International Justice and Peace

Happening Now

Federal Budget Resolution for FY2016
In a letter to Congress, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski and Bishop Oscar Cantú address the moral and human dimensions of the federal budget and urge protection of programs that serve poor and vulnerable people.

In Response to the Murder of Coptic Christians in Libya
Archbishop Kurtz and Bishop Cantú write to President Obama and to Congressional Leaders Concerning Religious Freedom Violations in the Middle East and the Authorization for Use of Military Force currently pending before Congress.

Bishop Cantú writes to Congress Regarding the Cremisan Valley
In a letter to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Bishop Oscar Cantú urges them to intervene with the Israeli government regarding their ongoing efforts to construct a barrier in the Cremisan Valley.

National Interreligious Leadership Inititiative for Peace in the Middle East Writes to President Obama
In a letter to President Obama, religious leaders urge the United States, in coordination with the Quartet, to present a framework for negotiating a two-state peace agreement between Israel and Palestine.

Statement of the Co-ordination of Bishops' Conferences in Support of the Church in the Holy Land
Bishop Oscar Cantú joined the annual meeting of bishops in the Holy Land and participated in the drafting of a statement calling for human dignity as the basis of peace.

Iran
In a letter to congressional leaders, Bishop Cantú urges support for the United States and its P5 + 1 partners in their ongoing dialogue with Iran over its nuclear program.

Torture
In an interview with Vatican Radio, Bishop Oscar Cantú states that intelligence-gathering techniques outlined in the Senate report violate basic moral principals.

Cuba
Bishop Oscar Cantú writes to congressional leaders of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs to express support for the changes to the U.S. trade and travel embargo against Cuba announced by President Obama.

News Release:  Bishop Cantú welcomes release of Alan Gross and change to U.S. policy toward Cuba.

Guantanamo
Bishop Oscar Cantú writes to the Special Envoy for Guantanamo Closure regarding the expedited transfer of cleared detainees.

Letter to Ambassador of Israel to the United States
Bishop Cantú writes to Ambassador Dermer to offer condolences and to condemn the terrible murders and malicious injuring of worshippers at prayer in the synagogue in Har Nof, Jerusalem. He writes that innocent civilians should never be the direct targets of violent attacks and houses of worship ought to be respected as sacred sanctuaries.

Ebola Outbreak
Bishop Pates and Dr. Carolyn Woo, President of Catholic Relief Services, write to congressional leaders asking them to support proven efforts and responses in the fight against ebola.

In a letter to the National Security Council, Bishop Pates and Dr. Carolyn Woo, President of Catholic Relief Services have welcomed the expanded response to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa.

U.S. Bishops Affirm Power of Prayer for Israeli-Palestinian Peace Following Pilgrimage to Holy Land │ News Release
U.S. bishops affirmed that prayer is powerful, peace is possible and that support for a two-state solution is an essential dimension of pursuing Israeli-Palestinian peace in a September 22 communique, following a Prayer Pilgrimage for Peace in the Holy Land. 

Nuclear Weapons
In a letter to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz, Bishop Pates expresses concern over the expanding U.S. budget for nuclear weapons.

New Blog! To Go Forth
Pain. Injustice. Brokenness. Hope. Love. Faith. Wisdom. ToGoForth.org will confront the issues of the day with the insights of the Catholic social teaching tradition, human stories and the perspective of the bishops of the United States. You can join the dialogue on Twitter @togoforth.