Catholic Community of Pleasanton

Social Justice Newsletter Archive

Selected Article on Peace

 

Military Spending

 

One of the workshops at the Social Justice Forum at Holy Names University in March was on "Military Spending".  The content of the workshop is quite well presented in a narrated video slide show, Click here.

 

The presenters were Carol Travis of the Bay Area Campaign for New Priorities, http://newprioritiescampaign.org/, and Sandra Schwartz of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).  The Bay Area Campaign for New Priorities is an affiliate of the New Priorities Network, http://newprioritiesnetwork.org/.  The American Friends Service Committee, http://www.afsc.org/, is a nonviolence organization created by the Religious Society of Friends ("Quakers") during World War I that has worked throughout the world in conflict zones, in areas affected by natural disasters, and in oppressed communities to address the root causes of war and violence.  In 1947 AFSC was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

  

How much money should be allocated to military spending is of course a matter of prudential judgment.  Any governmental budget can be regarded as a reflection of moral sentiments.  In a democracy we want budgets to reflect the best judgment of the whole population.

 

On the question of military spending there is some guidance available from our Church leaders.  Evidently, our two main criteria should be the needs of the poor and the attaining of peace.

 

On the eve of the release of the Federal Budget presented to Congress by President Obama the U.S. bishops issued a statement which did not address military spending as such but urged "In the face of historic deficits, the nation faces unavoidable choices about how to balance needs and resources and allocate burdens and sacrifices.  The USCCB advocates principles that assure adequate funding for programs that assist those in greatest need who are trying to care for their children, access health care, overcome hunger and homelessness, and find gainful employment."  For the full statement Click here.  [If you have trouble with this link, try copying and pasting this URL in your brower:

http://www.usccb.org/about/justice-peace-and-human-development/catholic-social-ministry-gathering/upload/Federal-budget-backgrounder-2012.pdf   ]..

 

Excerpts on "Defending Peace" from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church begin with the words, "The requirements of legitimate defense justify the existence in States of armed forces, the activity of which should be at the service of peace. Those who defend the security and freedom of a country, in such a spirit, make an authentic contribution to peace."  See Excerpts.

 

A message from Pope Benedict XVI, "Education Young People in Justice and Peace" in celebration of World Peace Day, January 1, 2012, concluded with the words,

 

"All you men and women throughout the world, who take to heart the cause of peace: peace is not a blessing already attained, but rather a goal to which each and all of us must aspire. Let us look with greater hope to the future; let us encourage one another on our journey; let us work together to give our world a more humane and fraternal face; and let us feel a common responsibility towards present and future generations, especially in the task of training them to be people of peace and builders of peace"

 

See Message.