The Bishops and the Bomb

The American Catholic bishops are moving toward issuance of a pastoral letter that would forbid Catholic military personnel to carry out specific aspects of U.S. nuclear defense policy. This new commandment, requiring Catholics to disobey certain lawful orders, is a key point in the 66-page letter drafted by a task force led by Archbishop Joseph L. Bernadin, who was recently named to replace the late Cardinal Cody in Chicago. The document has been circulated for review by the 357 bishops and by the Vatican. If adopted as a pastoral letter, it would be a formal exercise of the Church’s teaching authority, binding on Catholics. To some extent, it would replace the option of conscientious objection with a new concept—mandated objection. It would forbid American Catholic servicemen to take part in first use of nuclear arms or to participate in any surgical strike posing significant risk to nearby civilian populations.

The proposed letter says retaliatory action in a full nuclear exchange— “striking enemy cities after our own have already been struck”—would be an “act of vengeance.” And that “no Christian can rightfully carry out orders or policies deliberately aimed at killing noncombatants.” It adds that Catholics are barred from taking part in any use of tactical or strategic nuclear weapons apt to kill civilians—even in response to an all-out Soviet nuclear attack. And it says Catholics are barred from any use of nuclear arms in response to an invasion of Western Europe, or any other territory, by conventional forces—even if civilian deaths could be avoided.

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Anthony P. X. Bothwell

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The American Catholic bishops are moving toward issuance of a pastoral letter that would forbid Catholic military personnel to carry out specific aspects of U.S. nuclear defense policy. This new commandment, requiring Catholics to disobey certain lawful orders, is a key point in the 66-page letter drafted by a task force led by Archbishop Joseph L. Bernadin, who was recently named to replace the late Cardinal Cody in Chicago. The document has been circulated for review by the 357 bishops and by the Vatican. If adopted as a pastoral letter, it would be a formal exercise of the Church’s teaching authority, binding on Catholics. To some extent, it would replace the option of conscientious objection with a new concept—mandated objection. It would forbid American Catholic servicemen to take part in first use of nuclear arms or to participate in any surgical strike posing significant risk to nearby civilian populations.

The proposed letter says retaliatory action in a full nuclear exchange— “striking enemy cities after our own have already been struck”—would be an “act of vengeance.” And that “no Christian can rightfully carry out orders or policies deliberately aimed at killing noncombatants.” It adds that Catholics are barred from taking part in any use of tactical or strategic nuclear weapons apt to kill civilians—even in response to an all-out Soviet nuclear attack. And it says Catholics are barred from any use of nuclear arms in response to an invasion of Western Europe, or any other territory, by conventional forces—even if civilian deaths could be avoided.