Pope Leo statements on Iran war and mass deportations inspire American cardinals to speak out

[AverageOldGuy]

Three US cardinals were the lead item on 60 Minutes tonight. Try to catch a re-run if you can.

You can read a transcript of the entire discussion on the CBS website (with a lot of ads).

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-leo-iran-war-mass-deportation-statements-inspire-american-cardinals-60-minutes-transcript/

Here are some highlights. I know -- too much quoted material but this appearance of these three Cardinals speaking out in support of the Pope and issuing a warning to the President is something to which we all should pay attention. It's not about to end.

The archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Blase Cupich, as well as Cardinals Robert McElroy of Washington D.C., and Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, agreed to their first ever joint interview. Their candor surprised us, about the new pope and what they're hearing in the pews.

But in a Palm Sunday homily, he appeared to reference the religious language Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who is Christian but not Catholic, often uses to frame the war.

Pope Leo warned that Jesus, quote "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war."

Norah O'Donnell: Is this a just war?

Cardinal Robert McElroy: No, in the Catholic teaching this is not a just war. The Catholic faith teaches us there are certain prerequisites for a just war. You can't go for a variety of different aims. You have to have a focused aim, which is to restore justice and restore peace. That's it.

Norah O'Donnell: Iran has been the chief exporter of terror. Is there no scenario in which preventing that can be a just war?

Cardinal Robert McElroy: It's an abominable regime, and it should be removed. But this is a war of choice that we went to, and I think it's embedded in a wider moment in the United States that's worrying, which is this: We're seeing before us the possibility of war after war after war.

This past January, Cardinal Tobin called Immigration and Customs Enforcement - or ICE - a "lawless organization."

Norah O'Donnell: Cardinal, those are strong words to call ICE "a lawless organization."

Cardinal Joseph Tobin: Yeah.

Norah O'Donnell: Why did you do that?

Cardinal Joseph Tobin: I didn't say that they were people without law. But when people act in this way, when they have to hide their identities to terrify people, when they can actually violate other guarantees of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, well I think somebody's got to call that out and I'm not the only one.

[BlueKota]

1. Thank you for posting about this.

I am glad the Catholic Church is standing up to tsf. I know other religious leaders of various faiths have spoken up as well, and I hope all their voices get louder and stronger.

[SheltieLover]

2. Ty for sharing.

[Prairie Gates]

3. American Catholics need to be instructed on how Church doctrine applies to current events

And no, you don't get to "do your own research" or "choose your own adventure." That's not Catholicism. For the "personal relationship with God" stuff, you're going to want to go to the "Protestant" store. Catholicism believes that your relationship with God is communal, not personal and mediated through the Church, which is to say, through doctrinal instruction by those who have committed their lives to studying the teachings of Jesus Christ, to wit, priests and ultimately, the Pope.

In other words, get a clue, American conservative Catholics. Your President just attacked your religion in a social media post.

[calimary]

4. You tell it, Cardinal Tobin!!!

And thank YOU, TOO, Cardinal McElroy!!!

[ShazzieB]

5. I don't know a thing about Norah O'Donnell, but some of the things she said to McElroy and Tobin really made me roll my

Asking McElroy if the attack on Iran was a "just war"? Really? He gave a great response, but then she followed up "Iran has been the chief exporter of terror. Is there no scenario in which preventing that can be a just war?" Ugh.

Then she complained to Tobin about him calling ICE "a lawless organization" and asked him why. As with McElroy, his reply was great. I couldn't tell if she was just trying to get him to voice his thoughts further or if she was expressing opposition to him criticizing ICE. If it was the former, fine, but if it was the latter, boo!

[Cha]

6. Thank You... bookmarked!

☮️🌻🕯️🕊️💜