The Peace We Can Make
The article discusses the concept of peace from a Catholic perspective, emphasizing the importance of order built through law and politics. It references teachings from John Paul II and St. Augustine, highlighting that true peace is achieved through justice and freedom rather than mere absence of conflict. The author argues that the just war tradition is not opposed to the pursuit of peace but rather seeks to restore it through moral reasoning.
- ▪John Paul II taught that peace is fundamentally about order established through law and politics.
- ▪The peace of order coexists with human conflict and is achieved through democratic processes.
- ▪The just war tradition aims to restore peace of order by defining the moral goals of military action.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The Peace We Can Make George Weigel May 27, 2026 Share Article Repetition, it’s said, can be the mother of learning. So, in light of recent Catholic debates about the pursuit of peace in the Middle East and elsewhere, permit me to reprise, with slight adjustments, parts of a column from twenty-four years ago. The points I made then seem to me as salient today as when I first made them: In his [2002] World Day of Peace message, John Paul II taught a truth many Catholics have seemingly forgotten: that “peace,” in the classic Catholic sense of the term, is a matter of order, the order that is built through law and politics.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at First Things.
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