Editorial

Listening to the warnings of the Queen of Peace

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Mt 5:9)

Our Church celebrated the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima on May 13.

This feast celebrates Mary’s appearances in 1917 to three shepherd children—Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta—in Fatima, Portugal, warning of world-altering events, war and the need for prayer and conversion. The Blessed Mother’s message to these young children and, through them, to the whole world focuses on praying the rosary for world peace.

This is an appropriate time to recall this miraculous occasion and to give prayerful consideration to Our Lady’s message.

Regrettably, war is always with us, but there are moments in human history when it is particularly important for us to pray and work for peace.

The Blessed Mother’s first appearance to three Portuguese shepherd children in May 1917 took place during another time when war demanded the intercession of the Queen of Peace. Europe was in the grip of the First World War, which would claim an astounding 20 million lives. Only eight days before Mary’s apparition, Pope Benedict XV had begged the Blessed Mother to intercede for the war’s end.

During her appearances, Mary predicted the devastation of future wars and the grave threat posed by tyrannical ideologies. Her message to the children and the world—then and now—was simple: Reform your lives and do penance for your sins. Pray the rosary every day.

Are we listening to our Blessed Mother’s warning? How seriously do we take the Gospel witness of Pope Leo XIV and the bishops throughout the world who urge us to pray for peace, to practice nonviolence in all our affairs and to build communities and nations dedicated to justice and equality for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, economics or social status?

The recent military interventions by the United States in Venezuela and Iran have caused many Catholics, and other people who share our values, to ask for a clarification of the Catholic Church’s teaching on just war. This is a profound and carefully articulated doctrine, developed through the centuries by theologians such as St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, and further expanded by later scholars. It is rooted in the principles of natural law and the inalienable rights of every human being, aiming to balance the tragic necessity of war with the pursuit of justice and peace.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Church judges a war to be just if four requirements are met. First, the war must have a grave and certain cause. Second, the war must only take place as a last resort. Third, force must only be used in it in a proportional manner. Finally, there must be a reasonable prospect of success (#2309).

War must seek to restore peace and justice, minimize harm to innocents, and be governed by natural law and respect for human dignity.

Wars of aggression are unequivocally condemned. Military personnel must act as agents of justice and peace, obeying natural law even over unjust orders. The Church advocates peace pursued through justice and charity as a fundamental Christian mandate.

To help us discern whether military actions (past, present or future) can be considered just, we must turn to Mary, Queen of Peace and ask her to help us understand the teaching and example of her Son, Jesus.

Mary’s role as an intercessor places her in a position of bringing divine peace to our hearts and to our world by aiding us in our spiritual struggles. Jesus has taught us that there can be no peace without forgiveness.

Through Mary’s intercession, we can learn to forgive even grievous wrongs and ancient hatred. We can learn to place dialogue, repentance and compassion ahead of the thirst for revenge or for simplistic views of justice that do not reflect the common good of all.

Marian devotion is a powerful pathway to peace. Practices such as praying the rosary frequently can deepen our relationship with Mary and lead us more deeply into the heart of her Son, Jesus.

The rosary and other Marian devotions encourage peaceful contemplation, prayer and reflection that help foster inner peace and spiritual tranquility. Mary’s influence leads us away from sin and emptiness toward purity and holiness, which are foundational to true peace among individuals, families, communities and nations.

Let’s ask the Queen of Peace to help us follow the teaching and example of Jesus, the King of Peace. Through her intercession, may we set aside our differences and make every effort to resolve conflicts peacefully.

—Daniel Conway