Speaking out

The Catholic Church must be free to speak on the moral issues facing our nation and world, particularly when it's counter to popular sentiments.

These may seem obvious -- even absolute -- statements in a country that prides itself on the right of free speech. But two phone callers last week to The Compass vigorously disagreed with the right of Pope John Paul, Vatican officials, church leaders and other Catholics to argue that it is not yet time for war -- and with the right of The Compass to report such statements.

Both callers are veterans who have fought bravely and risked their lives -- one is preparing to do so again -- to protect the right of free speech and other Constitutional liberties.

One caller questioned the ability of Pope John Paul to understand the situation and said perhaps it was time for him to resign. The same caller questioned the attitudes of anti-war Europeans.

One reason why the pope, many Europeans and Catholic leaders oppose the rush to war against Iraq is that they have seen the horror of war and its after effects. World Wars I and II, after all, were fought to a large extent in Europe, which also has decades of experience with terrorism and despotic leaders. One might argue anti-war Europeans are misinformed, but to portray them as divorced from reality is wrong.

The caller who said he is preparing to defend the U.S. for the third time in his life said he was feeling a crisis of faith. He said he felt like the church did not value him and other military personnel and wouldn't be there for him.

The church will be there for him. He and other members of the service will find the church there in the priests who serve as chaplains throughout the military. The church will also be there in the community of Catholics serving alongside them and in the Catholics in this country who will pray for their safety as part of what we call the communion of saints.

Yes, there is opposition to war against Iraq among Catholic leaders and individuals. But much of that opposition stems from the belief that war still can be avoided through peaceful means. That does not mean allowing Saddam Hussein to forever pretend that he's doing something while thumbing his nose at the United Nations and world community.

But it also does not mean rushing into a preventable war. The Catholic Church needs to be free to argue that both because of constitutional rights and as a moral leader. Indeed, every church, every nation, must consider peace -- not war -- as the first and most desireable option and not something that brings embarrassment or demands an apology.