Catholic Archbishop Kidnapped in Iraq

Archbishop Casmoussa, 66, abducted

I wonder if this will clarify the Vatican’s stand on terrorism:

A Roman Catholic archbishop in Mosul, Iraq, has been kidnapped, the Vatican said Monday.

It identified the kidnapped man as Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa, 66, of the Syrian Catholic Church, one of the branches of the Roman Catholic Church.

‘The Holy See deplores in the firmest way such a terrorist act,’ a Vatican statement said, demanding that he be freed immediately.

Now here’s an interest question: Since the terrorists make no distinction between peaceful noncombatants and military personnel, as they did on September 11th, does this qualify as jus ad bello?

Or do you tolerate this and leave the archbishop to his fate? James 2:26 anyone?

The moral question at stake here – and one that I sincerely hope ensues at the Vatican amongst our Continental brethren – is when precisely do you perform the acts of justice in the face of evil? Prayer yes, but when do we do something?

I’ll love to read what Cardinal Martini has to say about this. I wonder what his tone would be if Martini himself were the next archbishop of Mosul?