“The enormous and growing possibilities offered by new technologies, have granted war an uncontrollable destructive power over great numbers of innocent civilians.”
- Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, No. 258, 2020
Resources
Pope's Prayer Intention – Artificial Intelligence
Pope Francis, November 5, 2020
Fratelli Tutti
Pope Francis, October 3, 2020
Article – Contributions from the Catholic Church to Ethical Reflections in the Digital Era
Members of the Pontifical Academy for Life & Working Group on Roboethics of the Pontifical Academy for Life, May 11, 2020
Rome Call for AI Ethics
Pontifical Academy for Life, February 28, 2020
Conclusive Remarks at the Seminar on the Common Good in the Digital Age
Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, September 26-28, 2019
Ethical Reflections on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems and Augmented Soldiers – with a selection of documents from the Holy See’s engagement on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Caritas in Veritate Foundation, November 2017
Background on Armed Drones
January 2014
Sowing Weapons of War: A Pastoral Reflection on the Arms Trade and Landmines
National Conference of Catholic Bishops, June 16, 1995
Policy and Advocacy Letters and Statements
2020-2021
Statement at the 2021 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Regarding Possible Options for Addressing the Humanitarian and International Security Challenges
Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, August 5, 2021
Statement at the 2021 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Regarding Characterization of the Systems under Consideration
Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, August 4, 2021
Statement at the 2021 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Regarding Exploration of the Potential Challenges to International Humanitarian Law
Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, August 3, 2021
Address of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Seventy-Fifth Meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations
Pope Francis, September 25, 2020
Letter to National Security Advisor O'Brien Regarding Landmines
Bishop David J. Malloy, March 2, 2020
2019-2010
Statement at the 2019 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, March 26, 2019
Statement at the 2018 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, August 27, 2018
Statement at the 2018 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, April 9, 2018
Message of His Holiness Pope Francis to the Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum on the Occasion of the Annual Gathering in Davos-Klosters
Pope Francis, January 23-26, 2018
Statement at the 2017 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, November 13, 2017
Statement at the Informal Expert Meeting on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems
Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, April 11, 2016
Letter to National Security Advisor Rice on Framework for Policy on the Use of Armed Drones
Bishop Oscar Cantú, May 11, 2015
Background on Armed Drones
January 2014
Letter to National Security Advisor Regarding Mine Ban Treaty
Bishop Richard E. Pates, February 12, 2014
Statement at the Annual Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects
Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, Permanent Representative of the Holy See to the United Nations and Other International Organization in Geneva, November 2013
Letter to Administration/Congress on Drones & Targeted Killings
Bishop Richard E. Pates, May 17, 2013
Joint Letter to President Obama Reiterating Call for U.S. toJoin Mine Ban Treaty
Bishop Richard E. Pates, April 4, 2012
Letter to National Security Advisor Thomas Donilon Supporting the Mine Ban Treaty
Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, October 28, 2010
Action Alert: Urge President Obama and Senate to Join the Mine Ban Treaty!
June 11, 2010
Letter to Secretary of State Clinton and Secretary of Defense Gates Supporting Mine Ban Treaty
Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, May 18, 2010
Joint Letter to President Obama Urging the U.S. to Join the Mine Ban Treaty
Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, March 22, 2010
2009-2000
Joint Letter to President Obama Calling for Review of Policy on Cluster Munitions and Landmines
Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, February 10, 2009
Letter to Secretary of State Supporting Convention on Cluster Munitions
Bishop Howard J. Hubbard, November 21, 2008
Letter from Faith Leaders Calling for Ban on Cluster Munitions
Bishop Thomas G. Wenski, April 17, 2008
Letter to Congress on Cluster Munitions Civilian Act of 2007
Bishop Thomas Wenski, May 1, 2007
Background on Nuclear Arms and Landmines
February 2007
Letter to Senate on the Victim-Activated Landmine Abolition Act of 2006
Bishop Thomas G. Wenski, September 5, 2006
Letter to Conferees on Landmines Alternatives
Bishop John H. Ricard, October 31, 2005
Statement on New U.S. Policy on Landmines
Bishop John H. Ricard, March 1, 2004
Letters to Secretary of State Powell and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld on U.S. Landmines Policy
Bernard Cardinal Law, August 9, 2001
Prior to 2000
Launching the Catholic Campaign to Ban Landmines
Bishop James W. Malone, June 12, 1997
Sowing Weapons of War: A Pastoral Reflection on the Arms Trade and Landmines
National Conference of Catholic Bishops, June 16, 1995
Letter to National Security Advisor Berger on Anti-personnel Landmines
May 26,1998
