Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 2, 2026 Bulletin Column Father De Celles
MAY IS MARY’S MONTH. The entire month of May is “Mary’s Month.” To commemorate this today, Sunday, May 3rd, we will have our annual “May Crowning” immediately after the 11am Mass. Please join us for this short but beautiful ceremony. And I encourage you all to pray the Rosary this month, and especially to join in our “Family Rosary” in the church at 6:30 Monday-Friday and after the 9am Mass on Saturday and Sunday.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION. Congratulations to all the children who received First Holy Communion at Mass today and over the next few weeks!
Having them receive FHC at the various Masses instead of one Saturday morning Mass gives the whole parish a chance to share in the happy occasion. It also helps to unite the children more closely to the parish and reminds all of us how important our children are to the parish. Beyond all that, seeing the little ones receive so reverently reminds us of all of Jesus’ call to “become like little children,’ especially in our complete faith and tender love for Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Please watch them carefully, and learn/remember. And keep them in your prayers going forward.
JUST WAR. Theres a lot of talk about whether the U.S.’s attacks/hostilities, or let’s just say “War,” on Iran is a “just war.” So many have asked me to explain what makes a “just war.” The Catholic doctrine, which was first clearly explained by St. Augustine of Hippo, can be very nuanced and complex, but it is rooted in certain well-defined principles. Below I will attempt to lay those out. I begin with a pull-quote from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) (in bold print), and then give my comments (in italics), which include quotes from St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas and others.
“CCC 2308 All citizens and all governments are obliged to work for the avoidance of war. However, “as long as the danger of war persists …governments cannot be denied the right of lawful self-defense, once all peace efforts have failed.”[cite: Gaudium et Spes, 79.4]”
Comment: although this seems to imply that only wars fought in “self-defense” can be just, the doctrine is actually much broader that that. St. Thomas Aquinas writes in the Summa: “…a just cause is required, namely that those who are attacked, should be attacked because they deserve it on account of some fault.” St. Augustine writes: “A just war is …one that avenges wrongs, when a nation or state has to be punished, for refusing to make amends for the wrongs inflicted by its subjects, or to restore what it has seized unjustly.”
Moreover, as the great theologian Father Richard Neuhaus wrote in 2003: “Frequent reference to preventive or pre-emptive use of military force, and even to “wars of choice,” have only confused the present discussion. War, if it is just, is not an option chosen but a duty imposed.” While there may be a few exceptions to this rule, it is generally applicable. Moreover, all wars are “wars of choice”: a cowardly leader may choose not to fight a just war, even in defense against invaders, that he should fight.
“CCC 2309 The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration. The gravity of such a decision makes it subject to rigorous conditions of moral legitimacy. At one and the same time:
– the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain;”
Comment: regarding the term “aggressor” we can, I think, substitute the term “wrong-doer,” to extend to non-defensive wars. For example, one can wage war to defend an innocent people of another nation from the evil acts of their tyrannical ruler. See Aquinas and Augustine above.
“ – all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective;
“ – there must be serious prospects of success;
“ – the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.
These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the “just war” doctrine.
“The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.”
Comment: This is last paragraph explains a key principle of the doctrine, fundamental to both the teaching of Augustine and Aquinas. Note that third parties such as citizens, other countries and even Bishops and Popes may have opinions or even the their own “prudential judgment” on whether a war is just, but the weight of “evaluation…for moral legitimacy” belongs to “the authority of the sovereign” (Aquinas), i.e., the head of government of the particular government going to war, e.g. the President of the United States in the Iran War.
The reasons for this are many, including…. First, he bears the responsibility before God, as Jesus commands us, “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s,” and St. Paul tells us, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God…Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment…” (Rom. 3:1-3). So Aquinas writes: “And just as it is lawful for them to have recourse to the sword in defending that common weal against internal disturbances…so too, it is their business to have recourse to the sword of war in defending the common weal against external enemies.”
And secondly, the sovereign, (the President) has access to facts and knowledge of events that are not available to the rest of us. So for example, when it comes to determining whether, “all other means …have been shown to be impractical or ineffective,” who is in a position to gauge all the behind-the-scenes negotiations and whether the adversary is negotiating in good-faith than the one in charge of all that.
In the current conflict or war that America (along with Israel and other Middle East nations) is waging on Iran I have my own opinion on its “justness.” And you may too. These must be based on our own personal evaluation of the facts we know (or think we know), but must apply the Catholic just war principles. The Pope and Bishops can also have their own opinions/ prudential-judgments. But in the end it is not up to me or you or popes to decide—only the president can make this evaluation. Clearly, if he flagrantly and objectively and unquestionably violates the just war principles, he loses legitimacy. But if he attempts to follow them, whether he is specifically conscious of them or simply does so “accidently” by following good reason, then we should assume the war is legitimate, and soldiers and citizens should provide support.
Is the US following just war principles? In the end, I hope we will all to defer to the “the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.” And pray for the President: may the Lord grant him and may he exercise wisdom, courage, and true justice.
Oremus pro invicem. Fr. De Celles