CHICAGO (WLS) — Amidst growing anxieties surrounding U.S. foreign policy, particularly concerning Greenland, several prominent Catholic leaders have issued an uncommon moral caution. This development arises as these leaders express their concerns about the current direction of international relations.
In a joint statement released on Monday, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, along with Cardinals Robert McElroy of Washington and Joseph Tobin of Newark, voiced their apprehensions. This collective message marks a significant moment where religious figures are stepping into the debate about how the United States conducts its foreign affairs.
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“We have heard considerable concern and alarm from cardinals worldwide regarding the current conduct of foreign policy in this country,” stated Cardinal Cupich. His remarks reflect a broader sense of unease among global Catholic leaders about the strategies being employed by the U.S.
The cardinals are openly questioning the U.S.’s inclination toward a force-first approach in dealing with international matters. They emphasize the necessity for a shift in strategy, advocating for a path that aligns with the teachings of Pope Leo XIV, who championed diplomacy over coercion.
In their statement, the cardinals caution that reliance on pressure and power cannot substitute for genuine diplomatic efforts. Their call to action serves as a reminder of the importance of peaceful negotiation and dialogue in resolving global issues.
The cardinals warn that pressure and power can’t replace diplomacy.
They say human dignity must come first.
Concerned about military force in Venezuela or threatening to use it in Greenland, Cardinal Cupich says the moral framework established after World War II is being threatened.
“I do fear that if we do not have a U-turn on these issues, we’re going to go down a path that’s going to be very dangerous for the world,” Cupich said.
Neither Cupich nor the statement mentioned President Donald Trump by name.
Weighing in on foreign policy issues is unusual for the cardinals, but it follows statements made about immigration and human dignity a few months ago.
“My hope would be that the points that we were making would be included in how people think about these issues, think about these particular policies,” Cupich said.
Cupich called on more to raise their voices. Many did Monday on Michigan Avenue downtown Chicago.
Whether it’s about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or getting involved with wars, hundreds used Martin Luther King Jr. day to protest the policies of the Trump administration.
“We the people have to stand up and fight back because this is not OK, and can’t just keep living our daily lives not addressing it and not doing anything about it,” protester Marinel English said.
Protesters marched to Trump Tower. The demonstration began on Michigan Avenue, less than a block from the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Protesters hoped Cardinal Cupich’s outspoken voice on these issues will filter down.
“Archbishop Cupich happens to be really well-respected and well-loved in parishes. I think it could make a difference, and that is a huge audience we are not reaching right now,” protester Kristin Vandwalker said.
There were a few hundred who participated in the rally and march. Protesters said there probably would have been many more if the weather had been warmer.
But one person said, no matter how cold it gets, people must continue to raise their voices.
Read the full statement from the cardinals:
“In 2026, the United States has entered into the most profound and searing debate about the moral foundation for America’s actions in the world since the end of the Cold War. The events in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland have raised basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace. The sovereign rights of nations to self-determination appear all too fragile in a world of ever greater conflagrations. The balancing of national interest with the common good is being framed within starkly polarized terms. Our country’s moral role in confronting evil around the world, sustaining the right to life and human dignity, and supporting religious liberty are all under examination. And the building of just and sustainable peace, so crucial to humanity’s well-being now and in the future, is being reduced to partisan categories that encourage polarization and destructive policies.
“For all of these reasons, the contribution of Pope Leo in outlining a truly moral foundation for international relations to the Vatican diplomatic corps this month has provided us an enduring ethical compass for establishing the pathway for American foreign policy in the coming years. He stated:
“In our time, the weakness of multilateralism is a particular cause for concern at the international level. A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, by either individuals or groups of allies. War is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading. The principle established after the Second World War, which prohibited nations from using force to violate the borders of others, has been completely undermined. Peace is no longer sought as a gift and desirable good in itself, or in pursuit of ‘the establishment of the ordered universe willed by God with a more perfect form of justice among men and women.’ Instead, peace is sought through weapons as a condition for asserting one’s own dominion.
“Pope Leo also reiterates Catholic teaching that ‘the protection of the right to life constitutes the indispensable foundation for every other human right’ and that abortion and euthanasia are destructive of that right. He points to the need for international aid to safeguard the most central elements of human dignity, which are under assault because of the movement by wealthy nations to reduce or eliminate their contributions to humanitarian foreign assistance programs. Finally, the Holy Father points to the increasing violations of conscience and religious freedom in the name of an ideological or religious purity that crushes freedom itself.
“As pastors and citizens, we embrace this vision for the establishment of a genuinely moral foreign policy for our nation. We seek to build a truly just and lasting peace, that peace which Jesus proclaimed in the Gospel. We renounce war as an instrument for narrow national interests and proclaim that military action must be seen only as a last resort in extreme situations, not a normal instrument of national policy. We seek a foreign policy that respects and advances the right to human life, religious liberty, and the enhancement of human dignity throughout the world, especially through economic assistance.
“Our nation’s debate on the moral foundation for American policy is beset by polarization, partisanship, and narrow economic and social interests. Pope Leo has given us the prism through which to raise it to a much higher level. We will preach, teach, and advocate in the coming months to make that higher level possible.”
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