“War is the result of sin. It is the destruction of the harmony and moral order that God intended to exist among individuals, nations, and peoples. War is always evil even when it is undertaken out of necessity for the defense of humanity. The Church opposes all war, and it stands in favor of peace—always and everywhere.
Yes, there are times when war is unavoidable—precisely in order to protect human lives or to restore peace. But war is never welcome. It is always reprehensible because of the damage it inflicts on human life (especially the innocent) and property (especially homes, businesses, hospitals, schools, and places of worship). ‘War is hell’ is not just a slogan. It is a fitting description of the horrors and chaos that result from the acts of war, especially in this nuclear age” […]
Belligerence and warmongering are the opposite of peacemaking. That’s one reason Pope Leo insists that we stop romanticizing the act of war and its symbolic activities. War is not glorious, and while we are right to honor the heroism of those who have fought against tyranny and injustice, we should never pretend that the acts of war are themselves worthy of celebration.
True peace demands that we surrender egoism, false pride, and vengeance. It asks us to be gentle, humble, and forgiving even when everything in us cries out for strict justice or revenge against those who have insulted or injured us. Jesus teaches us the counter-intuitive truth that love overcomes all evil, whereas aggressive action simply causes further enmity.”
Read the whole message from the Archdiocese of Newark website.