Council 112 Respect Life Report February 2007

Tony Marino is an Air Force veteran who later received a degree in English Literature at Long Island University. For more than 30 years, he was an insurance agent for Aetna before eventually becoming a private insurance consultant. Since his retirement in 2003, he has devoted himself to the service of St. Peter's Parish in Concord and the Right to Life movement in New Hampshire. Tony has been married to his wife, Annette for more than 40 years. They have ten children and 22 grandchildren.

It may seem incongruous to be writing an essay on Respect Life when the subject is war and yet, in this present century, we cannot escape the fact that lives have been taken, and are being taken daily, by people who allege that, as a result of their spiritual beliefs, they have not only the right but the obligation to impose their beliefs on all of mankind. They are willing to accomplish their ends through the indiscriminate use of violence. We have come to know these people as Islamic terrorists. These terrorists are being engaged around the world but most specifically, at present, in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is in these two countries where American forces and forces from at least twenty other countries have been deployed to engage the terrorists. The question has been raised as to whether the war on terrorists is a just war. The answer can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Section 2309 discusses four “strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force."

1. "The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain.” Disregarding for the moment the various attacks around the world which have had lasting, grave and certain results, we only have to turn to the destruction of the World Trade Center and the deaths of 3000 innocents to fulfill this condition.

2. "All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective." The goal of the Islamic terrorists is the submission by all peoples to their brand of Islam, or death for refusing to submit. They have made negotiation impossible, so discussion to end hostilities would be ineffective and impractical.

3. “There must be a serious prospect for success.” With all nations working to end the terrorist threat, along with the determination of free people to make sacrifices for their freedom, success is all but assured.

4. “The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated.” Terrorists target civilians in places of business, schools, and public places, disregarding any distinction between men, women, and children. The evil committed is so grave that it cannot be surpassed by the ordinary use of the force of arms. When reviewing the conditions for a just war, as defined in the Catechism, it seems clear that the war against the terrorists is a just war.

The questions remain: how long will we fight this war? When will it end? When can we bring our soldiers home? These are all good questions, and all reasonable. Peace is the goal of all decent people. I believe that the answer to these questions may be found in the not-too-distant past: in 1936, while jack-booted thugs paraded around Germany and Hitler planned his next invasion, the people of Great Britain overwhelmingly supported a strong peace movement. At Oxford University, the peace movement was so strong that students voted that they were not willing to fight for King and country. Ironically, many of the Oxford students who claimed that they stood for peace nonetheless died three years later in the Battle of Britain, along with more than 60,000 of their fellow citizens in German bombing raids.*

If we have learned anything from this history, it is that peace is not the absence of war and failure to recognize and act against the dangers inherent in evil carries with it grave consequences. I have observed signs on lawns proclaiming “STOP THE WAR," and it would be wonderful if we could stop war by proclamation. Unfortunately, wars end in only two ways: victory or defeat. I know of no historical record where parties ended the war by either singular or mutual disassociation. At present, there are citizens and politicians who want to end the war in Iraq - and possibly in Afghanistan - by leaving the field of battle. That would end the battle in a particular place but it is certain that the war would continue in another location, perhaps in a location much closer than Iraq and Afghanistan. As responsible citizens, and people of honor and decency, we have an obligation to understand the present course of history, to be aware of the present dangers, and to see the gravity of the dangers that confront us. It is an obligation imposed upon us by respect for life. An obligation described by Pope Pius XII: “The American people have a great genius for splendid and unselfish actions. Into the hands of America, God has placed the destinies of an afflicted mankind.”

* From America The Last Best Hope, Volume II, William J. Bennett

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Council 112 Respect Life Report October 2007 WAR AGAINST TERROR It may seem incongruous to be writing an essay on Respect Life when the subject is war and yet, in this present century, we cannot escape the fact that lives have been taken, and are being taken daily, by people who allege that, as a result of their spiritual beliefs, they have not only the right but the obligation to impose their beliefs on all of mankind. They are willing to accomplish their ends through the indiscriminate use of violence. We have come to know these people as Islamic terrorists. These terrorists are being engaged around the world but most specifically, at present, in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is in these two countries where American forces and forces from at least twenty other countries have been deployed to engage the terrorists. The question has been raised as to whether the war on terrorists is a just war. The answer can be found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Section 2309 discusses four “strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force." 1. "The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain.” Disregarding for the moment the various attacks around the world which have had lasting, grave and certain results, we only have to turn to the destruction of the World Trade Center and the deaths of 3000 innocents to fulfill this condition. 2. "All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective." The goal of the Islamic terrorists is the submission by all peoples to their brand of Islam, or death for refusing to submit. They have made negotiation impossible, so discussion to end hostilities would be ineffective and impractical. 3. “There must be a serious prospect for success.” With all nations working to end the terrorist threat, along with the determination of free people to make sacrifices for their freedom, success is all but assured. 4. “The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated.” Terrorists target civilians in places of business, schools, and public places, disregarding any distinction between men, women, and children. The evil committed is so grave that it cannot be surpassed by the ordinary use of the force of arms. When reviewing the conditions for a just war, as defined in the Catechism, it seems clear that the war against the terrorists is a just war. The questions remain: how long will we fight this war? When will it end? When can we bring our soldiers home? These are all good questions, and all reasonable. Peace is the goal of all decent people. I believe that the answer to these questions may be found in the not-too-distant past: in 1936, while jack-booted thugs paraded around Germany and Hitler planned his next invasion, the people of Great Britain overwhelmingly supported a strong peace movement. At Oxford University, the peace movement was so strong that students voted that they were not willing to fight for King and country. Ironically, many of the Oxford students who claimed that they stood for peace nonetheless died three years later in the Battle of Britain, along with more than 60,000 of their fellow citizens in German bombing raids.* If we have learned anything from this history, it is that peace is not the absence of war and failure to recognize and act against the dangers inherent in evil carries with it grave consequences. I have observed signs on lawns proclaiming “STOP THE WAR," and it would be wonderful if we could stop war by proclamation. Unfortunately, wars end in only two ways: victory or defeat. I know of no historical record where parties ended the war by either singular or mutual disassociation. At present, there are citizens and politicians who want to end the war in Iraq - and possibly in Afghanistan - by leaving the field of battle. That would end the battle in a particular place but it is certain that the war would continue in another location, perhaps in a location much closer than Iraq and Afghanistan. As responsible citizens, and people of honor and decency, we have an obligation to understand the present course of history, to be aware of the present dangers, and to see the gravity of the dangers that confront us. It is an obligation imposed upon us by respect for life. An obligation described by Pope Pius XII: “The American people have a great genius for splendid and unselfish actions. Into the hands of America, God has placed the destinies of an afflicted mankind.” * From America The Last Best Hope, Volume II, William J. Bennett Next Article --->
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