Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has issued a statement calling for prayer and diplomatic efforts to address the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The appeal follows joint attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran on February 28, which resulted in the death of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In response to these attacks, Iran launched retaliatory strikes across the region, leading to casualties on all sides, including at least three U.S. military personnel.
Archbishop Coakley expressed concern about the potential for a broader regional war. “We are faced with the possibility of a tragedy of immense proportions,” he said in his March 1 statement.
He referenced Pope Leo XIV’s remarks during his Angelus address earlier that day, where the pope warned that continued violence could lead to an “irreparable abyss.” Archbishop Coakley added: “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.” Quoting Pope Leo XIV directly, he stated: “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.'”
The USCCB president emphasized that it is essential for nations and international organizations committed to peace “to prevent further escalation.” He described this as a critical moment and invited Catholics and others “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.”
Archbishop Coakley’s message also referenced an earlier call from June 2025 by Bishop A. Elias Zaidan—chair of USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace—who urged multilateral diplomacy after previous U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. In his prior statement, Bishop Zaidan called for “multilateral diplomatic engagement for the attainment of a durable peace between Israel and Iran.”
Concluding his remarks on March 1, Archbishop Coakley asked “the intercession of our Blessed Mother, Mary, Queen of Peace,” seeking prayers “for our troubled world and for a lasting peace.”
