Pope Francis Expresses Fear over Possible Nuclear War Among Nations

There is an established ritual for Francis’ in-flight interviews: the journalists are divided into linguistic groups, and take turns asking questions. The themes are set out ahead of time, and the questions are sometimes the source of intense negotiations between journalists.

On board the airplane carrying the pope on his 22nd apostolic journey, Francis caught the journalists off-guard by distributing the photograph of a Japanese child carrying his dead brother, taken by the American photographer Joseph O’Donnell the day after the bombing in Nagasaki.

In answer to a question from a journalist a little later as to the actual threat of a nuclear war, Francis said he is “truly afraid” of a situation that could evolve unexpectedly: “We are at the limit; one incident would be enough. The situation must not be precipitated,” declared the Holy Father, adding, “We must eliminate nuclear weapons.” 

His position on nuclear war is in agreement with the traditional teaching of the Church on these matters, though likely ineffective, as explained in this article from last November.