Handbook of Catholic Social Teaching

1. What is the Catholic attitude toward war?

“The Church’s teaching on war and peace establishes a strong presumption against war which is binding on all.” U.S. Bishops. The Challenge of Peace (1983) 70.
“War is the most barbarous and least effective way of resolving conflicts.” Pope John Paul II, 1982 World Day of Peace Message.
“The Church cannot accept violence, especially the force of arms–which is uncontrollable once it is let loose–and indiscriminate death as the path to liberation, because she knows that violence always provokes violence and irresistibly engenders new forms of oppression and enslavement which are often harder to bear than those from which they claimed to bring freedom.” Pope Paul VI, On Evangelization in the Modern World (1975) 37.
“No more war, war never again! Peace, it is peace which must guide the destinies of people and of all mankind.” Pope Paul VI, Address to the United Nations General Assembly (1965) 5.
“We call in season and out of season for the international community to turn from war and to do the works of peace. The primary obligation of the nuclear age is to banish resort-to-force from the daily affairs of nations and peoples. From Pius XII to John Paul II the cry of the Church and the prayer of all believers is a reiteration of the words of Paul VI: ‘No more war, war never again! ‘ This must remain our primary response to war today.” U.S. Bishops. Statement on Registration and Conscription for Military Service (1980) 3.

Reflections on the Catholic attitude toward war.

a) What does the phrase “presumption against war” mean?
b) Why is it binding on everyone?
c) Why is war the least effective way of resolving conflicts?
d) Give an example of violence provoking violence. How does this principle apply to war?
e) When Paul VI declared “No more war, war never again,” do you think he really believed that there would never be another war? If not, then why did he make the statement? Why must his statement, according to the U.S. bishops, be our primary response to war today?
f) What do you think the bishops had in mind when they called on the international community “to do the works of peace”?