t eanco VOL. 34, NO. 32
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Friday, August 17, 1990
FALL RIVER, MASS.
FALL RIVER DIOCE~AN NEWSPAPER FOR SOUTHEASt MASSACHUSEnS A)\CARE" COD,1t TWl2lStANQS -';:'
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Does just war theory apply in Gulf crisis? Yes, says By Liz Schevtchuk WASHINGTON (CNS) - President Bush's comments on placing American troops in Saudi Arabia to preserve peace echoed moral ideals reverberating down through the ages. For some 1,500 years, Christian just war theory has sought to apply civilized restraints to decisions about uncivilized war. The theory has often been ignored however, as the bloodied pages of history reveal. Just war principles were relevant when the Roman Empire crumbled and remain so today "because people still go to war and you still get questions about when and if it is legitimate to defend by military force innocent persons against unjust aggression," said Gerard F. Powers. Policy adviser on East-West affairs in the U.S. Catholic Conference Office of International Justice and Peace, Powers said that the theory "provides important rules by which to measure the justness of how a war is being fought." According to Bush, the United States sent a U.S. military force to the Middle East "to deter further Iraqi aggression" and to "stand by her friends," as well as to reinforce
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use of non-military options to end the crisis. "Does it fit the just war criteria?
NCCD head asks for prayers The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, devoid of provocation or any justification, poses a severe threat to international peace. The international community, using the designated instrumentalities of the United Nations, has responded through the use of multiple sanctions against Iraq. President Bush has asked for prayers at this time. As president olthe NeCB, I urge prayers for peace in the Middle East, continued international cooperation to protect both human rights and peace, and prayers for the members ofthe armed forces and their families in our country who bear a particular burden and responsibility at this time. -Archbishop Oaniel E. Pilarczyk President, National Conference of Catholic Bishops
I would say yes," said Robert T. Hennemeyer, USCC director for international justice and peace, of the U.S. approach. "America does not seek conflict. The mission of our troops is wholly defensive," Bush said. He asked Americans to back his decision "to stand up for what's right and condemn what's wrong, all in the cause of peace." The cause of peace looms large in just war theory. Promoted by St. Augustine of Hippo in the fifth century, the just war theory holds that use of force is acceptable for certain restricted reasons. Church teaching has held that "the Christian has no choice but to defend peace, properly understood, against aggression," the U.S. bishops noted in "The Challenge of Peace: God's Promise and Our Response," their 1983 pastoral letter. It is the 'how' of defending peace which offers moral options. "The church's teaching on war and peace establishes a strong presumption against war which is binding on all," the pastoral stated. At the same time, it added, the church has carefully considered "when this presumption may be overridden, precisely in the name Turn to Page 10
K of C parley tackles life issues SAN ANTONIO (CNS) - At their convention in San Antonio
ST. JOSEPH'S Oratory in Montreal, Canada, one of three major pilgrimage sites in the province of Quebec, has its origins in this small chapel on Mount Royal. For more on the spectacular shrines of Quebec, see pages 8 and 9.
last week, the Knights of Columbus spent much of their time talking and hearing about life issues. And much of that talk centered on the upcoming pro-life public relations campaign to be launched by the U,S. bishops with funds donated by the Knights. Msgr. Robert Lynch, general secretary of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops-U.S. Catholic Conference, called abortion "the equivalent of a moral civil war" in an Aug. 9 talk to the Knights. Speaking of the public relations campaign Msgr. Lynch said that "we must have the finest state-ofthe-art communications profes-, sionalism at our disposal" in the battle over abortion. The campaign's four aims, he said, will be to "reawaken the hearts and mind of the public especially Catholics - on the issue of abortion;" "strengthen the Catholic Church as a major opinion leader on the issue and in the movement;" "position pro-life as a viable public policy position;" and "set the stage for a pro-life revitalization."
New York Cardinal John J. O'Connor, in remarks delivered Aug. 7, compared the bishops' hiring of a public relations firm for the campaign to the invention of the printing press. Until the printing press was invented by Johann Gutenberg in 1454, Bibles were not available to the general population. "What if the church had said 'no' to the use of the printing press?" Cardinal O'Connor asked. "That was a communication system then. Our Gutenberg at present is called Hill and Knowlton," the firm hired by the bishops. NCCB-USCC spokesman Father Kenneth Doyle told Catholic News Service Aug. 10 that the "openended" campaign will cost "in the neighborhood oP' $3 million, which the Knights pledged shortly after Cardinal O'Connor announced in April the bishops' intent to launch a campaign. The Knights also pledged $1 million in in-kind services for the campaign, and passed a resolution during the convention to explore the possibility of collecting volunTurn to Page 10
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AT THE Diocesan Council of Catholic Women-sponsored "Evening on Cape Cod with Bishop Daniel A. Cronin" Aug. 9 at the Tara Hyannis Hotel, from top: Bishop Cronin, DCCW diocesan moderator Rev. James F. Lyons (left) and Cape district moderator Very Rev. Edward C. Duffy welcome guests; Peg Noonan and Madeline Wojcik of the DCCW greet the bishop; old friends meet; Claire Blondeau, a 16-year-old student from Dreux, France, makes a new friend. She is staying for a month with Mr. and Mrs. Richard Waring of Sacred Heart parish, Fall River. (Kearns photos)