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Catholic World News News Feature

Pope opposes military response to terrorism September 08, 2004

At a major international conference in Milan this week, two prominent Vatican officials have acknowledged the need for a military campaign to eliminate terrorism. But Pope John Paul II is not ready to endorse a military response.

The Pope called for firm action against terrorism, but insisted that warfare is not the best approach, in a statement released on Wednesday, September 8.

The Pope's message was delivered to an international conference organized by the St. Egidio community, meeting in Milan this week. Earlier, Cardinal Renato Martino had said that the battle against terrorism is, in effect, a worldwide war. And Cardinal Walter Kasper had said that the response to terrorism would surely include military action.

John Paul II reminded the conference participants that in 1993, at another meeting in Milan, world religious leaders had united in a call for peace, insisting that violence should never be motivated by religious faith.

Since that time, the Pope observed, "unfortunately, new conflicts have arisen." But he insisted: "Peace is always possible!"

The spread of terrorism across the world "calls for firmness and decision, in fighting the workers of death," the Pope said. But he quickly added that the decisive action against terrorism should not take the form of a military campaign. "Violence begets violence," he said. "War must always be considered a defeat: a defeat of reason and of humanity." He argued that world leaders should seek to root out the primary causes of terrorism, "especially misery, desperation and the emptiness in hearts."

John Paul II urged international leaders "not to give in to the logic of violence, vendetta, and hatred, but rather to persevere in dialogue." He concluded by expressing the hope that "men soon make a spiritual and cultural leap forward to outlaw war!"