The Pope and the Bomb panel discussion and Q&A was held on September 17th.
The speakers were: Bishop Oscar Cantú, a Chairman in the Committee on International Justice & Peace (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops), former Senator Sam Nunn, and Maryann Cusimano Love Associate, Professor of International Relations at The Catholic University of America.
Bishop Cantú, a Chairman in the Committee on International Justice & Peace, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; Bishop Cantú began the discussion reiterating the opposition to nuclear weapons beginning with Pope St. John XXIII in 1963. Cantú reminded the audience of the moral and ethical dilemma behind the remaining existence of nuclear weapons by noting Pope Benedict’s remark that in a nuclear war there would be, “no victors only victims.”
Senator Nunn followed the Bishop’s remarks with an outline of how we may eventually get to a nuclear free world and emphasized eight points that must be a part of the strategic process. Nunn also emphasized the importance of the Roman Catholic Church’s vision of a nuclear free world. In his speech he listed fundamental steps but later explained that it was more than this, “without the bold vision the actions will not be perceived as either urgent or fair, but without the actions, the steps, the vision will not be perceived as realistic or possible.”
Professor Love began her speech on the interconnectedness of Pope Francis’ focuses on: the people, the poor, the planet, and peace, and how they are not separate issues. She noted the Pope’s home country, Argentina, stopping their nuclear program because of the large number of citizens below the poverty line. She ended by noting St. John XXIII talking about the change in the Catholic Church’s change of view in opposition to nuclear weapons, “It is not that anything has changed…it is that we have begun to understand the gospel better.”
The discussion was followed by a fruitful Q&A, which may be accessed on YouTube.
