Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester is undertaking a "Pilgrimage of Peace" to Japan to promote nuclear disarmament. In an NCR interview, Wester called on U.S. Catholics to have an "urgent conversation" about the continued risks posed by nuclear weapons.
Listen: Father Daniel, Heidi and David discuss the recent legislation aimed at LGBTQ+ persons, the relationship of nuclear disarmament to the war in Ukraine, and the grim second anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Perspective: We don't always hear about Catholic bishops drawing us to the active nonviolence of Jesus. Yet, a pattern is emerging, especially with Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester's recent pastoral letter urging nuclear disarmament.
Joan Chittister: Under the aegis of "defense," we have come to exalt the kind of violence that undermines every layer of our society. But now, one U.S. bishop is waking us up to what the Beatitudes are really all about.
What if the bishops called for the conversion of arms industries to nonmilitary production, while advocating for full and just protection of workers' rights during the transition process? What if leadership in all Christian denominations called on believers in the nuclear chain of command to refuse orders to use nuclear weapons, and for all Christians to publicly support those who do so?
Catholic proponents of nuclear disarmament joined scientists in calling on President Joe Biden to pursue an ambitious plan to end the threat nuclear weapons pose to the planet.
Commentary: As Joe Biden launches his administration's approach to international relations, he would do well to draw upon the values of Catholic social teaching and to absorb the insights of Pope Francis.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher reaffirmed the recent shift away from accepting the global system of nuclear deterrence Dec. 16, telling a webinar that nuclear weapons only give "a false sense of security."
