In January, Archbishop John Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico, issued a pastoral letter calling for an end to the nuclear arms race. The letter, titled Living in the Light of Christ's Peace: A Conversation Toward Nuclear Disarmament, challenges the recognition of "realistic international politics" that nuclear weapons act as deterrents against potential nuclear attacks.
"We can no longer deny or ignore the extremely dangerous predicament that lies before the human family," said Archbishop Wester. We are in an arms race for a new nuclear weapon that is far more dangerous than before," he said, urging his parishes and the world to join a "new resolution for peace" to eliminate all nuclear weapons on Earth. In fact, two out of three U.S. nuclear weapons research facilities are located within the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Kirtland Air Force Base near Albuquerque in the parish is also known to have the largest nuclear weapons depot in the United States.
The pastoral letter also mentions the reality that existing nuclear-weapon states do not keep their promises on reduction and the problems of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
Furthermore, they point to the fact that the George W. Bush administration unilaterally withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty as a triggering factor in the arms race between the major powers. It is a courageous point to point out that the major powers and the United States are responsible for the current crisis in a situation where the US-China conflict, which is perceived as a threat to Americans, and the Ukraine war are concerned.
The possibility of using nuclear weapons in the Ukraine war, which shows no sign of resolution, is now being mentioned. Amid differing opinions on the causes and solutions of war, the reality that we believe that only stronger military force or stronger sanctions can be used to preserve "peace" and resolve conflicts weighs heavily on our hearts.
Remembering Archbishop Wester's appeal that "the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and all of us are called to live in the light of Christ's peace and shine that light on all sides of the world," let's pray more earnestly for the Light of Christ to overcome the darkness of the world.
The Catholic Church has been strong in its support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which the Vatican has signed and ratified. During a visit to Japan, Pope Francis declared: "We must never grow weary of working to support the principal international legal instruments of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, including the Treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons."
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