The widening war across the Middle East, triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran, is a “grave cause of sorrow and alarm”, Bishop of Clifton Bosco MacDonald has said.

“After the long agony of Ukraine and the appalling suffering in Gaza, the world now faces another conflict whose consequences are unpredictable, and whose cost is already being paid first by ordinary people,” he lamented. “Families are displaced, the fearful live in uncertainty, and the vulnerable once again carry the heaviest burden.”

The Church underlines that innocent lives must always be protected, Bishop MacDonald stressed: “Catholic teaching on war does not pretend the world is simple, but it does insist on the protection of the innocent, and on moral boundaries that cannot be crossed, even in times of fear and anger.

“Whatever arguments are made between governments, civilians must never be treated as instruments, or made to carry the punishment of decisions they did not take.”

He urged leaders to “have the courage to step back from escalation, for negotiators to find a path that does not humiliate, and for the clamor of weapons to give way to the patient work of dialogue, so that peace, once lost, may be found again”.

Bishop MacDonald appealed to the faithful to pray throughout Lent for peace and the protection of human life, especially for children, the sick, the elderly, refugees, and all those in Iran and throughout the region who have no safe place to go.

He also asked for prayer for political leaders, diplomats, and humanitarian workers, and that those serving in the armed forces may act with integrity and be kept safe.

He encouraged every parish to include a clear intention at Mass this week for Iran and for all caught up in the war and to offer special prayers for peace, such as a decade of the Rosary, a period of Eucharistic Adoration, or the Prayer of St Francis.

He suggested families do the same at home, “especially with children, who often absorb the anxiety of the world more than we realize”.

“God of peace, Father of all, in this hour of fear and violence draw near to every family living under threat,” Bishop MacDonald prayed. “Protect the innocent, shelter the displaced, comfort the grieving, heal the wounded, and strengthen all who bring relief and care.

“Turn the hearts of leaders from pride and anger. Give them wisdom, restraint, and courage, that the weapons may fall silent and honest negotiation may begin.”

“War is utterly destructive,” they said in a statement. “In an era of change and readjustment of geopolitical balances and cultural paradigms, war is not the answer.  No political leader has the authority to unleash war at will.

“The uncertainty incited by the current situation in the Middle East is destabilizing for the world on many fronts – politically, socially and economically.  This is a time for international diplomacy to work for peace based on justice.

“We ask for prayers for peace and healing; that the voices of hatred will be replaced by a politics dedicated to upholding the God-given dignity of every human person, the common good and solidarity with those in need.”

The president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (Comece), Mgr. Mariano Crociata, called on the European Union to “renew its vocation as a project of peace” by promoting de-escalation between all the parties involved, relaunching diplomatic efforts, and upholding international law, including in nuclear non-proliferation.

Mgr. Crociata said, “The ongoing grave crisis marks a further weakening of the rules-based international order and a continued disregard for international law. It is profoundly troubling that recourse to violence once again takes precedence over diplomatic efforts.

“Moreover, the current situation demonstrates that the logic of retaliation and revenge risks fueling a spiral of violence, endangering regional and global stability, potentially leading to a tragedy of immense proportions.

“My first thoughts go to all the people who bear the heaviest burden, people and communities who have already suffered from longstanding hardship and instability and are now confronted with uncertainty about their future.”

The bishops prayed “that weapons be silenced across the Middle East” and that a “new chapter” may “open up for the people of Iran and the region, allowing them to embark on a path towards a peaceful future marked by respect for human dignity and fundamental human rights”.