What Can A Pope Say About War and Terrorism?

The news reports and images coming out of Israel this past weekend are horrifying and appalling.  Palestinian Hamas terrorists launched a brutal surprise attack against southern Israel.  Hamas terrorists fired thousands of rockets against Israeli civilians and soldiers, and invaded numerous Israeli towns and villages near the Gaza strip.  Hamas terrorists killed and wounded thousands of civilians and soldiers and seized and abducted an unknown number of Israeli people including the elderly and children.  In response, the Israeli Government has declared war and is mobilizing its forces to defend its people and retaliate against Hamas. On Sunday 8 October 2023, Pope Francis offered his prayers and sympathies for the victims of these attacks and their families and prayed for peace in Israel and Palestine. 

Confronted by war and acts of terrorism, what can a Pope say?

Pope Benedict XV became Pope following the death of Pope St. Pius X and the outbreak of World War One.  For the next four disastrous years, Pope Benedict XV was a fervent voice for peace.  In his 1 November 1914 Encyclical Ad Beatissimi Apostolorum, Pope Benedict XV pleaded with the leaders of the warring powers:

“We implore those in whose hands are placed the fortunes of nations to hearken to Our voice. Surely there are other ways and means whereby violated rights can be rectified. Let them be tried honestly and with good will, and let arms meanwhile be laid aside. It is impelled with love of them and of all mankind, without any personal interest whatever, that We utter these words. Let them not allow these words of a friend and of a father to be uttered in vain.” ( https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xv/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xv_enc_01111914_ad-beatissimi-apostolorum.html )

Three years later, Pope Benedict XV offered seven points for the basis of peace. 

For his seven points and his persistent efforts for peace, Pope Benedict XV was ignored, criticized, mocked, and ridiculed by most of the leaders of the warring powers.  Not only did U.S. President Woodrow Wilson mock Pope Benedict XV for his seven points, Wilson later appropriated without attribution some of his ideas for his own Fourteen Points.

On 11 September 2001, Muslim extremists hijacked four U.S. passenger jets, and crashed two of them into New York’s Twin Towers and a third one into the Pentagon. The hijackers crashed the fourth one into the ground in western Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to recapture the aircraft.  Nearly 3,000 innocent people were killed in these terrorist attacks.  These attacks were not just isolated acts of homicidal terrorists. They were the culmination of a decade-long Islamist extremist war against America.   As the Chairman of the 9-11 Commission Tom Kean declared during a July 2003 public hearing, “our attackers had decided that they were at war with us long before we realized we were at war with them” ( https://9-11commission.gov/archive/hearing3/9-11Commission_Hearing_2003-07-09.htm  )

In his General Audience on the day after the September 11th attacks, Pope St. John Paul II said:

"Today, my heartfelt sympathy is with the American people, subjected yesterday to inhuman terrorist attacks which have taken the lives of thousands of innocent human beings and caused unspeakable sorrow in the hearts of all men and women of good will. Yesterday was indeed a dark day in our history, an appalling offence against peace, a terrible assault against human dignity." ( https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/audiences/2001/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_20010912.html   )

Since the beginning of Russia’s brutal invasion of the Ukraine, Pope Francis has pleaded for peace.  After his 20 March 2022 Angelus, Pope Francis said:

"Dear brothers and sisters, unfortunately, the violent aggression against Ukraine has not stopped, a senseless massacre where slaughter and atrocities are repeated every day. There is no justification for this! I plead with all those who are involved in the international community to truly be committed to putting an end to this abhorrent war." ( https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2022/documents/20220320-angelus.html  )

On the day after the Hamas attacks on Israel, Pope Francis called for peace. Following his Sunday 8 October 2023 Angelus, Pope Francis said:

"I am following apprehensively and sorrowfully what is happening in Israel where the violence has exploded even more ferociously, causing hundreds of deaths and casualties. I express my closeness to the families and victims. I am praying for them and for all who are living hours of terror and anguish. May the attacks and weaponry cease. Please! And let it be understood that terrorism and war do not lead to any resolutions, but only to the death and suffering of so many innocent people. War is a defeat! Every war is a defeat! Let us pray that there be peace in Israel and in Palestine."  (  https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2023/documents/20231008-angelus.html )

On the issue of war, Popes are often in a difficult position.  Popes are the spiritual and moral leaders of Catholics throughout the world regardless of ethnicity and nationality.  Popes are also spiritual and moral leaders for all God’s children on Earth regardless of ethnicity and nationality.  Popes try not to take sides in armed conflicts between peoples.  They try to advocate for peace and justice amongst all peoples.  That can be very difficult when there are no clear cut differences between the positions of the nations in conflict. 

There are clear cut obvious differences between the Israelis and their Palestinian Hamas attackers this past weekend.  The Israelis were celebrating a religious holy day Simchat Torah.  Hamas executed a well-planned and coordinated attack upon Israel with deadly efficiency and inhumane brutality. 

What can a Pope say about war and terrorism?  A Pope can call for peace and justice.  A Pope can offer prayers and sympathies for the victims and their families and loved ones.  A Pope can condemn deliberate attacks and violence against civilians and non-combatants.  A Pope can call for the humane treatment of prisoners and hostages and their speedy release.  A Pope can call upon all people to pray and work for peace. 

Popes can and have spoken out during war.  I am confident that Popes will continue to do this until Christ returns and all swords are beaten into plowshares once and for all.