Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. — Jn 14:27
Dear People of God,
Grace and peace in our Risen Lord!
With hearts burdened by sorrow and concern, we, the bishops of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), join the Holy Father and the universal Church in praying for peace amid the ongoing crisis and war in the Middle East and elsewhere. As violence escalates and tensions deepen, we once again hear the Risen Lord’s words to His disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” (Jn 14:27).
These words of Christ are not mere sentiments. They are a command, a gift, and a mission. In a world wounded by hatred, fear, vengeance, and greed, followers of Christ are called to be instruments and channels of peace.
The Cry of Humanity, Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Filipino People
Behind headlines and military calculations lie human lives: children deprived of safety, mothers grieving their sons and daughters, families driven from their homes, the wounded left untreated, the elderly abandoned, and communities reduced to rubble. As Pope Leo XIV reminds us, “We cannot remain silent in the face of the suffering of so many people, innocent victims of these conflicts. What harms them harms all of humanity” (Angelus Address, Vatican City, March 22, 2026).
The faithful need no convincing of the tragedy of war. Yet while we express grave concern about the current US-Iran conflict and its far-reaching consequences, we likewise affirm that we do not forget the many other hotspots in the Philippines, across Asia, and throughout the world that continue to inflict suffering on peoples and nations. We therefore affirm clearly: every human life is sacred. All humanity possesses God-given dignity. Every nation must seek justice through dialogue, not destruction.
We reject the normalization of violence, the targeting of civilians, acts of terror, collective punishment, and all actions that deepen hatred and division among peoples. Violence breeds only more violence. War leaves wounds that endure for generations.
War also wounds our common home. The explosion of bombs, missiles, and heavy artillery pollutes the air, darkens the skies with toxic smoke, poisons the soil and water, and destroys forests and farmland. It leaves long-term damage to the atmosphere and the environment. In this way, war becomes not only a cry of humanity but also a cry of the earth. Future generations inherit the scars of irreversible destruction they did not create.
Why This Matters to the Filipino People
Although distant from our shores, the Middle East crisis is not remote from Filipino lives. Many of our brothers and sisters work in the region as Overseas Filipino Workers. Their safety, livelihoods, and futures now weigh heavily on their families at home. We especially think of parents separated from their children, children longing for their mothers and fathers, and families anxiously awaiting news.
The economic consequences are also being felt in our country through rising fuel costs, higher prices for goods, transportation burdens, and renewed pressures on poor households already struggling to survive. Those who suffer first are the vulnerable: daily wage earners, farmers, fisherfolk, transport workers, the elderly, and families with little savings. Thus, what happens overseas affects the Filipino home, the Filipino table, and the Filipino heart.
A Call to Moral Discernment
We urge the faithful to resist simplistic narratives, misinformation, hatred, prejudice, and ideological partisanship. The Christian conscience must be formed not by propaganda or social media anger but by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As Christians, we do not celebrate war. We do not glorify revenge. We do not demonize entire peoples or religions. Instead, we are called to truth, compassion, justice, and the patient work of reconciliation.
Let us remember that among those who suffer in war-torn lands are Christians, Muslims, Jews, and people of many other faiths and cultures — all brothers and sisters in our one human family, each bearing the God-given dignity of being children of God.
To Leaders of Nations and Peoples
To world leaders: choose dialogue over domination, diplomacy over destruction, restraint over retaliation, and moral courage over pride and aggression. True greatness is measured not by the capacity to destroy, but by the wisdom to seek peace, protect human life, and uphold the dignity of nations and peoples. Humanity longs not for more powerful weapons, but for more compassionate hearts, enlightened consciences, and leaders committed to justice, reconciliation, and the common good.
To religious leaders: Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, and all peoples of faith — we earnestly urge that religion and the holy name of God never be invoked to justify war, hatred, violence, extremism, or vengeance. Authentic faith must always serve as a bridge toward peace, reconciliation, compassion, and the protection of the sacred dignity of every human person. In moments of conflict and division, religious communities are called to become witnesses to dialogue, fraternity, and hope.
To civil leaders: exercise vigilant and impartial leadership in protecting people and nations from those who would exploit present conflicts and anxieties for political, economic, ideological, or geopolitical gain. In a world increasingly marked by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), public officials must resist fear-driven politics, misinformation, and divisive rhetoric and instead strengthen justice, social trust, solidarity, and the common good.
To educators: we express our deep gratitude and encouragement for your mission as formators of conscience and builders of the future. In a world increasingly wounded by propaganda, extremism, polarization, and misinformation, Catholic education carries the sacred responsibility of forming minds and hearts according to the truth, compassion, and wisdom of Christ, rather than according to passing ideologies, prejudice, or rigid worldviews.
A Pastoral Response from the Church
In this time of crisis, we call upon all dioceses, parishes, religious communities, schools, and lay organizations to do the following:
1. Pray for Peace. Celebrate the Holy Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, pray the Holy Rosary, and gather in family and community prayer for the gift of peace — in the Middle East, in Ukraine, across Africa, and in all parts of the world wounded by war, violence, division, injustice, and human suffering. Offer spiritual accompaniment, counseling, practical assistance, and spaces where fear and anxiety can encounter hope, solidarity, and prayer.
2. Support OFWs and Their Families. Concrete expressions of Christian solidarity with thepoorest and most vulnerable sectors of society who suffer most from the economic hardshipsbrought about by this global conflict, especially to families whose loved ones live or work in areasaffected by conflict and instability. At the same time, strengthen parish-based feeding programs,community pantries, emergency relief efforts, and charitable initiatives for individuals and familiesburdened by inflation, economic uncertainty, and hardships, following the spirit of compassionand generosity witnessed during the pandemic.
3. Promote Dialogue. Encourage mutual respect among neighboring religions, cultures, and peoples. Build bridges of dialogue, hope, and solidarity within our communities, so that peace maytake root first in our own hearts and homes, and from there spread to the wider world.
Hope Stronger Than War
Even in the darkest times, Christians must never surrender to despair. The Risen Christ has conquered hatred through the Cross and triumphed over death by His Resurrection. Peace becomes possible when hearts are converted, justice is upheld, and nations learn once more to recognize one another as members of a single human family of God. We cannot remain indifferent to the cries of those suffering from war. Let us unite in prayer for peace, stand with the afflicted, and call all peoples and nations to choose dialogue, justice, and the sanctity of every human life.
Let every parish become a sanctuary of prayer and reconciliation. Let every family become a cradle of peace, compassion, and hope. And let every Christian be a living witness to mercy, dialogue, and the healing love of Christ in a wounded world.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace and Mother of all Peoples, intercede and console those who suffer, and guide humanity toward reconciliation and lasting peace. Amen.
For the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines:
+ GILBERT A. GARCERA, D.D.
Archbishop of Lipa
CBCP President
20 May 2026
