration.
To request a copy of the Spring 2010 Woodstock Report and a DVD of the forum, please contact Laura Michener at 202-687-3564 or <lmm232@georgetown.edu>.
Churches for Middle East Peace invites you to its 2010 Advocacy Conference to learn, increase your skills, network and advocate for peace with justice in the Holy Land. The conference is June 13th - 15th, 2010 at the Kellogg Conference Hotel in Washington, DC.
Psalm 34:14 and 1 Peter 3:11 "Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." inspired this year's conference theme. This Hebrew Bible and New Testament command to action is at the heart of what CMEP does to be proactive in promoting the right of people in the Holy Land to live in peace and security, free of fears of harassment, oppression, and violence. The conference will provide knowledge, skills and networking opportunities for every participant to pursue peace on Capitol Hill and at home.
For details on registration rates, accommodations, speakers, directions, and other conference information, please visit our conference web page.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the collaborating organizations below are pleased to announce a new Catholic social teaching web site for campus ministers and students at www.usccb.org/campus.
The name of the new website is "Transforming Our World: Our Catholic Faith in Action" and features Catholic social teaching, prayer resources, tools for action, and multi-media such as videos and podcasts.
The site is an online clearinghouse featuring "best practices" to promote Catholic social teaching in campus ministry. Campus ministers, students, and others are invited to submit their best practices and activities for possible feature on the web site. Content will continue to be added to the site as it is received and reviewed. Potential contributors can visit www.usccb.org/campus to make a submission.
The web site is a collaboration of the Sharing Catholic Social Teaching Subgroup on Higher Education, which includes the organizations below:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU)
Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU)
Catholic Campus Ministry Association (CCMA)
Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM)
Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS)
Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR)
The National Association of Diocesan Directors of Campus Ministry (NADDCM)
National Catholic Student Coalition (NCSC)
National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association (NCYAMA)
National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW)
Death Threats against Jesuit Priest, Human Rights Defender in Bogota
The Jesuit Center of Investigation and Popular Education (CINEP) in Bogota, Colombia, denounced a series of death threats and political intimidation leveled against a Jesuit Priest, Javier Giraldo, SJ, a human rights analyst who manages the human rights monitoring database at CINEP. The threats culminated in the scrawling of graffiti upon the wall of the CINEP offices and other buildings throughout Bogota that read, "Against the Priest," and "Javier Giraldo = Dead."
The CINEP and Jesuit Refugee Service/USA call upon the Government of Colombia to take these threats seriously, to launch an immediate investigation, and to offer protection and security to those who work for CINEP, most especially for Father Javier Giraldo.
On May 19, 1997, two CINEP associates and two of their family members were assassinated when armed paramilitaries invaded their home in Bogota. Like Father Javier, two of the victims of this attack – Elsa Alvarado and Mario Calderon – were the human rights analysts who managed the CINEP human rights database. In light of this history, we take these threats against Fr. Javier and against the safety of any of those who work for CINEP very seriously and see this as part of a troubling pattern of the targeting and terrorization of human rights defenders in Colombia. CINEP released the following statement on April 27, 2010 in support of Father Javier and human rights defenders in Colombia:
The graffiti expresses death threats against Father Giraldo because he has denounced crimes and assassinations committed by the Colombian National Army, the paramilitaries and guerrilla groups since July 1996 in the Peace Community of San José de Apartadó. Moreover, he has organized and signed petitions to denounce countless criminal actions by armed groups, the majority of which have gone unpunished.
We reject these threats against Father Giraldo, who has defended human rights and denounced the pattern of impunity toward crimes against International Humanitarian Law that have occurred and continue to occur in Colombia. These threats are clearly a result and response to his unwavering commitment to the victims of violence.
Because of this, CINEP/PPP, as well as the Society of Jesus [the Jesuits of Colombia], demand that the National Government of Colombia conduct an investigation to find those responsible for these threats and clearly define the methods of protection that will be offered to those affected. Without this assistance from the Colombian Government there is no guarantee that the defenders of human rights will be able to continue their work in safety.
[Click title for pdf of original with seal: Communiqué from the Jesuits of Honduras ]
The Superiors of the Company of Jesus in Honduras, facing the threats and coercion to which Father Ismael Moreno, SJ, (Padre Melo) is repeatedly subjected, express the following to the national and international communities:
FIRST: We denounce the fact that in recent weeks Father Melo has been subjected to death threats by unknown people through text messages and calls to his cell phone. These threats are related to his humanitarian decision to arrange protection for the young woman Irma Melissa Villanueva in a case known to the Court of the Public Ministry and to diverse national and international human rights organizations.
SECOND: We stand by the fact that the relation of Padre Melo with Irma Melissa and her family takes place exclusively within the context of the acts that occurred on the day of August 14th in Choloma, the day on which Irma Melissa accuses several policemen of having raped her on the occasion of a resistance march in that city. The actions of Father Moreno are within the framework of a Christian duty facing situations that require humanitarian accompaniment of religious figures like him.
THIRD: We note that the threats against Father Melo do not target him alone. The Company of Jesus denounces the fact that Gerardo Chévez, reporter for Radio Progreso, is also receiving threats related to his broadcasting work with the radio.
FOURTH: On Friday, April 17th, Father Valentín Menéndez, SJ, Superior of the Jesuits of El Progreso, Yoro, presented a formal complaint to the Special Human Rights Court of San Pedro Sula, asking that an investigation be carried out in relation to the threats against and attempts to coerce Father Melo.
FIFTH: We demand that the national authorities carry out a diligent and effective investigation about the acts that have been denounced and we make an urgent call to national and international human rights organizations to follow up on this case.
Valentín Menéndez SJ, Superior of the Jesuits of El Progreso
Carlos Solano SJ, Superior of the Jesuits of Yoro
Juan José Colato SJ, Superior of the Jesuits of Tocoa
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