Cardinal Robert McElroy, of the Diocese of San Diego, and Archbishop John Wester, of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, N.M., joined Pope Francis in calling for peace in the Middle East.
The prelates issued a joint statement on Jan. 17, calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, where the death toll had already exceeded 23,000 after more than 100 days of military action.
The full text of that statement follows:
“The continuing war in Gaza that has killed tens of thousands of men, women and children and threatens to increase violence throughout the Middle East calls us as Americans to press for a national policy which is focused unswervingly on an immediate and total ceasefire.
“The massacre of more than 1,200 innocent Israelis, including children, and the abhorrent victimization of women on Oct. 7 stand as a shocking attack by Hamas upon the most basic principles of human dignity. It absolutely delegitimates any future role for Hamas in the Middle East and underscores the right of Israel to bring to justice all those who carried out this outrage. Moreover, the piercing moral claim of releasing the hostages should be a priority for the whole international community.
“The siege of Gaza has lasted more than 100 days and has already resulted in the deaths of more than 23,000 people, most of them innocent civilians. This is more than one percent of the entire population of Gaza. Proportionately for the United States, this would represent more than 3.5 million lives.
“In addition, the infrastructure, housing and commerce of Gaza has been systematically destroyed by Israeli attacks, rendering much of the population homeless. A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding in Gaza before the eyes of the world. In such a conflict, continuing such warfare is neither just nor tolerable.
“In addition, there is tremendous risk that the present war will produce major conflict in Lebanon, increase violence in the West Bank, and cause outbreaks throughout the Middle East.
“It is for these reasons that Pope Francis has called repeatedly in these days for an end to military action in the Holy Land. ‘I continue to follow the conflict in Israel and Palestine with much worry and pain … I renew my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire: There is so much suffering there.’ Only such a cease fire can end the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, stop the growing risk of expanded warfare in the Middle East and maximize the chance of returning the hostages to their families alive.
“It is critical for us in the United States to support this call for an immediate ceasefire, and to press for our government to make it the centerpiece of its foreign policy in the Middle East at this pivotal moment. Our country has a powerful voice on these issues. Let it echo Pope Francis’ call amidst suffering on all sides, ‘No to weapons, yes to peace.’ For this will be the only true pathway for justice in the land that so deeply reflects the presence of God.”
From the Southern Cross
Since the Church supports a two-state solution, might these bishops also demand that Hamas and all other organizations and nations recognize the right of Israel to exist?
If not, it seems their sense of outrage and justice is selective.
One cannot expect Israel to negotiate with those who believe they have no right to exist. Israel is in a fight for its life. It’s easier to make such demands from over 7,000 miles away.
Pray for peace and justice.
No similar statement came from McElroy to demand immediate and total ceasefire from Ukrainians. Hmmm. Apparently some bishops are secret antisemites.
https://religionnews.com/2022/11/16/cardinal-aks-bishops-to-challenge-lawmakers-who-want-to-cut-ukraine-aid/
However, regarding the current brutal war in Ukraine, Cardinal McElroy said that it must be recognized also “there are instances which call out for military action against profoundly barbaric aggression. We are witnessing just such a moment in Ukraine.”
“While one can criticize Ukraine for not adequately seeking continuous de-escalation in their tensions with Russia in recent years, the moral claim for the defense of Ukraine is clear and compelling,” he said. “A sovereign nation with a historic culture and identity was invaded with the goal of dismembering it.”
Also:
https://thedialog.org/national-news/cardinal-robert-w-mcelroy-the-moral-claim-for-the-defense-of-ukraine-is-clear-and-compelling/
McElroy speaks for himself and his words are empty
The reason the US does not support the ceasefire, according to former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, is that Hamas will use the ceasefire to re-arm.
We need to pray for peace.
God will grant it if we have confidence in Him.
And who are they ??! to make such demands? If only they were so strong in following the law and Christ’s teachings. Do they — and PF — have any idea how irrelevant they are as shepherds? I’ll follow Christ…
Everybody says they follow Christ…
And lots of people are corrupt, too, and lie. They serve themselves. Not Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 41:10-13
Do not fear: I am with you;
do not be anxious: I am your God.
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
Yes, all shall be put to shame and disgrace
who vent their anger against you;
Those shall be as nothing and perish
who offer resistance.
You shall seek but not find
those who strive against you;
They shall be as nothing at all
who do battle with you.
For I am the LORD, your God,
who grasp your right hand;
It is I who say to you, Do not fear,
I will help you.
They are in no position to demand anything and are virtue signaling. Nobody cares what they think or “demand”.
The Palestinians will never accept the existence of the State of Israel. Given that reality, peaceful coexistence is not possible. The hard truth is that Israel must decimate Gaza and remove the Palestinians from the territory. Next is the West Bank. There are no “innocent” Palestinians. They all support the extermination of Israel.
I’m completely with Israel on this. Keep fighting, keep pushing the Palestinians out and into Egypt. If more die, that’s the fault of the Palestinians. They started it. Remember that.
Keep fighting,
What do you know about “Nakba?”
Why do you support the Zionists when even Pope Pius X refused to support them?
Pope Pius X? We live in 2024 now, ma’am.
It’s not whether he’s dead or alive. It’s what he said.
What he said was wrong when he was alive, and it’s wrong still now that he’s dead. It wasn’t ex cathedra.
He was right. Not ex-cathedra, but he was absolutely right. Even now, what he said was right.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ)recent rulings revoked the ‘Israel’s assertion of unassailable moral rectitude.
The ICJ did not make a final decision (yet) on the charge of genocide, but stated that there was sufficient substance to order “Israel” to cease those acts that plausibly appear genocidal.
And can you doubt that, given Netanyahu’s order to annihilate the “Amalekites?”
True, Israel has not been bombing to death enough Palestinians to qualify what they do in the air as genocide, but on the ground, it’s a different story. Israel has cut off water and power and food supply to the Palestinians, so they die of starvation. Or they are forced to leave their homes. It’s ethnic cleansing and slow genocide. The ICJ is right.
And before you say that Pope Pius X was wrong, first read what he said.
Textbook example of Neo-conservatism, there Keep Fighting. I’m grateful that California Catholic Daily has supported and promoted The New Oxford Review all these years. The things the late, great Mr. Dale Vree called out in his writings were priceless.
Why do you have to politicize this? It’s not about whether you support Pat Buchanan. It’s about whether Israel is right to wipe out the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
I’ve been visiting this website for more than a decade and I have never heard of New Oxford Review or Dale Vree.
The courage of the non-combatant….so brave.
The courage of those who comment anonymously.
OK “jon.”
Who use their anonymity to unjustly and uncharitably attack the popes and the bishops.
Do not ever, ever blindly accept sin promoted by phony men in clerical garb, in high ecclesiastical offices— and never, never lie and blindly protect clergy who are evil sinners, criminals.
Who are you saying that about?
Please if you have proof of something, take it to the proper authorities.
Never forget, jon, that former Cdl. Theodore McCarrick could have been elected as pope, in the last conclave– and you could be fully supporting “Pope McCarrick,” and violently bashing everyone with nasty comments, who would tell you that McCarrick is an evil gay clergy rapist, a dangerous criminal– wrongfully protected by the Catholic Church.
Any baptized male can be elected Pope. The Holy Spirit knows everything that people have done. Protestants and anti-papists use these kind of arguments.
Faith always shows more wisdom.
Sincere practice of the Faith guides us. Not ego-centric, sloppy, ignorant,
poorly-educated, poorly-catechized, blind, immature, superstitious, false practice of the Faith. If Jesuit Fr. James Martin
ever became pope– a great number of true, faithful, mature, outstanding Catholic leaders would immediately correct him, ASAP. The Holy Spirit isn’t blind, stupid, or corrupted with sin. And the Holy Spirit also never operates according to immature superstitions, like a primitive witchcraft soothsayer, witch doctor, or magic, tribal pagan
ritual, with purported special, Divine powers– used on poor, dumb, ignorant, illiterate pagans, to intimidate
and enslave them into a religious cult– and make money off of them.
.
Good list. But not for judging for examination of conscience.
Where am I being ego-centric?
Where has my practice of the faith been sloppy or half-hearted or just going through the motions?
Where am I willfully ignorant of the Faith or of the sufferings of others? Do I read the papal documents or just other people’s opinions of them?
Where am I poorly educated in the Faith or poorly catechized? Have I read the Bible? the Catechism of the Catholic Church? the instructions that have come since the Catechism? Do I do Spiritual reading everyday?
Where am I blind?
Where am I immature?
Where am I superstitious?
Have I picked up any false beliefs or practices?
These last 4 questions we should ask of the Holy Spirit?
And using Fr. Martin is just intellectually lazy. You can make your point without that straw man.
I agree with Bishop Strickland when he says the Father Martin is right in his criticism of the diocesan practices to overlook the sins of heterosexuals.
“Any baptized male can become Pope.” Male and Catholic, which you forgot. The Holy Spirit does not operate in cases of man’s rebellion and mortal sin. The Holy Spirit is very pure. Mortal sin blocks Him, shuts Him out. Many worldly kings,
princes, political leaders, and political-minded cardinals who have little interest in the True Faith, may get together, hold a conclave, and elect who they please, with little or no prayers invoking the Holy Spirit’s guidance– or just plain ignoring the Holy Spirit, and doing as they please. This has happened, historically. Do not kiss Jesuit Fr. James Martin’s ring, if he or someone just like him, ever got elected Pope. He may be forbidden by the Fath to preach his true and evil convictions– but he still would stand for them, deep down — and would try to deviantly include his true beliefs, as a slithering, two-tongued, two-faced snake. This has happened, historically. Be careful, follow Jesus Christ.
Why don’t you follow Him?
Why such vilification of a Roman Catholic priest?
Watch out! Hell may have a lot of baptized males– including some sinful priests, prelates and popes.
Do you think the Sacrament of Confession does not work for them?
Deeply sinful men do not go to Confession. And many who have gone, have kept on repeating their vile sins– like serial clergy sex abusers, such as ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Many have abused this Sacrament.
It is very evil, that Cardinal McElroy refused to respond to psychotherapist Richard Sipe, desperately trying to report to the Bishop, extremely serious cases of vile clergy sex abuse, by ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, and many others.
Horrific! Satanic!
Cdl. McElroy is set to retire in just five years, when he turns age 75, on Feb. 5, 2029. And Abp. Wester is set to retire mext year, after he turns age 75 on Nov. 5, 2025. It has always comforted me to know that bad Vatican II-era prelates do have expiration dates — (except the pope) at age 75. Next year, after Wester’s retirement, maybe he can hold hippie anti-war protests at the famous Trinity (WWII nuclear bomb) Test Site in NM, south of his Santa Fe Archdiocese. And hold freedom protests for illegal immigrants at the nearby Mexican border. Oh– and of course, bless gay and shacking-up couples, in church. And support all the programs of the destructive, Democrat Catholic NM political leaders. NM has long been a big abortion capital, promoted by the immoral Democrat political leaders and feminists. Wester was, of course, not going to try to work hard and campaign to change that, when he was appointed as Abp. of Santa Fe. Instead, he reprimanded pro life Catholic priests and laymen. But thank goodness, there is an expiration date coming soon.
I don’t believe in war, either, especially as a follower of Christ. But it has always unnerved me, the extreme positions of anti-war, of simple-minded, naive, irresponsible 1960s liberal hippie activists. As our Catechism clearly states, we all have the right to self-defense. And a nation has the right and the duty, to defend its citizens. Wouldn’t a good Catholic cleric want to go out and bless soldiers going off to war, to defend their country– as in America, when entering WWII, after the horrific Japanese bombing attack at Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941? And pray for them? And honor the heroes who came home sick and maimed, and honor those fallen heroes who gave their lives in defense of our country?
Yet, who might replace them?
A very liberal, LGBT-promoting bishop would no doubt follow in Cdl. McElroy’s footsteps. He was a terrible, terrible shock in SF, as a very liberal, LGBT-promoting priest and bishop. Wester, McGrath, McElroy, and others promoted and ordained as bishops, have all been a terrible shock, very destructive in many ways to the Catholic Faith. And assisting in the secularization and moral destruction of once-Catholic parishes, schools and universities– like USF, USD, Santa Clara U., etc. etc.
Cdl. McElroy does not believe in administering Church discipline, such as denying Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who promote abortion, like Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Pres. Joe Biden. He has cited the instances of Pope St. John Paul II giving Holy Communion to abortion-promoting politicians, at Mass, during his pontificate. He has always been deeply committed to liberal Democrat-style secular social justice beliefs, not Catholicism. Highly favored, of course, by the current pope. A terrible shock always, for devout, sincere Catholics.
Devout, sincere Catholics know that this issue was settled. Obey your bishop.
There are no easy answers in life, no false security , after you leave childhood and become an adult. You have to deal with the real world– and the real God. A Church leader cannot do that for you, and tell you what to do all the time. You must have the maturity and the backbone to do it all by yourself. Real devout, mature, adult Catholics are not fools. Always, always obey God first, in all things. Does your bishop obey God, too? He better obey God, or he’s a bad Catholic and a bad bishop. If you have a job as his secretary, and you are asked to do wrong things– such as covering up cases of clergy child sex abuse– and lying to desperate parents who call, write, and come to the bishop’s office– watch out! Whom do you obey?
You sound like you are not Catholic.
Church leaders do not “tell us what to do all the time.”
We worship the Holy Trinity.
We obey the Holy Trinity.
I am sure the stories in newspapers have influenced how you feel about the Catholic Church.
You should not obey anyone who tells you to sin.
A two state solution will never work because Hamas and other pro Palestinian organizations don’t want Israel to exist. Pray for peace in the Middle East.
Or better yet, pray and work towards the Israelis ceasing to abort and contracept themselves out of existence. Their abortion rate is even higher than the U.S. Furthermore, the fact that around 85% of them identify as Atheists or Agnostics doesn’t help matters much. It can be argued that a large fraction of the Palestinians are following the Natural Law better than the Israelis.
Bishop Barron on Cardinal George’s take on liberal and conservative Catholics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyvSYc9QNhU
Only Jesus himself at his Second Coming can solve this serious problem.
In the meantime, we fight.
Psalm 37
Some people just don’t understand that in order to have peace you have to be credibly violent and powerful.
That is not peace.
It’s as close to peace as we can obtain this side of the eschaton. Speak softly but carry a big stick, as someone once said. And you have to use the stick sometimes.
Lots of people are able to live non-violently, without intimidating others, without behaving unjustly or hurting others.
Read Isaiah 32.
A good parent always holds the older sibling to a higher set of standards, and when he misbehaves his punishment is rightly more severe than a significantly younger sibling (all other things being equal). Between Israel and Palestine, who is the older sibling?
1 John 2
1 fish 2 fish red fish blue fish