Post by John Clucas

Pope Leo XIV stepped into the international political arena at evening prayers in St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on Saturday, saying prayer for peace is “a bulwark against that delusion of omnipotence that surrounds us and is becoming increasingly unpredictable and aggressive.” The first US-born pope said: “Even the holy Name of God, the God of life, is being dragged into discourses of death.” Addressing world leaders who decide to go to war, Leo said: “To them we cry out: stop! It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation – not at the table where rearmament is planned and deadly actions are decided.” “Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life,” he added. While the pope did not explicitly mention the US-Israeli war with Iran, or name any single country or president, his words will be read as his strongest condemnation yet of a conflict the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth has cast as a sacred struggle. The pope’s remarks came during face-to-face negotiations between US and Iranian delegations in Pakistan to shore up a fragile truce and put a permanent end to hostilities. a man speaking ‘God does not bless any conflict’: pope issues new rebuke over Iran war Read more The US delegation in Islamabad was led by JD Vance, the vice-president, whose new book is about his conversion to Catholicism. The talks take place days after it was reported that Vance’s friend, Elbridge Colby, a senior Pentagon official who is also Catholic, had summoned the Vatican’s ambassador to the US in January to rebuke him over comments by the pope that month. Leo’s January declaration that “a diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force” reportedly enraged Pentagon officials. Leo’s tone and message on Saturday appeared aimed at Trump administration officials, who have boasted of US military superiority and justified the war in religious terms. Defense secretary Pete Hegseth has invoked his Christian faith to cast the US as a Christian nation righteously seeking to vanquish its foes, describing the attack on Iran as a holy war carried out “in the name of Jesus Christ” and even compared the rescue of a downed F-15 airman in terms that echoed the resurrection of Jesus. The pope said that those who pray “are aware of their own limitations. They do not kill or threaten with death. Instead, death enslaves those who have turned their backs on the living God, turning themselves and their own power into a mute, blind and deaf idol, to which they sacrifice every value, demanding that the whole world bend its knee.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/ehjRuhXy #ChoosePeace #TrueStrength #ServeLife #SharedHumanity