As military strikes intensify across the Middle East, Catholic leaders in the Gulf are pleading for calm, prayer, and renewed diplomacy, warning that prolonged war will only deepen suffering in a region already strained by conflict.
According to Vatican News, Archbishop Eugene Nugent, Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, described the situation in Kuwait as “dramatic and worsening day by day” after a series of explosions shook the country in the early hours of March 2. He said residents “hardly slept at all” as blasts were heard from 2:00 a.m. onward, followed by sirens throughout the night.
The archbishop confirmed that the U.S. embassy in Kuwait was struck by a drone, causing damage and a fire inside the building, though no deaths were reported, according to Vatican News. He also said two American military aircraft were shot down near the Ali al Salem air base, where he regularly celebrates Mass for service members.
The violence follows what LifeSiteNews reported as multiple “pre-emptive” missile strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. The operation, referred to as “Operation Epic Fury,” reportedly targeted Iranian government buildings, military installations, and regime leaders.
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In a video statement cited by LifeSiteNews, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. military had begun “a massive and ongoing operation” in Iran. “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime,” Trump said, calling the regime “a vicious group of very hard, terrible people.”
He further declared, “This terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon,” and warned that American casualties were possible, stating, “The lives of courageous American heroes may be lost, and we may have casualties. That often happens in war.”
LifeSiteNews also reported that Iran has begun targeting U.S. military bases throughout the region, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan. Explosions have been reported in major Gulf cities, and international air carriers have canceled flights to many Middle East destinations.
Amid the escalating conflict, Archbishop Nugent emphasized that war offers no true solution. “A long war benefits no one and will benefit no one, especially in a region already tried by many conflicts,” he told Vatican News.
He noted that the weapons currently “are making the noise,” but insisted that “diplomacy is the only way to put an end to this war.” While acknowledging the complexity of Iran’s internal political dynamics, he expressed hope that dialogue could still be pursued at every level.
The archbishop pointed to the Holy Father’s recent appeal for peace, which was “well received” in the region. He also referenced the words of Pope Francis, who in Bahrain in 2022 described war as “a dramatically childish scenario,” warning that “in the garden of humanity, instead of tending the whole, we play with fire with missiles and bombs,” according to Vatican News.
For Catholics in the Gulf, the response has been deeply spiritual. Archbishop Nugent said that Mass continues to be celebrated where possible, though some churches remain closed. At the nunciature in Kuwait, Mass is offered daily, and the Rosary is prayed each afternoon for peace.
“Only prayer—and, during Lent, fasting—are important,” he said, noting that the Christian season of Lent coincides this year with Ramadan. “Christians and Muslims are both in a time of fasting and prayer. Let us implore God to grant us the gift of peace,” according to Vatican News.
He also highlighted devotion to Our Lady of Arabia, saying that in this “dramatic moment,” the faithful are turning to the Virgin Mary, whom Muslims also honor as Maryam. “It is through her intercession with her Son that the war will come to an end,” he said.
As missiles strike military installations and political leaders exchange threats, the Church’s voice in the region remains steady: prayer, restraint, and diplomacy must prevail before the cycle of retaliation consumes even more lives.
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