Archbishop Fabre calls Louisville Catholics to pray amid escalating Middle East conflict
As violence escalates in the Middle East following recent attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, religious leaders have issued appeals for peace. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre of Louisville released a statement on March 4, inviting members of his archdiocese to join him in prayer.
“I am deeply troubled by the ongoing violence and rising tensions in the Middle East,” said Archbishop Fabre. “In solidarity with Pope Leo XIV and Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I invite the faithful of the Archdiocese of Louisville to join me in praying for peace in the Middle East, for our military, and for the victims of this conflict.”
He concluded his message with a call to prayer: “Through the intercession of Our Lady Queen of Peace, let us continue to pray for an end to the war in the Middle East and for peace.”
The recent hostilities began on February 28 when strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s leader. In response, Iran targeted Israel and U.S. military sites across several countries including Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Kuwait.
On March 1, Archbishop Paul Coakley issued a statement through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), urging all parties involved—including Iran and international actors—to return to dialogue.
“The growing conflict risks spiraling into a wider regional war. As the Holy Father has warned, we are faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions,” said Archbishop Coakley. “My brother bishops and I unite our voice with our Holy Father and make the heartfelt appeal to all parties involved for diplomacy to regain its proper role.
“We ask for a halt to the spiral of violence, and a return to multilateral diplomatic engagement that seeks to uphold the ‘well-being of peoples, who yearn for peaceful existence founded on justice,’ ” he added. “All nations, international bodies, and partners committed to peace must exert every effort to prevent further escalation.
“At this critical moment, I invite Catholics and all people of goodwill to continue our ardent prayers for peace in the Middle East, for the safety of our troops and the innocent, that leaders may seek dialogue over destruction, and pursue the common good over the tragedy of war.”
Pope Leo XIV also addressed developments during his Sunday Angelus address on March 1: “Stability and peace are not built through mutual threats, nor with weapons that sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue.”
During his visit later that day at Rome’s parish church Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ—and speaking informally with children—Pope Leo XIV expressed concern about ongoing events: “War again! We too must be heralds of the message of peace—the peace of Jesus—the peace that God wants for everyone. So we must pray a lot for peace and seek ways to live in unity and always reject temptation to harm others. Violence is never right choice. And we must always choose good.”
The Archdiocese of Louisville operates as an ecclesiastical territory within the Roman Catholic Church according to its official website. It supports spiritual development among Catholics throughout central Kentucky by providing pastoral care across multiple parishes and engaging communities through worship services. The archdiocese also preserves historical records from its institutions to facilitate research while advancing justice initiatives rooted in Gospel values and compassion.
