Threat of
war
American Catholic leaders protest Novak visit to Vatican
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
Rome
A letter signed by more than 60 American Catholics, including
prominent laity and men and women religious, protests the decision of the U.S.
ambassador to the Vatican to bring Michael Novak, a conservative Catholic
intellectual, to Rome to argue for the morality of a “preventive war”
in Iraq.
The letter was faxed to the U.S. embassy to the Holy See in Rome
Feb. 4.
“As leaders of Catholic organizations, religious orders,
theologians, educators and pastoral workers, we have dialogued and reflected on
the current situation in light of our rich tradition of Catholic social
teaching and our practical experiences,” the letter states. “Our
reflection, guided also by the clear and consistent statements from our church
leaders, including Pope John Paul II, have led us to conclude that any military
action against Iraq at this time is not morally justifiable.
“We are very concerned that you have selected one theologian
to represent the U.S. Catholic community’s position on the morality of
this war without any consultation with recognized Catholic leaders in the U.S.
who have helped many of us craft our clear and consistent message against the
administration’s actions,” the letter reads.
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See James Nicholson told NCR
Feb. 4, however, that the letter is based “on a misunderstanding of the
nature of Novak’s visit to Rome.”
“Novak is coming to Rome as a private citizen to present his
own views on the relation of the current crisis to traditional notions of just
war theory, which have been the focus of considerable discussion in Europe and
the United States,” Nicholson told NCR. “He is not coming here
to represent Catholic teaching or the conference of U.S. bishops; he is also
not representing the U.S. government.
“He is participating in the Department of State’s
International Speaker program, which seeks to bring leading American scholars
and experts from many walks of life to address foreign audiences on issues of
priority concern to the United States.”
Novak was expected to meet with Vatican officials in the
Secretariat of State and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace Feb. 8,
and to give a public lecture at Rome’s Center of American Studies Feb.
10.
“In a country where we have a time-honored and legally
protected right to the separation of church and state, the appointment of a
theologian seems to us to violate that separation,” the letter says.
“In addition, we are concerned that this action could actually lead to a
misrepresentation of the teachings of our bishops, religious leaders and
theologians, who have worked in concert to educate the entire Catholic
community in the United States.”
Signatories include the president of the Conference of Major
Superiors of Men, the chief umbrella group for men’s religious communities
in the United States; the national coordinator of Pax Christi USA, a Catholic
peace group; the executive director of the U.S. Catholic Mission Association;
and leadership figures in a variety of men’s and women’s religious
orders.
Novak, the George F. Jewett scholar at the American Enterprise
Institute, is best known for his moral defense of capitalism. He has argued
that war in Iraq may be justified as a form of defense against terrorism.
In a cover sheet accompanying the fax to Nicholson, Trinitarian
Fr. Stan DeBoe of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men says Novak
represents “a thread of Catholic teaching that is dissenting from current
statements from our recognized teaching office in the church.”
DeBoe wrote: “In his book Tell Me Why, Mr. Novak
explains to his daughter that to be ‘fully Catholic’ one must hold to
the teachings of the church, and if one holds ‘x when the church teaches
non-x, are you fully Catholic? The obvious answer is no.’ I hope that you
and he will not be presenting this as a Catholic analysis of a war on Iraq,
since it is not in keeping with current statements and teachings, it is a
dissident voice.”
“While dissent is always welcome, it should not be confused
with the clear statements made by church leaders and theologians regarding
preemptive strikes, use of nuclear weapons, and the current situation,” De
Boe wrote.
Nicholson said he hopes Novak’s presentations will help
clarify the moral issues involved in a possible war.
“It is our hope that Mr. Novak’s presentations and
meetings will broaden the debate and clarify the just nature of U.S. policy in
Iraq,” Nicholson said. “We expect his presentations will help
stimulate thinking about the very complex political, legal and moral issues
involved in responding to the continuing threat from Iraq’s possession of
weapons of mass destruction.”
John L. Allen Jr. is NCR Rome correspondent. His e-mail
address jallen@natcath.org
The full text of the letter and DeBoe’s comments are
available in the “Documents” section of NCR’s Web site,
www.natcath.org
National Catholic Reporter, February 14,
2003
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