Pope Leo XIV has strongly condemned modern armed conflict, declaring that war is “never holy” and that “God does not bless any conflict.”
Biblically, he is right of course; war is no joke.
Ideally, diplomacy makes armed conflict unnecessary. Diplomacy is the art of managing relationships.
Pope Leo is advocating diplomacy and dialogue to settle disputes stating that ‘just wars’ are outdated.
Be that as it may, probably because of Waterbury’s reputation as the brass center of the world, that manufacturing ability produced peacetime lipstick containers as well as military hardware.
That being said, Waterbury knows war.
Up to now, in people’s minds those wars and conflicts have been ‘just’ wars. In other words, morally right.
When the diplomatic sessions with Japan over the future of the Pacific failed, the attack on Pearl Harbor resulted. Our response, the epitome of armed conflict which in the rules of war, gave them what they deserved.
Should Pope Leo ever decide to visit Waterbury and celebrate Mass at the Basilica, as a pope would do; he would be right across the street from the Soldier’s Monument on the Green and next to the Rectory’s memorial honoring USS Indianapolis Chaplain Lt. Thomas Conway’s heroic deeds in shark infested waters after the ship was torpedoed and sunk. We pray for God to bless his actions
That particular monument chronicles in stone every war this city has been involved in since the Revolution of 1775.
The pope goes on to explicitly state that traditional “just war” theories are outdated and urges global leaders to rely on diplomacy and dialogue to settle differences.
Initially, diplomacy was the tool of the elite.
It remains to be seen if the pontiff can leverage the elitism of the Catholic Church over various countries whose sole intention is to do this country harm.
As ideally encouraging are the pontiff’s words, I wonder should not the first American pope initially spend time in an empathetic diplomatic dialogue both within the church itself and with the disturbingly prevalent hypocritical opinion of the church in secular society and especially here in light of the many closings and consolidations of the many once prominent ethnic and neighborhood churches.
In my experience and opinion, Waterburians still do their best knowingly or not to carry out the will of God.
Roberta M. Crispino
Waterbury
This article originally published at Letter: Waterburians still carry out Holy will.