'War does not solve problems:' Guam's church leader calls on the faithful to pray for peace
- Admin
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
By Pacific Island Times News Staff
As U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was now in place, Guam’s church leader called on the Catholic faithful to pray for peace.
“Hearts are filled with fear and apprehension because of deadly military violence in the Middle East, which threatens war on a global scale,” Archbishop Ryan Jimenez said in a statement.
Quoting Pope Leo XIV’s message during his Corpus Christi Sunday homily, Jimenez said, “War does not solve problems. On the contrary, it amplifies them and causes deep wounds in the history of peoples—wounds that take generations to heal. No military victory can ever compensate for a mother’s pain, a child’s fear, or a stolen future.”
Trump on Tuesday posted on Truth Social, “The ceasefire is now in effect. Please do not violate it.”
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The ceasefire came after the U.S. launched strikes on three nuclear infrastructure sites in Iran.
Jimenez also called on the faithful to pray for national and world leaders.
“May the Holy Spirit infuse their hearts, minds and senses with wisdom, diplomacy and compassion. We implore them to heed the words of Pope Leo XIV,” he added.
Jimenez is currently traveling to Rome, where he will join dozens of new archbishops who will receive sheepskin cloths known as palliums from the pope on June 29.
“In the midst of these unsettling times, I remind everyone to plant our trust and attention firmly on our Almighty God,” he added.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and Lt. Gov. Josh Tenorio stated that Guam troops are on standby in case they are called to duty.
“Please pray for the men and women in our military and all who might be deployed or who are already in the front lines of danger,” Jimenez said.
“Pray intensely for the masses of innocent civilians who are suffering, especially children and elderly whose horror and pain we cannot begin to imagine,” he added.
In his Sunday homily, Jimenez said the pope “reminded us that during our times of need, whether hunger, illness or the earthly end of our lives, Jesus remains present in our midst.”
“Today more than ever, humanity cries out and pleads for peace,” the pope said. The cry for peace “demands responsibility and reason and must not be
drowned out by the roar of weapons or by rhetorical words that incite conflict.”
“Though I am far from home, please know that my prayers are with all of you in Guam and the Marianas Islands. You are always in my thoughts and petitions. I shall ask the pope and my brother archbishops to pray for our people in Guam, the Marianas and the Pacific as well,” Jimenez said.
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It's a relief to hear about a ceasefire, even if it feels fragile. Archbishop Jimenez's words are a powerful reminder of the human cost of conflict. You know, sometimes when the news gets too overwhelming, I find myself needing a simple distraction, something like playing Cookie Clicker for a few minutes just to take my mind off things.