Pax Christi International Letter in solidarity with Pope Leo

Pax Christi International writes:

Through an open letter published on our channels, we have addressed Pope Leo XIV directly, who in recent days has been at the centre of a situation of growing tension following declarations made by the President of the United States of America Donald Trump.

Pax Christi International renews its full solidarity with the Holy Father and with the message of peace he continues to uphold.

Like him, we affirm that there can be no peace without a continuous commitment to Nonviolence, to be applied worldwide, and that this is not a political instrument, but an ethical and Gospel-centred path against injustice.

As Catholic actors, we welcome his ongoing call for a "disarmed and disarming" peace, and we accompany him with trust and hope through prayer and in the shared mission for the Church and the world.

The letter, written together with Pax Christi USA, follows below.

Pax Christi International Avenue de la Reine 141, 1030 Brussels, Belgium sec.gen@paxchristi.net

Public Letter of Pax Christi International Brussels, Belgium 15 April 2026

To His Holiness Pope Leo XIV

Your Holiness, As Pax Christi International, the Catholic peace movement rooted in the Gospel and present in more than 60 countries, we write to you in prayerful solidarity and deep gratitude for your prophetic ministry of peace, justice, and nonviolence in our fractured world. We also recall with appreciation your recent greetings to the Pax Christi USA National Conference, which were received as a sign of encouragement and closeness to the global peace movement and its mission.

In these days of heightened public tension, following recent political exchanges concerning your pastoral voice, particularly remarks attributed to President Donald Trump and the public debate that has followed, we wish to assure you of our closeness and support. In moments when public discourse becomes polarised and the dignity of dialogue is at risk, your steady witness to the nonviolent Gospel offers a vital moral compass.

Your Holiness, your teaching continues to echo and deepen what we, as Pax Christi International, continue to affirm: that peace is inseparable from human dignity, that human rights are undermined wherever violence is normalised, and that credible peacebuilding requires a consistent commitment to nonviolence, justice, and the protection of all, especially those most affected by conflict. In that same spirit, we call for a renewed global commitment to addressing the root causes of violence, including structural injustice, exclusion, and the misuse of power.

It is in this context that your repeated invitation to a "disarmed and disarming peace" resonates so strongly with our own discernment and advocacy. You remind the Church and the world that peace is not a slogan or a political instrument, but a demanding Gospel path rooted in the life of Christ and sustained by active love, courageous dialogue, and nonviolent resistance to injustice.

We are particularly aware that such a witness is not without misunderstanding or opposition. Yet it is precisely in these moments that the Church's vocation to be a leaven of peace in history becomes most necessary.

Holy Father, we recognise in your ministry a profound encouragement to the global Church to become ever more intentionally a community of peace, one that not only proclaims peace, but embodies it in concrete choices, relationships, and advocacy for justice.

We assure you of our prayerful support and our continued collaboration in the shared mission of building a world where violence is renounced and peace is actively constructed.

May the Spirit of the Risen Christ sustain you in courage, humility, and hope.

Yours faithfully in the peace of Christ,

Pax Christi International

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo,

Co-President Sister Wamūyū Wachira - Co-President Martha Inés Romero - PCI Secretary General