Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, the Vatican's Permanent Observer to the United Nations in Geneva, pushed for the move, highlighting the moral implications of allowing machines to make life-and-death decisions without human oversight.

In an address on 26th August, Balestrero emphasised the Vatican's concern over the ethical dimensions of using AI-driven "lethal autonomous weapons" (LAWs) in warfare.

"It is profoundly distressing" Balestrero emphasised, "that, adding to the suffering caused by armed conflicts, the battlefields are also becoming testing grounds for more and more sophisticated weapons."

In particular, he insisted that autonomous weapons systems can never be considered "morally responsible entities".

"The human person, endowed with reason, possesses a unique capacity for moral judgement and ethical decision-making that cannot be replicated by any set of algorithms, no matter how complex" Balestrero said.

Weapons restrictions

The Vatican's push comes as Josep Borrell, the EU's top foreign policy official, advocated for fewer restrictions on Ukraine's use of weapons supplied by EU nations.

"The weaponry that we are providing to Ukraine has to have full use, and the restrictions have to be lifted in order for the Ukrainians to be able to target the places where Russia is bombing them. Otherwise, the weaponry is useless" Borrell told reporters.

While traditional weaponry remains predominant in the Ukraine conflict, there is a growing emphasis on AI-driven systems.

Reports suggest Ukraine has become a testing ground for new technologies including autonomous drones. These systems require human intervention to lock onto targets, but experts warn that future advancements could diminish this role, raising significant ethical and safety concerns.

Similarly, Israel has employed autonomous systems in its ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, they use technologies capable of identifying and suggesting targets without human input.

Israel reportedly uses an AI system called "Habsora" to identify bombing targets inside Gaza. It is said to be capable of doing so at a rate much higher than manual detection.

In that context, Balestrero distinguished between a "choice" and a "decision", arguing that the latter is a human act that involves weighing ethical considerations such as human dignity.

"No machine should ever make the decision to take a human life" Balestrero declared.

Sources

Crux Now

CathNews New Zealand

The claim is made by Barry Coates, chief executive of Mindful Money.

Coates told Stuff's Esther Taunton that most people do not want to invest in weapons, but KiwiSaver providers do not tell them where their money is directed.

He said that more than $60 million is invested in companies that supply weapons or parts used by the Israeli military.

Research by Mindful Money shows that around $9.3 million of KiwiSaver funds is invested in Boeing, the largest supplier of weapons to Israel.

Boeing supplies missile guidance systems as well as bombs and aircraft to Israel.

Coates says that $9.6 million is invested in Rolls-Royce Holdings which makes engines for Israeli tanks, and $8.1 million in Honeywell which makes components for missiles and drones.

"Where your money is invested has consequences ‒ for people, for workers, for the environment, for climate change."

Coates says that Mindful Money's annual surveys show Kiwi investors want to avoid weapons, human rights violations, animal cruelty, fossil fuels, and social harm from tobacco, alcohol and gambling.

"More KiwiSaver and investment fund managers are saying they are ethical, sustainable or using ESG [environmental, social, and governance] policies" says Coates.

"But the objective test is where they invest our money.

"Investing in weapons companies that profiteer from unjust wars is deeply offensive to most Kiwis."

Coates says that with the availability of more ethical investment options in the last five years, Mindful Money's research shows a huge change in investing choices.

Source

• Stuff

The two Catholic organisations are united in their condemnation of the armed conflict.

"End the hostilities!" say Caritas Aotearoa NZ's Mena Antonio and the NZCEO's Dr Kevin Shore.

Both chief executives are appalled that the air strike targeted the school and caused civilian casualties and serious destruction in the school compound. Four people died.

The school, run by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, housed hundreds of civilians whose homes were destroyed in an air strike last October.

The tragedy at Holy Family School should never have happened. It was a place of refuge for the most vulnerable people, says Antonio.

It was a school, Shore added.

"Schools should be a safe haven! Our young people should not be seen as collateral damage in any war. This violence must stop - and human dignity must be paramount."

End hostilities now

All parties must effect a cease fire and allow aid and supplies into Gaza via an unhindered humanitarian corridor to Gaza, Shore and Antonio say.

The people caught in Gaza are desperately in need of water, food, medicines and other essential supplies.

Antonio says Caritas continues to aid all who are in need regardless of nationality, religious belief, gender or ethnicity. It prays for peace and security for all peoples.

The Catholic organisation is the world's second largest humanitarian network, working across 165 countries.

"We are working for a world free of poverty and injustice through community development, advocacy, education and emergency relief" Antonio says.

The New Zealand Catholic Education Office serves the educational requirements of the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference.

Shore says the office also assists the Conference and the Proprietors of Catholic Integrated schools in their mission of providing Catholic education.

Source

• Scoop

The Justice and Peace Commission of the Holy Land recently issued a document condemning the misuse of this concept which is deeply rooted in Catholic doctrine.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin echoed these concerns, noting that the theory is being revised.

Parolin said "We know that on the question of just war. There is a lot of discussion today, because this was a concept of social doctrine.

"There is just war, the war of defence, but today with the weapons that are available, this concept becomes very difficult" he said. "In fact, it's being discussed. I don't think there is a definitive position yet, but it's a concept that's in revision."

'Just War' theory being weaponised

The Justice and Peace Commission's document argues that political actors in Israel and abroad are weaponising the "just war" theory to legitimise the ongoing violence in Gaza.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church outlines strict conditions for a war to be deemed just:

• the harm caused by the aggressor must be severe and certain,
• all peaceful alternatives must have been exhausted,
• there must be serious prospects of success,
• the use of arms must not cause greater harm than the evil being addressed.

Cardinal Parolin stressed that with modern weaponry, the "just war" concept becomes increasingly difficult to justify. "It's never a just war." He emphasised that a war can be just only in the context of defence, a standard neither side meets in the Gaza conflict.

The Justice and Peace Commission criticised the indiscriminate targeting of civilians and the disproportionate use of force. This has resulted in a catastrophic Palestinian death toll which has disproportionately affected women and children.

Cardinal Parolin reiterated that universal peace is a good that concerns everyone.

Even if diplomatic efforts sometimes seem to produce small results, "we must never get tired or give in to the temptation of resignation" he said.

"Peace is the duty of everyone" and begins "in our daily lives, in our cities, in our countries, in the world" Parolin remarked.

Sources

Crux Now

Vatican News

Agenzia Fides

CathNews New Zealand

Father Gabriel Romanelli took advantage of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa's visit to the area last week to return to Gaza from Israel.

"I am in the parish and will stay here."

One day turns into over 33 weeks

Romanelli left the Gaza Strip on 6 October last year for an overnight trip.

That overnight stay stretched on and on as Hamas - the Islamist group that rules Gaza - attacked Israel on 7 October.

Meanwhile the Church of the Holy Family has housed around 600 displaced Christians.

There are still 500 Christians sheltering in the parish compound, as well as the Sisters of Mother teresa.

The Sisters are also helping the neighbouring Muslims.

Serenity and suffering

Romanelli found an unexpected quality among the refugees in the church compound.

"The situation is paradoxical - there is serenity among many of our parishioners" he said.

"Despite the truly enormous suffering, they remain serene and place themselves in the hands of the Lord.

"Of course, they are very concerned about what will happen. Some are sick, some are injured, many have left and some are thinking of leaving but many, many, many are thinking of staying."

No to war, no to weaponry

English Catholic international aid agency CAFOD is working for peace.

It says its supporters have contacted 95 percent of members of parliament "to support efforts to restoring peace in Gaza by not granting any more licences to export arms and other military equipment to Israel."

Aisha Dodwell, Head of Campaigns at CAFOD, said the effort supporters made in this way "is a testament to the distress that Catholic constituents feel about this issue.

"Stopping arms sales is crucial to preventing a total catastrophe in Rafah and ending the suffering in Gaza.

"This must happen alongside continued calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages and the unimpeded provision of aid to all those who need it" she says.

"Our supporters are sending a clear message to the Government that the UK must reconsider its position on arms sales to Israel especially in light of serious allegations of human rights abuses.

"As Pope Francis has said, ‘To say ‘no' to war means saying ‘no' to weaponry'."

Source

• Crux

His visit aimed to deliver a message of hope and peace to the residents who have been enduring severe hardship.

The cardinal also showed solidarity with the Christian community amidst the ongoing conflict.

"I was comforted by meeting the community" said Pizzaballa.

"The situation is very complicated" he said, but "I found a well-organised, active community capable of living in this situation with the right attitude.

"I did not hear a word of anger. I heard words of pain, suffering and lament - but not of anger or resentment. Everyone desires for the war to end. They told me ‘We Christians don't have violence in our blood. We can't understand all of this'. It seemed truly significant to me."

Cardinal Pizzaballa met with members of the displaced Christian community.

He also led prayers and celebrated Mass at the Church of the Holy Family.

The Cardinal also visited the St Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church, which suffered damage during the conflict. This visit symbolised unity and the shared suffering among different Christian denominations in Gaza.

Need for humanitarian aid

During a press conference following his visit, Pizzaballa highlighted the dire conditions faced by Gaza's residents, emphasising the lack of basic necessities and the urgent need for humanitarian aid.

The cardinal said that the destruction he witnessed was on an unbelievable scale and that the living conditions, with a lack of water, electricity and security were dire.

"At the end of my visit, I celebrated the Feast of Pentecost with the parish of Gaza and administered the sacrament of Confirmation to two parishioners" he said.

Pizzaballa emphasised two important things:

• The necessity of maintaining unity among each other, which I saw and bear witness to.
• And the crucial role played by the priests and sisters in the community in the past period.

"I also urged them, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to keep the flame of hope alive in their hearts and lives. I assured them that as a church, we will not abandon them and will be among the first to help rebuild Gaza and assist its people in achieving a dignified life" the cardinal said.

"What else can I say: I want to send a clear message to decision-makers. Enough killing!

"The war must end, and avenues for various aid must be opened to avoid an imminent humanitarian crisis. I hope this nightmare ends quickly" Pizzaballa said.

Sources

• Crux Now
• Catholic News Agency
• Religion News Service

In a letter published in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Suhail Abo Dawood emphasised the significance of practices like daily Mass and the Rosary amidst the backdrop of war and food scarcity.

"We parishioners, refugees in the church of the Holy Family, are getting used to the current condition of war, reconstructing our lives in a situation where everything has been destroyed. The war put an end to freedom, comfort and unity" wrote Dawood, highlighting the stark reality of life in Gaza.

Living as a refugee in the Holy Family Church, the parishioner described the harsh realities of life in a war-torn environment where freedom, comfort and unity have been replaced by destruction and uncertainty.

Despite the devastation wrought by conflict, the community have found solace in their faith, navigating through the darkest moments with Jesus by their side.

Glimmer of hope

The recent reopening of the Rafah crossing brought a glimmer of hope, allowing much-needed aid to reach the markets, particularly in the city's southern region.

"Fortunately, the Rafah crossing has been reopened for a few days and a lot of help and rescue has arrived at the city's markets, especially in the south" the parishioner wrote, acknowledging the relief brought by outside assistance.

This relief comes at a crucial time as the community have grappled with soaring prices and widespread unemployment due to the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Immense challenges

A recent gesture of kindness from the church brought joy to the community, as each family received chickens—a rare treat after months of deprivation.

"A few days ago, our Lord Jesus gave us a beautiful gift: we received a chicken or two from the church for each family in the parish, and we also shared it with some neighbours of the complex" the parishioner recounted, expressing gratitude for the act of generosity.

Notwithstanding the immense challenges, the parishioner highlighted the resilience and determination of the community in persevering for a better future.

"Despite all the challenges we are facing, we still show the whole world an incredible sign of sacrifice and hope to achieve a better life for ourselves and our families" the letter expressed, reflecting the unwavering spirit of the Catholic community in Gaza.

Sources

Catholic Culture

L'Osservatore Romano

"Please. Countries at war, all of them, stop the war. Look to negotiate. Look for peace," Pope Francis told "CBS Evening News" anchor Norah O'Donnell during the hourlong interview.

"A negotiated peace is better than a war without end," the leader of the Roman Catholic Church said.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that has destroyed infrastructure and killed civilians. According to the United Nations, the war has killed more than 10,000 civilians and injured nearly 20,000 others. Millions have been displaced, and Russia now occupies 26% of its neighbouring country.

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Speaking in an April 18 interview with the Franciscan-run Custodia magazine, Fusarelli said after a recent visit to the region that the members of the Franciscan order living in the Holy Land were "better than I thought," despite the current circumstances.

He said his first words to friars living in the region were, "Please, brothers, stay here."

"Many are going away, from both the peoples of this land. Even the Christians are leaving. We are remaining. Of course, we do not have our families or our children here, perhaps it is easier for us. But staying here is a very great sign," he said.

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Francis appealed anew for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages taken from Israel on Oct 7 by Hamas. Praying for the families of the seven World Central Kitchen workers killed, he called for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza's people and for all efforts to prevent the conflict from spreading.

At the end of his general audience, Francis also showed tourists and pilgrims in St Peter's Square the rosary and camouflaged New Testament book that a 23-year-old Ukrainian soldier named Oleksandre had with him when he was killed in the eastern city of Avdijevka.

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On Saturday, the 87-year-old pope delegated the reading of a speech at a ceremony to an aide, and on Wednesday, he made a brief trip to a Rome hospital after he missed reading at his weekly audience, saying he had "a bit of cold".

"Each day I carry in my heart with pain the suffering of the populations in Palestine and Israel due to the ongoing hostilities, thousands of dead, injured, displaced," Francis said, speaking by himself with a clear voice at the Angelus prayer in Rome.

Addressing believers in St Peter's Square, Francis stressed the consequences of the conflict on children and asked for the release of all the hostages taken in Hamas' Oct 7 raid.

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The group asserts that he's falsely equating the aggressors with the victims, while the pope's aides insist he's not "overlooking" the Hamas attack that launched the conflict.

In a statement following the pope's latest remarks Wednesday, Noemi Di Segni, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, said, "The pope puts everyone on the same level of departure and arrival. But the departure is the terror that carries out the plan of extermination of Jews throughout the whole world."

The war in Gaza, she said, "is necessary for the defence of Israel and its population. It involves suffering but the victims must be associated with those who are truly responsible."

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