Abstract

The attitude of the Catholic Church towards peace is rooted in the Christian tradition but was also strongly stimulated by the events of the 20th/21st century and in particular by the “world warµ. The magisterium of the popes has considered war less and less a good (according to the principle of “just warµ), historically necessary (“a useless massacreµ as Benedict XV defined it), morally legitimate (in the sense of “a lesser evilµ) or in any case acceptable (“never again warµ said Paul VI to the un in 1965). Pope Francis’ interventions for peace between Russia and Ukraine are only the latest expression of a profound change in the Catholic Church regarding war and peace