Catholic Leaders Question U.S. Iran War Under Just War Doctrine

By [Neutral News Service Staff]

*Published: 2026-04-16*

Pope Leo XIV and three U.S. cardinals have expressed opposition to the ongoing U.S.-Iran war, citing Catholic teachings on the morality of conflict. Last Sunday, Cardinals Robert McElroy of San Francisco, Blase Cupich of Chicago, and Joseph Tobin of Newark appeared on *60 Minutes*, aligning with the pope's stance by rejecting the war as unjust under the Catholic just war doctrine.

The cardinals emphasized that the conflict fails to meet key criteria, including proportionality, last resort, and right intention aimed at peace. Pope Leo XIV has publicly criticized the war, describing it in statements as risking "a whole civilisation" and calling for ceasefires and negotiations. These remarks prompted responses from President Trump and Vice President Vance, who defended the military action on theological grounds, arguing it aligns with self-defense principles.

The U.S.-Iran war began on February 28, 2026, as a joint U.S.-Israeli operation targeting Iran's nuclear facilities and military sites amid heightened tensions over Tehran's nuclear program. Proponents describe it as a pre-emptive measure to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, while critics, including the Catholic leaders, question its justification under just war theory.

That doctrine, rooted in Catholic tradition and articulated by thinkers like St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, permits war only under specific conditions: a just cause such as self-defense, right intention toward peace, legitimate authority, use as a last resort, proportionality of response, and reasonable probability of success.

The *60 Minutes* segment highlighted concerns about the war's escalation, with the cardinals noting civilian casualties and the risk of broader regional conflict. They did not address specific aggressions by Iran or Russia in Ukraine during the interview, focusing instead on the U.S. role.

Iran's Islamic Republic, in power since 1979, has been linked by U.S. government reports to attacks causing American casualties. These include the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, which killed 241 U.S. service members; the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, killing 19 Americans; and proxy actions in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, resulting in thousands of U.S. troops wounded or killed over four decades, according to Pentagon records.

Pope Leo XIV has also critiqued inflammatory rhetoric surrounding the conflict, including statements from U.S. leaders. This follows a pattern of papal engagement with global conflicts. Previous popes have varied in their positions: John Paul II strongly opposed communism and supported the Solidarity movement in Poland, while Ronald Reagan labeled the Soviet Union an "evil empire" in 1983.

Historical examples include Pope Pius VI, who viewed the American Revolution as a threat to established order, according to historian Brady J. Crytzer in the *Journal of the American Revolution*. Pope Pius XII, during World War II, has been criticized for not publicly condemning the Holocaust despite Vatican archives indicating awareness of Nazi atrocities by 1942; defenders argue he feared worsening persecution of Jews and Catholics.

American Catholics have at times diverged from papal teachings on social issues like abortion and marriage. Notable examples include House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and President Joe Biden, both practicing Catholics who have supported policies conflicting with church doctrine.

The column by Cal Thomas, published on Townhall.com, argued that the pope and cardinals apply moral standards selectively, focusing on U.S. actions while overlooking Iran's hostilities toward Christians and Jews, as stated in some regime rhetoric. Thomas referenced General William Tecumseh Sherman's 1879 remark, "War is Hell," to underscore the theologians' views but questioned their emphasis.

Thomas also claimed Pope Leo XIV criticized a U.S. military action in Venezuela that removed Nicolás Maduro from power earlier this year, though no public statements from the pope on this event have been verified in Vatican records or major news outlets.

Catholic teaching permits conscientious disagreement on war and peace issues, and U.S. Catholics continue to debate the Iran conflict's alignment with faith principles. Readers may contact Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com for his book *A Watchman in the Night: What I've Seen Over 50 Years Reporting on America* (Humanix Books).

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