On the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Cardinal Robert McElroy delivered a powerful speech in Hiroshima, Japan, urging the Catholic Church to renew its commitment to nonviolence, nuclear disarmament, and the rejection of war as a moral failure.

During an academic symposium at Elizabeth College of Music  —held as part of the Japan Peace Pilgrimage commemorating the bombings—Cardinal McElroy reflected on the legacy of these tragic events and the evolving moral teaching of the Church on war and peace: “Is there any place on earth where the unmeasured cruelty of war is more palpable and overwhelming than here, on this terrible day of remembrance?”

Highlighting the urgent dangers of nuclear proliferation and the misuse of war, McElroy emphasized: “The persistence of wars between nations and within societies […] has brought into sharp focus the need to fundamentally renew and prioritize nonviolent action as the primary framework for Catholic teaching on war and peace.”

He also referred to Pope Francis’s decisive shift from just war theory: “Pope Francis used the trajectory of all these declarations to construct a framework of Catholic teaching on war and peace, in which nonviolence, not just war ethics, is the primary prism through which to evaluate decisions in situations of deep conflict.”

Cardinal McElroy also praised the emerging leadership of Pope Leo XIV and his focus on structural pathways to peace: “Pope Leo sees building a culture of nonviolence not merely as a personal or communal witness, but as building structures and institutions of nonviolence for our world.”

As a member of the Advisory Council of the Catholic Nonviolence Institute, Cardinal McElroy linked the message of his pilgrimage directly to the moral mission of the Church : “My Peace Pilgrimage to Japan on this most solemn anniversary reflects the message of the Catholic Nonviolence Institute: our world must make a complete moral turn away from violence and war, especially regarding nuclear weapons.”

The Pilgrimage of Peace includes the participation of Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago; Archbishop Paul Etienne of Seattle; and Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe. The U.S. delegation is participating in a series of events focused on prayer, dialogue, and promoting nuclear disarmament, under the theme of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Year: Pilgrims of Hope.

About the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence

The Catholic Institute for Nonviolence, founded by Pax Christi International’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative in 2024 and based in Rome, is dedicated to promoting nonviolence as a key teaching of the Catholic Church and training peacemakers. Its mission is to make foundational nonviolence research, resources, and experiences more accessible to Church leaders, communities, and global institutions, thereby reducing violence and deepening the Church’s commitment to nonviolence as a daily practice. The Catholic Institute for Nonviolence is a center for ongoing dialogue on nonviolence, particularly in connection with the global synodal process. The institute aims to bring experiences of nonviolence from the periphery around the world into dialogue with researchers, theologians, and Church leaders. More information:  www.paxchristi.net/catholic-institute-for-nonviolence

About Pax Christi International

Pax Christi International is a Catholic nonviolent movement of 120 organizations worldwide that promotes peace, respect for human rights, justice, and reconciliation. Based on the conviction that peace is possible and that the vicious cycles of violence and injustice can be broken, Pax Christi International addresses the root causes and destructive consequences of violent conflict and war. For more information, visit  www.paxchristi.net

About the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative

The Catholic Nonviolence Initiative is a project of Pax Christi International, which promotes the vision and practice of active nonviolence at the heart of the Catholic Church and is committed to the long-term vocation of healing and reconciling both people and the planet. For more information, visit www.paxchristi.net/cni-about-us.