02/03/2026
OFFICIAL JOINT STATEMENT
On the Escalating Tensions and Armed Violence in the Middle East
By the Faculty and Students โ Members of the Justice and Peace Advocacy and
Campus Ministry Volunteers of Veritas College of Irosin
We, the Campus Ministry Volunteers and Justice and Peace Advocates, together with the faculty and students of Veritas College of Irosin, issue this statement as a deliberate moral response to the escalating tensions in the Middle East following the recent military strikes involving the United States and Israel against Iran, and the retaliatory actions that have followed.
As a Catholic educational institution, we cannot remain silent in the face of violence that threatens human life, destabilizes nations, and deepens the suffering of innocent civilians. Silence in times of injustice is complicity. Our faith, our mission, and our responsibility as educators and formators compel us to speak clearly, pray earnestly, and act conscientiously.
We affirm with moral clarity that war and retaliation are failures of humanity and leadership. While we recognize the complexity of international relations and security concerns, no political objective can justify the destruction of life, the displacement of families, and the normalization of fear. It is always the poor, the voiceless, and the innocent who suffer most.
Guided by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Catholic Social Teaching, we solemnly uphold the following convictions:
โข The inviolable dignity of every human person, created in the image and likeness of God;
โข The absolute priority of peace and dialogue, which must always prevail over violence, domination, and revenge;
โข The moral obligation to protect civilians, especially children, women, the elderly, and the vulnerable, in accordance with international humanitarian law;
โข The mission of Catholic education to form peacemakers, capable of critical discernment, compassionate action, and courageous witness to truth.
As Campus Ministry Volunteers and Justice and Peace Advocates, we categorically reject all forms of violence that normalize aggression and perpetuate cycles of hatred. We call on world leaders, international institutions, and all parties involved to demonstrate moral courage by choosing immediate de-escalation, sincere diplomacy, and multilateral cooperation.
We further commit ourselves, as an academic and faith community, to:
โข sustained prayer for peace;
โข education that fosters global solidarity and ethical responsibility; and
โข concrete actions of advocacy and humanitarian concern for peoples affected by conflict.
Prayer for Peace and Conversion of Hearts
With faith and urgency, we turn to God in prayer:
God of Peace and Mercy,
You created all peoples to live in justice and harmony.
Look upon our world wounded by violence and fear.
Protect the innocent, console the grieving,
and welcome the victims of war into Your loving embrace.
Convert the hearts of leaders and nations,
that power may never prevail over conscience,
and force may never silence justice.
Strengthen us, as a Catholic academic community,
to be steadfast witnesses of peaceโ
courageous in truth, faithful in prayer,
and active in love for the suffering world.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
This statement is issued not as a political gesture, but as a moral and pastoral declaration rooted in our Catholic identity. We stand firm in the conviction that peace is possible only when justice is upheld and human dignity is respected.
May justice lead us to peace, and may faith guide humanity away from violence and toward reconciliation.
Issued this 2nd day of March, 2026
Faculty and Students
Campus Ministry Volunteers
Members of the Justice and Peace Advocacy
Veritas College of Irosin
