NEWS

US bishops on Trump’s Iran threat: “Cannot be morally justified”

Aleteia

Kathleen N. Hattrup - published on 04/07/26

<br>Archbishop Coakley: "I make a special plea to my brother bishops, the priests, the laity, and all people yearning for true peace to join the Holy Father’s Vigil for Peace ..."

"The threat of destroying a whole civilization and the intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure cannot be morally justified," said the leader of the US bishops in a statement released April 7.

Archbishop Paul Coakley released the statement some hours after an early morning post on social media by US President Donald Trump that began saying, "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will."

The US president has set a "deadline" of this evening in New York time for the Iran government to make a deal with Washington for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has successfully blocked for weeks. He has threatened to destroy civilian infrastructure -- power and water sources -- if Iran doesn't give in to the demand.

Archbishop Coakley's message was a "call on President 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."

His colleague at the US bishops' conference, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, leader of the military archdiocese, warned a few days ago that the Iran war in general does not satisfy criteria for "just war." This same conclusion has already been offered by the Vatican's highest diplomat, the Pope's Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Archbishop Coakley also echoed Pope Leo's Easter call for a prayer vigil to be held this Saturday, the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday.

The full text of Archbishop Coakley's message is below:

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The threat of destroying a whole civilization and the intentional targeting of civilian infrastructure cannot be morally justified. There are other ways to resolve conflict between peoples. I call on President 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.   

After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples in Jerusalem, and his first words were ‘Peace be with you.’ As the Holy Father, in his Urbi et Orbimessage on Easter reflected, the peace that ‘Jesus gives us is not a peace that merely silences the weapons, but one that touches and transforms the heart of each of us! Let us make heard the cry for peace that springs from our hearts!’ 

Pope Leo has invited everyone to join him in a prayer vigil for peace on Saturday, April 11. I make a special plea to my brother bishops, the priests, the laity, and all people yearning for true peace to join the Holy Father’s Vigil for Peace, whether virtually, or in parishes, chapels, or before the Lord present in the quiet of their hearts to join with our Holy Father as we pray for peace in our world.

Let us entrust to the Lord ‘all hearts that suffer and await the true peace that only he can give. Let us entrust ourselves to him and open our hearts to him! He is the only one who makes all things new (cf. Rev 21:5).’