The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has come in support of Pope Leo XIV in the recent war of words against US President Donald Trump, saying the Pontiff does not merely offer opinion, but also preaches Gospel.
”When Pope Leo XIV speaks as supreme pastor of the universal Church, he is not merely offering opinions on theology, he is preaching the Gospel and exercising his ministry as the Vicar of Christ,” Bishop James Massa, chairman of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine, said in a statement.
Bishop Massa’s statement is significant in view of the recent public spat between Pope Leo and Trump regarding the Catholic Church’s teaching on war and peace and Trump’s posting of two ”blasphemous” AI-generated images on his social media platform.
Bishop Massa stated that for over a thousand years, the Catholic Church has taught just war theory and it is that long tradition the Holy Father carefully references in his comments on war.
He said a constant tenet of that thousand-year tradition is that a nation can only legitimately take up the sword ‘in self-defence, once all peace efforts have failed’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2308).
”That is to be a just war it must be a defence against another who actively wages war, which is what the Holy Father actually said. He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war,” Bishop Massa said in the statement.
He said the consistent teaching of the Church is insistent that all people of goodwill must pray and work toward lasting peace while avoiding the evils and injustices that accompany all wars.
