Event: The Pope vs the Bomb

Although his recent encyclical on the environment has captured headlines, Pope Francis also has been pressing the moral case for a world free of nuclear weapons. Recent statements at the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference and the Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons have raised questions about shifts in Vatican policy, consternation from some nuclear weapons states and a sense of possibility for those working to eliminate these weapons.

A week before the pope's trip to the United States, leaders from the Catholic Church and policy met to discuss the moral and policy implications of major new initiatives by Pope Francis and the Holy See on nuclear proliferation and disarmament. This event included:

Bishop Oscar Cantú, Chairman, Committee on International Justice & Peace, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Senator Sam Nunn, Co-Chairman and CEO, Nuclear Threat Initiative

Maryann Cusimano Love, Associate Professor of International Relations, The Catholic University of America

Moderator: E.J. Dionne, Jr., Columnist, The Washington Post

This event was made possible with the generous support from these organizations:
Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame

Nuclear Threat Initiative

Office of International Justice and Peace, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University

The Jesuit Institute at Boston College

Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies, The Catholic University of America