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Jamais plus la guerre, jamais plus la guerre!
('War, never again; war, never again!)
Pope Paul VI, 4 October 1965 - United Nations
Dear Friends,
Greetings of peace from Conception Abbey.
In whatever circles I find myself these days -
whether with monks, seminarians, family, or friends - the topic of the
Iraqi War surfaces in tones of sadness, regret, frustration, anger, and
dismay. We are all too aware that the real price we pay for war is the
lives of innocent civilians and troops of young men and women from
several nations. That price is too high.
We train for war; when will we start training for
peace?
People were shocked, outraged, and embarrassed at
the behavior of American troops toward detainees at Abu Ghraib Prison.
They asked, "How could American troops do such a thing?" As strange as
it may sound, we should not be shocked! Saddened, yes, but not shocked.
This is exactly what war brings about: hatred, violence, fear, and
abuse. When preparing to go to war, our troops are trained to hate the
enemy, to subdue him, and to be victorious over him. It is naive to
think that such training would never go awry in combat, when those
troops live under constant threats to their lives. Hatred proliferates
hatred, and deepens it. Acts of violence, shunned in a humane and
democratic society, are permitted in war time. Such a state of mind
creates an environment where expressions of inhumanity may escalate.
Meanwhile, back at home, we shake our heads in disgust and unbelief.
 Those who have lived through wars on their own soil
know the ravages it leaves: families torn asunder, memories that leave
permanent scars on the human heart, productive land destroyed, buildings
and homes demolished, precious artworks and historical treasures lost, and trust
between nations ruptured.
We've read about the tragedies of war on foreign
soil. Must we experience that horror in person, instead of through a
television screen to finally say "Stop!" Was the atrocity of Sept. 11
not enough to startle us into working for peace instead of war?
I ask you to recall the prophetic address of Pope
Paul VI to the United Nations on October 4, 1965: "Jamais plus la
guerre, jamais plus la guerre! C'est la paix, la paix qui doit guider le
destin des peuples et de toute l'humanité! ("War, never again; war,
never again! It is peace, peace which must guide the destiny of peoples
and all of humanity!")
And it is the word of God through the prophet
Isaiah that is inscribed at the entrance to the United Nations Building:
"They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into
pruning hooks" (Isaiah 2:4b).
When will this finally happen? And who will lead
the way?
This is not a political statement. Our hope for the
future goes beyond politics. This is a moral statement that we, the
members of the human family under God, must keep in the forefront of our
minds if we expect to be architects of a world that works for peace.
I again turn to the words of Pope Paul VI whose
message for the 1972 World Day of Peace gave us a clear and precise
direction for the future: "If you want peace, work for justice."
In our homes, in our parish communities, in our
monasteries, in our places of employment, and in our neighborhoods, we
can plant the seeds of God's word, which calls us to be ambassadors of
peace.
To work for peace is to respond to the Almighty's
invitation to join him in re-creating the world according to its
original divine plan, where war no longer exists. It is a goal that may
seem hard to grasp. But the work it requires is not.
May we do it with conviction.
Sincerely in Christ,
Abbot Gregory J. Polan, OSB
We welcome your comments:
communications@conception.edu
www.conceptionabbey.org
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