In light of recent public comments on Catholic teaching on war and peace, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) published a statement on its website on April 15, 2026: “For more than a thousand years, the Catholic Church has taught the theory of the just war, and it is precisely to this long tradition that the Holy Father carefully refers in his comments about war. The enduring principle of this thousand-year tradition is that a nation may justly take up the sword only in self-defense, when all efforts for peace have failed” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2308). This means that for a war to be just, it must be a defense against someone else who is actively waging war, which is what the Holy Father actually said: “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.”
“When Pope Leo XIV speaks as the Supreme Shepherd of the universal Church, he is not merely offering opinions about theology; he proclaims the Gospel and fulfills his ministry as the Vicar of Christ,” said Bishop James Massa.
The Church’s consistent teaching holds that all people of good will must pray and work for a lasting peace, while at the same time avoiding the evil and injustice that accompany all wars.
Source: USCCB, Vatican News