Archbishop Bernardito Auza, apostolic nuncio to the European Union, warned in Brussels that the continent’s rearmament must serve peace, not war, while also upholding the right of nations to defend themselves. He made these remarks during the conference held on November 11 and 12 by the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, in collaboration with the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), as reported by EWTN News, which covered the event.
A “deep and multidimensional crisis”
Auza described Europe’s situation as a “deep and multidimensional crisis” affecting security, economic competitiveness, and the continent’s foundational values. European rearmament is advancing in this context, driven by the war in Ukraine and doubts about the United States’ security guarantees to NATO allies.
In response to this dynamic, the nuncio recalled that the Church teaches “unarmed and disarming peace” and maintained that security “cannot be separated from the culture of peace and dialogue.” Defense policy, he said, cannot be built apart from reconciliation among peoples.
“The Church is not a naïve pacifist”
However, the archbishop made clear that this stance does not mean denying legitimate defense. “The Church is not a naïve pacifist,” he stated, adding that the doctrine of just war cannot be abandoned, because at its core it affirms the right to self-defense and the protection of fundamental values.
Auza also drew on the teaching of Leo XIV, recalling the Pope’s address in Metz on September 28, in which he praised Robert Schuman’s commitment to reconciliation and warned against the temptation to entrust peace to military force rather than dialogue. The Pontiff had already criticized European rearmament at La Sapienza University in Rome, as InfoVaticana reported.
The nuncio’s intervention coincides with Archbishop Richard Gallagher’s defense of the just-war doctrine, which the secretary for Relations with States described as a response to what he called “dangerous pacifism,” as this outlet reported. Both diplomats thus emphasize that the Holy See seeks to combine the ideal of peace with recognition of legitimate defense.
Other matters discussed at the meeting
During the conference, Auza also spoke about Haiti, where he served as nuncio, and stated that Haitians must lead the reconstruction of their country, although the international community has a moral obligation to help. The meeting also addressed migration, with reference to the mass arrival in Ceuta in July and the dangers of Mediterranean crossings, with interventions by MEP Lena Düpont and Corinna Ullrich of the European Commission.
For his part, the foundation’s president, Paolo Garonna, announced initiatives in Asia-Pacific, the Americas, and Africa, adapted to the realities of each region, along with an ethical framework uniting the public and private sectors.