The Rev. David Blanchfield paused before addressing the issue of why he has not voiced his opposition to the Iraq war from the pulpit."I'm probably out of my mind even talking to you," said Blanchfield, of St. Jerome Church in Norwalk."My first instincts were 'what am I doing calling a reporter (back)?' But I feel so strongly about this."
Blanchfield then explained his belief that the United States violated the Catholic principals of a "just war" by invading Iraq in March 2003 without direct provocation.
A just war is defined as being necessary for defense, limited and proportional to the enemy's strength."My sense is that people who were followers of Jesus, an advocate of nonviolence, have to follow more in his footsteps on this issue," Blanchfield said.
"And the damage to the wounded veterans. I don't think people understand how grave that is."
But he is fearful of dividing his congregation, which includes members with relatives who served in the military in the Middle East.
"I've been reluctant to preach about this," Blanchfield said. "I'm reaching the end of my rope."
Blanchfield is not alone. Other lower Fairfield County Catholic priests say they have similarly avoided engaging their parishioners about the war, even though Bishop William Lori of the Diocese of Bridgeport said in April 2003 that the invasion "does not seem to fulfill the criteria for a 'just war.' "
Though Iraq was not responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, some priests suggest the toppling of the World Trade Center and deaths of area residents make the issue hard to address.
"We have been attacked," said Monsignor Stephen DiGiovanni of St. John the Evangelist Church in Stamford. "I think there really is the notion that we're trying to defend a way of life and the liberties of this country."
The Rev. Joseph Malloy of St. Clement of Rome Church in Stamford said the United States has a right to protect itself.
"Someone breaks into your home, you don't say 'let them do it,' " Malloy said. "We were attacked, no question about that. Do we just do nothing? I don't know . . . Here we pray for an end to the war and the troops to be safe. That's basically it."
Monsignor Frank Wissel, pastor of St. Mary Church in Greenwich, said he buried nine fathers who died in lower Manhattan on Sept. 11."War seems to be such a complicated issue," Wissel said. "When you see those wives and children in the front pew, it has to touch you somewhere."
One Greenwich priest asked not to be identified because of his stance on the war. He expressed frustration over the war, the rising casualties and with President Bush. He said he continually struggles with what is appropriate to say from the pulpit."I'm conscious we have some parishioners who are strongly Republican -- several who've given significantly to the Bush campaign and administration -- and I wouldn't dare suggest my dismay with the administration," he said. "I don't want to jeopardize the parish."
As executive director of Pax Christi USA, a Catholic peace movement with offices in Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania, David Robinson said too many priests on the front-lines are abrogating their responsibilities to "shepherd the faithful" on the war and the occupation.
"The church has spoken pretty clearly about their deep concern about this conflict," Robinson said. "It's not sifting down to the parish level to the degree where you're getting sermons every month about the war."
Though the Vatican and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have raised questions about the war, some priests said they were uncertain about where Catholic leadership stood on the issue.
"No one has come out with an authoritative statement saying this war is wrong," St. John's DiGiovanni said. "No one has condemned it as an unjust war."
Blanchfield said he wishes Catholic bishops would lead by example and be more outspoken.
"I personally think the official church takes extraordinarily strong stands against abortion and premarital intercourse, but they're not as loud and strong about (Iraq)," Blanchfield said.
"My sense is what priests preach in local parishes is greatly influenced by what's coming from Rome and the local bishop."
Lori said the war and its aftermath are far more complex than other politically charged issues the church addresses.
"Abortion is intrinsically evil to the core. Gay marriage (is) the wholesale redefinition of a fundamental institution of civilization," Lori said.
"The war in Iraq does have a lot more gray areas and how we curtail our involvement will have a lot of effects on a lot of people. At the end of the day, on something as complex as the war in Iraq, the individual Catholic Christian is going to have to make up his or her own mind."
But Lori said the church has issued clearly articulated positions on the war.
"I can't think of a single issue that we've spoken out more on in the last couple of years," he said.
"The position of the church and the position I've always taken is we had very strong moral reservations about the war, particularly the notion of a pre-emptive strike."
Lori said the Vatican was "very, very aware" of the Iraq's problematic cultural and religious issues and the late Pope John Paul II worked to stop the invasion.
"We're certainly not on the side of thinking Saddam (Hussein) ran a great regime with respect to human rights," Lori said.
"But we also had reservations about a pre-emptive strike because of the aftermath, which we could foresee."
A Westport couple e-mailed the bishop on his blog in June, asking if Catholics should consider the war "just" since "the people of Iraq never attacked the United States."
Lori responded on his Internet blog that the Vatican and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops "have repeatedly expressed grave moral concerns" and have stated the U.S. military remain "only as long as their presence contributes to a responsible transition."
"What can we, as Catholics, do?" Lori wrote to the couple. "Pray every day for those serving in the military and their families, especially those who have lost loved ones. And to pray that our leaders summon the wisdom and courage needed to make the appropriate decisions to help Iraqis build a better future."
Lori said priests must be careful not to inject personal opinion when preaching about Iraq.
"(The priest's) job is not to provide or entertain his audience with his own personal opinions about politics," he said. "You can turn to cable news for that. The job of the priest is to hand on the teaching of the church and the moral principals so Catholic lay faithful are better equipped to participate in the political process."
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