Pope Leo XIV, working for peace and decrying the depravity of war

By Fr. Shay Cullen

The bombing of Iran by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28 after negotiations failed in Geneva has triggered a war that has succeeded in overwhelming Tehran’s air defenses. The back-and-forth attacks — part of what the US has called “Operation Epic Fury” — among the countries involved have destroyed both military and civilian infrastructure in Iran. From March 1 to 20, US-Israeli bombings targeted military sites, civilian infrastructure, and members of Iran’s leadership. In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone strikes on Israel and US bases in the Gulf states, as well as energy facilities in the region. It also closed the vital Strait of Hormuz.

The closure infuriated US President Donald Trump. Writing on his Truth Social platform on April 7, Trump demanded Iran to reopen the strait, warning that if not, a “whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.” On April 8, a ceasefire brokered by Pakistan prevented that threat from being carried out. That would have been a massive war crime if it happened.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said he was “deeply troubled” by Trump’s remarks, saying they were totally inappropriate. And Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pontiff, condemned them as “morally impermissible,” saying attacks on civilian infrastructure violated international law. Such attacks are war crimes, and Trump and his commanders can be held responsible for them. Pope Leo then urged them to consider the “many innocent people” who would become victims of such violence. He said it was an “unjust war” and a “scandal to the whole human family” that resolves nothing, but instead “amplifies” problems and leaves lasting wounds. He urged world leaders to return to dialogue and diplomacy to stop the conflict before it becomes an “irreparable abyss.”

Pope Leo has also criticized the use of religious language to justify the armed conflict, saying God “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war,” and warning against a “delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive.” He went on to say that “[e]ven the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death. Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life.” He even said he had “no fear” of the Trump administration and would continue to speak the “message of the Gospel.”

The pontiff’s words did not please Trump at all. In response, he called the pope “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy.” He said: “I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela… And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do… Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.”

Trump falsely claimed that Pope Leo supports Iran having a nuclear weapon, and was wrong in saying the pontiff ignored the massacre of thousands of Iranian protestors. But Pope Leo has already condemned the wanton killing of people. Trump recently told reporters at the White House that “I’m not a fan of Pope Leo,” and said the pontiff was “wrong on the issues.”

Other threats

Besides threatening to destroy a whole civilization, Trump has made other threats. On April 1, he said: “We’re going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong,” if they did not accept his demands. On April 7, he warned that if the strait remained blocked, every bridge in Iran would be “decimated” and every power plant would be “burning, exploding, and never to be used again.”

Iran’s closure of the strait — through which 20 percent of the world’s oil, gas and fertilizer shipments pass — has caused gasoline and food prices in the United States and elsewhere to rise and sent the global economy into a crisis. This put Trump’s Republican Party at greater risk of losing in November’s midterm elections. He told Iran to “open the f****** strait” or face “hell unleashed” and be “hit with a force that has never been seen before.”

To make matters worse, he posted an image of himself as Jesus healing a man on a hospital bed surrounded by other white Americans in different professions and American symbols. Many Christians worldwide were gravely offended and expressed shock and disappointment, said pastor Mark Burns, a spiritual adviser of Trump. Recent polls indicate that many Catholics in the US, formerly strong Trump supporters, are distancing themselves from him. His approval rating among them recently dropped to 48 percent.

Three prominent US archbishops — Blase Cupich of Chicago, Robert McElroy of Washington, D.C., and Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey — have said America’s immoral actions were “destroying international relations and plunging the world into incalculable suffering. Our country’s moral role in confronting evil around the world, sustaining the right to life and human dignity, and supporting religious liberty are all under examination.” Strong words echoed by many world leaders who have refused to join the US-Israel war on Iran.

As of this writing, Pope Leo is on a historic, 11-day apostolic journey to Africa — the longest trip of his young pontificate so far. In Muslim-majority Algeria, he said he came as a “pilgrim of peace.” He delivered a heartfelt message centered on interfaith harmony, justice and reconciliation. He emphasized that true peace is not merely the absence of conflict but an expression of justice and dignity. He called for “interfaith fraternity” and no more wars.

In Cameroon, he addressed the country’s internal conflict, citing its “human cost.” He spoke about “profound suffering” from violence, noting that “lives have been lost, families displaced, children deprived of schooling and young people no longer see a future.” He called for breaking the “chains of corruption,” which he said “disfigures authority and strips it of its credibility,” urging leaders to act as “bridges, never as sources of division.” In the conflict-ridden northwest region, he denounced a “handful of tyrants” who are “ravaging the world” while emphasizing that it is held together by a “multitude of supportive brothers and sisters.”

All these messages can be taken to heart in the Philippines, too.