Santa Clara University

Remarks at Day of Prayer for Peace

In connection with a national peace vigil by the 28 Jesuit colleges and universities on Feb. 13, 2003

by Paul Locatelli, S.J.

On April 11, 1963, Pope John XXIII gave the world a vision of peace on earth. Forty years later we have made "significant progress" in fulfilling John's noble vision: the emergence of human and civil rights for women people of color, and minorities, the increase of democracy around the world, and greater possibility for the poor to overcome grinding poverty through global economic development.

Today, we are poised on the brink of war with Iraq. This ominous cloud casts a dark shadow over Pope John's vision and over the whole world. Why have we come to the brink of war? At its root is the festering hatred that led to the brutal, homicidal attack of September 11. Without the threat of terrorism and the random attacks that keep occurring, no American people would tolerate a pre‑emptive strike on Iraq and Saddam Hussein.

Even on the eve of war, the American public is not convinced that war on Iraq is necessary to defeat the forces of terrorism. If we go down the road to war, it will not end the threat of Al Qaeda nor address the causes of fundamentalist Islamic rage. This recourse to pre‑emptive violence will not prevent violence. It could have the opposite result: We could begin a death spiral that will pit nation against nation, religion against religion, culture against culture.

Pope John challenged all nations to take a different path. He called all peoples to establish universal peace on four pillars: truth, justice, love, and freedom. The first casualty in war is always truth, and I fear that truth has already been injured in the rush to war. For Pope John truth is the foundation for peace because without facing the truth and speaking the truth, there can be no trust. Yes, Saddam has not spoken the truth about his weapons of destruction. But has the world heard the full truth about why this administration intends to go to war?

As a university community living in a democracy, Santa Clara University's fundamental commitment is to discover the truth. We have to doggedly pursue the truth wherever it leads us, whatever it costs us.

Democracy demands the logic of truth and an internal ethic that will not compromise freedom, respect for human dignity or the common good, even when faced with a brutal tyrant like Saddam Hussein. Because the lives of people are the treasure of democracy, it always resists the recourse to deadly force. Democracy has to exhaust every path that might lead to peaceful resolution. War is the last resort, and only to protect innocent people who have been attacked or when an attack is imminent.

As a Jesuit university, we search not only for the truth about the facts but also about justice and love. The truth of justice demands we, as a nation, openly acknowledge that we have not always been fair in our actions or in our policies. We have not always respected people of other cultures, forms of government, and religions. Justice demands that we must never impose our culture and way of life on other people. Just as we demand respect from other nations, we have to respect their right to self-determination.

The truth of justice leads to the truth of love. Respect for differences and for the dignity of each person is the only path that can lead to true harmony among nations and people. Love is unrelenting in forging harmony and trust among diverse people. Love is not seen in the arrogance of power, but in the patient service of others, especially those in greatest need. Love is not naive about evil, but love takes the first step towards reconciliation by forgiving the enemy. Love knows that God has not given up on our enemy and that God's power can turn around the heart of our enemy. Then will the Song of Songs be heard that "love is stronger than death."

I hope that it is not too late for the truth of justice and the truth of love. I hope that there is still time to work for that vision of peace that Pope John glimpsed 40 years ago. Whatever is decided in the next few days or weeks, we must not abandon our calling to be a university community that seeks the truth and tries to live it out.

May we pray, even at this late hour, that a peaceful resolution may be found to the crisis with Iraq and the looming crisis with North Korea. And may we work so that Pope John's four pillars of peace - truth, justice, love, and freedom-- will prevail.

-- Paul Locatelli, S.J., Mission Church, Feb.13, 2003