Bishop Strickland, who is outspoken on many issues and not popular in the Vatican. He was removed from his position as Bishop of Tyler, Texas in 2023. The removal – they said – was for administrative reasons and not penal.
Bishop Strickland to President Trump: “the indiscriminate killing of civilians – including women and children – has reached an intolerable scale.”
In the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, I write to you as a successor to the Apostles, compelled by my duty to speak the truth in charity and justice. The worsening crisis in the Middle East, from the war in Gaza to the growing regional conflicts – including U.S. military actions in Yemen – demands urgent moral reflection. As a shepherd of souls, I cannot remain silent while thousands suffer the consequences of escalating violence.
The Catholic Church upholds the sacred dignity of every human life, made in the image of God. The Catechism teaches us that “actions deliberately contrary to the law of nations and to its universal principles are crimes” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2313). This applies to all parties engaged in warfare, whether nations, militant groups, or coalitions. While a nation has the right to defend itself and protect its people, such actions must remain within the bounds of justice, proportionality, and moral law.
In Gaza, the indiscriminate killing of civilians – including women and children – has reached an intolerable scale. The people of Palestine, many of whom have no affiliation with terrorist organizations, suffer immensely. War cannot be waged without regard for the innocent. The same applies to Yemen, where U.S. military actions against the Houthis risk inflaming an already volatile situation. Each missile launched, each bomb dropped, threatens to push the region further into chaos, with untold humanitarian consequences.
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