Pope Leo Urges Christians, Especially Those Waging War, To Examine Their Conscience This Lent

Pope Leo XIV has urged Christians, particularly those waging war, to examine their consciences this Lenten Season.

The pontiff made the statement during a Holy Mass homily on March 13, which he presided over for a group of priests and seminarians gathered at the Vatican to consider issues related to the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

He asked, “Do those Christians who bear serious responsibility in armed conflicts have the humility and courage to make a serious examination of conscience and to go to confession?”

For some time, critics have said Pope Leo is not doing enough in terms of outrightly condemning the escalating war in Iran between the US, Israel, and the Middle Eastern countries.

While a war is never always black and white, innocent people are often the casualties of war, which does not sit well with any Christian – Catholic, Pentecostal, or any other denomination. Hence, every Catholic and Christian in America and across the world has wondered about the role or approach of the Church and Christians to the crisis.

Some Bishops in the US and India have highlighted the human cost of the war, pleading for leaders to seek dialogue as the sole route to peace, whilst organising prayer sessions for peace in the Middle East since the conflict in Iran began.

Similarly, the Vatican City’s daily newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, has taken an objective approach to the war, focusing on its human cost rather than playing politics with it. For instance, the front page of March 12, bore the headline “Already 1,100 Collateral Damage” killed since the US and Israeli strikes began on February 28, complemented by an image of a bloodied blanket. NPR reported that more than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran, 773 in Lebanon, and 12 in Israel. The US military says that 13 US service members have died since the fighting began.

The Pope’s statement seems to be directed at the US presidency, because while President Donald Trump isn’t Catholic, many of his aides are. And given the increasing number of casualties in Iran, not to mention the global economic fallout, it’s hard not to read in Leo’s comments a subtle rebuke of the US president and his aides.

Yet some believe the Pope isn’t leading clearly.

National Catholic Reporter’s (NCR) Michael O’Loughlin reported that The Wall Street Journal’s William McGurn published a column earlier this week, with the provocative headline “Homilies Won’t Liberate Iran”, in which he takes issue with Pope Leo XIV’s pronouncements on Iran, particularly for not engaging with the Church’s embrace of Just War Theory.

Loughlin noted that as the war rages on, Pope Leo will undoubtedly be pressed to offer his thoughts.

“With supporters and critics alike yearning to hear more from Pope Leo about the war in Iran, might he weigh in more forcefully?

“In the meantime, between remarks from cardinals and the Vatican’s own newspaper, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the first US Pope thinks the US president might need to examine his conscience.