Theologians, retired commander reflect on just war at Catholic Military Conference

A few hundred people — including active duty members of the military and veterans — attended the Catholic Military Conference this week, which featured talks and panels on just war doctrine, the duties of Catholic soldiers, and other subjects.

The conference, organized by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, is being held in Chantilly, Virginia, from Nov. 9–11. It hosted speakers including the Military Services Archbishop Timothy Broglio, lay theologians Joseph E. Capizzi and Matthew Bunson, and military veterans.

A theme of the talks was the negative consequences of any war. Even though war can be permitted under certain circumstances, the speakers emphasized the duty of political leaders to ensure that every criteria of just war doctrine is met when launching a war and to avoid it if at all possible.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, war can only be justified to confront a grave evil, the evil caused by the war cannot exceed the evil it seeks to end, all alternatives to war must be sought before it is waged, and the goals must have a real chance of success.

Duty to seek peace “Fighting involves killing,” retired Lt. Gen. James M. Dubik — a…