Saturday, April 18, 2026

Bishops in Asia echo Pope Leo XIV, urge end to violence and return to talks

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Bishops in Asia echo Pope Leo XIV, urge end to violence and return to talks


Echoing a global peace appeal from Pope Leo XIV, leaders of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences urged an end to escalating violence and a return to negotiations.

In a pastoral appeal titled “Blessed are the Peacemakers,” the bishops warned of deepening global anxiety and an increasing reliance on force, deterrence and domination.

“In these days of deepening global anxiety and escalating violence, we… wish to express our prayerful solidarity with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, and to echo his urgent appeal for peace,” they said.

The statement was signed by Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David and Cardinal Isao Kikuchi, leaders of the regional bishops’ body.

They appealed for an immediate halt to hostilities and urged leaders to return to negotiations “with sincerity and courage,” stressing that “dialogue is not weakness but the highest form of responsibility.”

The bishops also called for respect for international law and humanitarian norms, saying these safeguards are essential to protect human dignity, especially among the most vulnerable.

They cautioned against invoking religion to justify conflict, warning that “violence can never be the foundation of a just and lasting peace.”

“Invoking God to justify war is a distortion of faith,” the statement said, calling the pope’s message as moral leadership rather than political partisanship.

The bishops emphasized that peacemaking is a moral obligation, not an abstract ideal, and urged nations to reject power politics in favor of justice and dialogue.

“This beatitude is not a pious ideal. It is a moral imperative,” they said.

Drawing from Asia’s history of conflict and reconciliation, they said peace is achieved not through domination but through patient dialogue, mutual respect and justice.

They added that the church must “form consciences, speak truth, and keep alive the hope that peace is possible,” inviting people worldwide to pray and act.




 

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