Jerusalem cardinal criticizes US Defense Secretary Hegseth’s use of Psalm
March 18, 2026
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CWN Editor's Note: The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem deplored religious justifications for the conflicts in the Middle East.
“The abuse and manipulation of God’s name to justify this and any other war is the gravest sin we can commit at this time,” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, said during a webinar. “War is first and foremost political and has very material interests, like most wars. We must do everything we can to leave no room for this pseudo-religious language, which speaks not of God, but of ourselves.”
Asked specifically about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s recent reference to Psalm 144, Cardinal Pizzaballa said:
We need to say that no, there are no new crusades. If God is present in this war, He is among those who are dying, who are suffering, who are in pain, who are oppressed in various ways, throughout the Middle East—I am not saying on one side or the other.The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
This conflict has religious connotations, but they are manipulations: those who wish to bring religion into it exploit the name of God.
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