Bishop addresses the use of military power

Published: March 4, 2026

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor issued the following statement, March 3, 2026, on the use of military power.

En Español

"Now that we find ourselves unexpectedly in a war that our own government initiated, it is important that we keep in mind Church teaching regarding the strict conditions that need to be in place for defense by military force to be morally legitimate, as follows: The 'just war' doctrine of the Catholic Church as found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2309, lists four strict conditions for 'legitimate defense by military force':

• the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave and certain;
• all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
• there must be serious prospects of success;
• the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated (the power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition).

"In the paragraphs that follow, the catechism elaborates not only on the 'ius ad bellum' (legitimate conditions for going to war), but also on the 'ius in bello' (right conduct within a war).

"In other words, even if the initial use of defensive military force is morally legitimate, not all actions thereafter are necessarily morally permissible.

"This analysis often comes down to prudential judgments, on which Catholics may be able to reasonably disagree depending on the facts and circumstances.

"However, as your bishop, I have an obligation not only to remind you of the conditions for the use of defensive military force but also to share my deep concerns that the necessary conditions for so-called 'just war' do not appear to be met in the present conflict between the United States and Iran based on the information publicly available.

"However, as your bishop, I have an obligation not only to remind you of the conditions for the use of defensive military force but also to share my deep concerns that the necessary conditions for so-called 'just war' do not appear to be met in the present conflict between the United States and Iran based on the information publicly available."

"The current conflict is even more troubling given the inherent instability of that region and the real possibility of use of nuclear weapons. From Pope St. John Paul II on, our popes have spoken repeatedly about the moral dangers of even possessing nuclear weapons.

"Over time, the Church has moved away from accepting the deterrence effect of nuclear stockpiles and toward a position of abolition. Indeed, the Vatican was the first nation-state to sign and ratify the United Nations’ 'Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.'

"None of this, of course, means that we should not be supportive of the members of our armed forces and their families, who sacrifice so much for our nation’s safety and security. We certainly can and should hold them in our prayers.

"But let us also pray for the leaders of our country, that their hearts might be softened on resorting to the use of military force — and that their resolve for peace might be steeled.

"As Pope Leo recently warned us all: 'Peace is no longer sought as a gift and a desirable good in itself ... . Instead, peace is sought through weapons as a condition for asserting one’s own dominion.'

"In order for our leadership to once more seek peace as a gift and a good in and of itself, that change must start within our own hearts, our own families and our own circles of influence. Jesus’ first greeting after his resurrection was, 'Peace be with you.' I pray that we all follow Jesus’ lead and seek to spread peace, rather than to impose our own will.

"Pope Leo’s remarks at last Sunday’s Angelus address apply directly to the situation in which we find ourselves today. He said, 'I am following with deep concern what is happening in the Middle East and in Iran during this tumultuous time. Stability and peace are not achieved through mutual threats, nor through the use of weapons, which sow destruction, suffering and death, but only through reasonable, sincere, and responsible dialogue.

"'Faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions, I make a heartfelt appeal to all the parties involved to assume the moral responsibility of halting the spiral of violence before it becomes an unbridgeable chasm. May diplomacy regain its proper role, and may the well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice, be upheld. And let us continue to pray for peace.'

"Sincerely in Christ,
+Anthony B. Taylor
Bishop of Little Rock"