Cardinal Blase Cupich presided over a Mass for peace in Hiroshima on the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing. The Mass took place on the Feast of the Transfiguration, with the Cardinal drawing a contrast between divine light and the destruction of the atomic bomb. The event is part of a 'Pilgrimage of Peace' by Church leaders, emphasizing nonviolence and the abolition of nuclear weapons. Cardinal Cupich echoed Pope Francis' call to remember, journey together, and protect one another, urging the global community to choose peace.
4 months ago
Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, accompanied by other U.S. prelates including Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop John Wester, and Archbishop Paul Etienne, embarked on a "Pilgrimage of Peace" to Japan to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 1 2 3. Their visit underscores the Catholic Church's unwavering commitment to nonviolence and the abolition of nuclear weapons 2.
Cardinal Cupich delivered homilies in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, offering a stark moral assessment of the U.S. decision to use atomic weapons in World War II 1 2. He described the bombings as "deeply flawed" due, in part, to the abandonment of the core principle of noncombatant immunity in international law and Catholic moral teaching 1 3. The Cardinal noted that the targeting of civilians had become normalized during World War II, preceding the atomic attacks with firebombing of Japanese cities 1 3.
He highlighted the warning of American Jesuit John Ford, who in 1944 condemned "obliteration bombing" as morally unacceptable, a warning that remains relevant today regarding nuclear deterrence 1. Cupich asserted that nuclear deterrence, based on threats, cannot achieve genuine peace, stating that "genuine peace is more than a fearful truce" 1 3. He expressed concern that despite a shift in U.S. public opinion regarding the historical bombings, many Americans still accept the potential use of nuclear weapons in modern conflicts 1.
Cardinal Cupich emphasized the need to reframe the Church's just war tradition, rooting it in moral formation and solidarity rather than solely strategic calculation 1. He argued that the intentional targeting of civilians must become "unthinkable" and that the just war tradition should foster resistance to retribution, hatred, ethnocentrism, and nationalism 3. For the just war theory to remain credible, it must be situated within a broader ethic of solidarity that prioritizes peacebuilding 3.
He also advocated for "integral disarmament," a concept from the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which calls for addressing the social, economic, and ecological foundations of peace 1. The Cardinal suggested that a holistic approach to Catholic teaching on conflict should prioritize nonviolence, with just war theory taking a more secondary role, aligning with Cardinal McElroy's arguments 3. However, some analysis suggests that both just war and nonviolence traditions should remain in constant, uneasy tension to challenge each other, preventing either from becoming a lazy apologetic for war or an impractical stance in certain conflicts 3.
In Hiroshima, Cardinal Cupich contrasted the divine light of the Transfiguration with the destructive flash of the atomic bomb, urging humanity to acknowledge its capacity for destruction 2. He echoed Pope Francis's three moral imperatives for sustaining peace: to remember, to journey together, and to protect 2. Remembering involves ensuring future generations never forget the devastation, honoring the Hibakusha (atomic bombing survivors) as agents of peace 2.
"Journeying together" means putting aside selfish pursuits and national rivalries, moving forward with shared responsibility and ensuring no one is left behind 2. The imperative to "protect" is framed as a spiritual act, drawing hope from God's divine presence to pursue lasting peace 2. The Cardinal concluded by appealing for human ingenuity to be transformed from destruction towards solidarity, creating new paths for peace in a world facing instability and nuclear proliferation 2. As a nuclear superpower, the United States bears a special responsibility to build a non-nuclear international order and renew arms reduction efforts 1.
How does Catholic teaching address nuclear weapons?
Catholic teaching on nuclear weapons has evolved over time, reflecting the complexities of modern warfare and the Church's consistent commitment to peace and justice. While initially allowing for a limited deterrent use under strict conditions, recent papal pronouncements have moved towards a more absolute condemnation of their possession and use.
The Second Vatican Council, in Gaudium et Spes, acknowledged the "immense and unspeakable havoc" that modern warfare, particularly with weapons of mass destruction, could inflict. It called for an "evaluation of war with an entirely new attitude". While condemning "any act of war aimed indiscriminately at the destruction of entire cities of extensive areas along with their population" as a "crime against God and man himself," it did not explicitly condemn nuclear deterrence.
During the Cold War, the Holy See adopted a position of "tolerated deterrence." This view, articulated by figures like Pope John Paul II, suggested that nuclear deterrence could be morally acceptable as a temporary measure to prevent war, provided it was a step towards progressive disarmament. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992) states that "the arms race does not ensure peace" and "the accumulation of arms cannot be considered a legitimate method of resolving conflicts". However, it also notes that "deterrence, based on the threat of massive retaliation, is not a moral end in itself" but "can still be morally acceptable as a provisional means of ensuring peace". This acceptance was always conditional on the urgent commitment to disarmament.
More recently, there has been a significant shift in papal teaching, moving away from the conditional acceptance of deterrence towards a more absolute condemnation of nuclear weapons.
This shift is rooted in several considerations:
In summary, Catholic teaching on nuclear weapons has evolved from a nuanced position that conditionally tolerated deterrence as a temporary measure towards a more definitive condemnation of their possession and use. The current teaching, particularly under Pope Francis, asserts that the mere possession of nuclear weapons is immoral, urging a complete and verifiable disarmament as a moral imperative for global peace and human dignity.