The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Ronald Eustice
It is unusual for the leader of the Catholic Church to directly criticize a US president. The relationship between Pope Leo, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and President Trump has become strained because of the pope's criticism of Trump’s policies regarding immigration and military actions. The administration claims heavenly endorsement for Trump’s war on Iran. Trump’s vile and vulgar comments on Good Friday and Easter Sunday added fuel to the fire.
Quoting from the Bible, Pope Leo said God ignores the prayers of leaders who wage war and have “hands full of blood,” in a rebuke to the Trump administration. The pontiff made the comments as thousands of US troops arrived in the Middle East and days after the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, prayed for violence against enemies who deserved “no mercy.”
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On Palm Sunday in St Peter’s Square, the pope said the conflict between Iran, Israel and the US was “atrocious” and that Jesus could not be used to justify war. “This is our God: Jesus, king of peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” he told thousands of worshippers. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war but rejects them.”
Leaders on all sides of the conflict have used religion to try to justify their actions. Hegseth’s insertion of his Christian faith into the Pentagon’s actions is unprecedented. At a Christian worship service for military and civilian workers in Washington, Hegseth said: “Let every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness and our great nation. Give them wisdom in every decision, endurance for the trial ahead, unbreakable unity, and overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy.”
Why this matters: As the first American pope, Leo speaks English as his first language, understands the complexities of US politics, has lived overseas much of his life and has a unique grasp of global politics. Pope Leo does not command military brigades, nor does he have bombs or bullets in his arsenal, but as the spiritual head of the Catholic Church, the largest Christian denomination in the world with an estimated 1.28 billion members, he has a more powerful “army.” His words are amplified through thousands of bishops and priests who speak from the pulpit. Worldwide there are over 5,400 bishops with approximately 300 active bishops in the United States. There are approximately 407,872 Catholic priests worldwide. Through bishops and priests, Pope Leo can speak with far more authority and credibility than any president or military leader.
On April 7, the pope urged people to contact political leaders and congressional representatives to remind them that attacks on civilian infrastructure are “against international law” and a “sign of the hatred, the division, the destruction human beings are capable of, and we all want to work for peace.”
Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement urging Trump to “step back from the precipice of war and negotiate a just settlement for the sake of peace and before more lives are lost. The threat of destroying a whole civilization and the intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure cannot be morally justified,” said Coakley.
The contrast between Pete Hegseth, Pope Leo, and President Trump is stark, reflecting a fundamental difference in their approaches to invoking God in the context of war and peace. Hegseth’s prayer service, which included calls for divine intervention in military actions, was seen as a departure from the teachings of Jesus Christ, who emphasized love and peace. In contrast, Pope Leo's homily emphasized Jesus as the “King of Peace” and rejected the use of God’s name to justify war, advocating instead for peace and dialogue. President Trump’s words are even more ominous, “We’re going to bring them back to the stone ages where they belong,” Trump said.
Pope Leo offers hope for a troubled world. We can hope he speaks even louder and encourages bishops and priests to do likewise. Hopefully, they will have the courage to do so. The pulpit can be powerful and bring much-needed sanity back to a crazy world.
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Ronald Eustice is an author, retired international marketing executive, and has traveled extensively. Eustice and his wife Margaret are members of St. Odilia Catholic Community in Oro Valley and live in Casas Adobes.
