Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a statement March 1 reiterating Pope Leo XIV’s call for all parties in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran to resume diplomacy and cease the cycle of violence.
“The growing conflict risks spiraling into a wider regional war,” Archbishop Coakley stated hours after Pope Leo spoke out on the conflict in his Sunday Angelus address.
“As the Holy Father has warned, we are faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions,” the USCCB president continued. “My brother bishops and I unite our voice with our Holy Father and make the heartfelt appeal to all parties involved for diplomacy to regain its proper role.”
“We ask for a halt to the spiral of violence, and a return to multilateral diplomatic engagement that seeks to uphold the ‘well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice,’” he said. “All nations, international bodies, and partners committed to peace must exert every effort to prevent further escalation.”
In his Angelus address, Pope Leo also urged the faithful around the world to pray for peace. Archbishop Coakley echoed that call and encouraged invoking Our Lady Queen of Peace’s intercession.
“At this critical moment, I invite Catholics and all people of goodwill to continue our ardent prayers for peace in the Middle East, for the safety of our troops and the innocent, that leaders may seek dialogue over destruction, and pursue the common good over the tragedy of war,” Archbishop Coakley said. “We implore the intercession of our Blessed Mother, Mary, Queen of Peace, to pray for our troubled world and for a lasting peace.”