Influential U.S. cardinals caution against Iran war, Trump immigration policies
In a Nutshell
Influential U.S. cardinals—Blase Cupich (Chicago), Robert McElroy (Washington DC), and Joseph Tobin (Newark)—back the first American pope, Leo XIV (formerly Father Bob from Chicago), in condemning Trump's Iran war as unjust under Catholic teaching and criticizing its "gamification" on social media, while rejecting mass deportations and ICE tactics that terrorize immigrant communities. They highlight Pope Leo's calls for peace, his Palm Sunday rebuke of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's war rhetoric, and his support for migrant initiatives like the Castel Gandolfo job training center. Amid a surge in U.S. Catholic converts, the cardinals urge Catholics to prioritize human suffering over politics, with Leo planning a symbolic July 4th visit to migrant hub Lampedusa.
These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.
President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran after world leaders called for an end to the war. One voice was Leo XIV, the first US-born pope, born Robert Pvost in Chicago, previously known as Father Bob. The 70-year-old pope is measured, deliberate, and soft-spoken but increasingly outspoken against certain US president policies. Three influential American cardinals—Cardinal Blase Cupich (Archbishop of Chicago), Cardinal Robert McElroy (Washington DC), and Cardinal Joseph Tobin (Newark, New Jersey)—discussed why Pope Leo's church opposes the war in Iran and immigration crackdown.
Pope Leo's first words: "Peace be with you." His selection surprised many, celebrated by 53 million US Catholics, the largest Christian denomination. Cardinal Cupich: "I think it's put Chicago on the map finally. But we're proud. We're proud that we produced a pope. Chicago can say that."
The three active American cardinals serving dioceses listened to anxieties about threats to peace. Cardinal: "We're the three American cardinals that are actively serving dioceses right now. So, we listen to a lot of people. It's part of the job description. And I think we're aware of the anxieties of people about the threats to peace at all different levels."
"Would you like to see this first American pope be more outspoken on issues that he disagrees with?" Response: "He's the pastor of the world. He's not a pundit. So the distinction is he's not going to pronounce on everything, but he's going to pronounce on what's important."
War criticized starting January with speech on US military action in Venezuela. Vatican's US ambassador called to Pentagon for unpleasant, contentious meeting, described by church officials to 60 Minutes; both sides later called it routine exchange of ideas.
In March, question to Pope Leo on Middle East: "Holy Father, can I ask you what your hopes are for the Middle East?" Pope: "I praying for peace. I hope that uh ceasefire would be the most effective way to uh work together to find peace for all parties to respect all parties and to come to a solution which is too many years in uh you know creating problems for everyone. So work for peace."
Pope issued rare condemnation of Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization as "truly unacceptable." Called to action: "Contact the authorities, political leaders, congressmen to uh ask them, tell them to work for peace and to reject war. Always."
In Palm Sunday homily, referenced Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's (Christian, not Catholic) religious framing: "Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle." Pope warned Jesus "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war."
"Is this a just war?" Cardinal: "No. Under Catholic teaching, this is not a just war. The Catholic faith teaches us there are certain prerequisites for a just war. You can't go for a variety of different aims. You have to have a focus aim which is to restore justice and restore peace. That's it."
"Iran has been the chief exporter of terror. Is there no scenario in which preventing that can be a just war?" Cardinal McElroy: "It's an abominable regime and it should be removed. But this is a war of choice that we went to and I think it's embedded in a wider moment in the United States that's worrying which is this. We're seeing before us the possibility of war after war after war."
Trump argued military action justified to destroy Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Cardinal Cupich criticized gamification of war on social media: "flawless victory." "We're dehumanizing the victims of war by turning the suffering of people and the killing of children and our own soldiers into entertainment." Called it "sickening." "To splice together movie cuts with actual bombing and targeting of people for the purposes of entertainment is sickening. This is not who we are. We're better than this."
Inspired by Pope Leo, cardinals addressed administration's mass deportation efforts. In January, Cardinal Tobin called ICE a "lawless organization."
"Cardinal, those are strong words to call ICE a lawless organization." Tobin: "Yeah. Why did I do that? I didn't say that they were people without law. But when people act in this way, when they have to hide their identities to terrify people, when they can actually violate other guarantees of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Well, I think somebody's got to call that out. And I'm not the only one."
In Washington DC church serving immigrants (name/location withheld at pastor's request), Cardinal McElroy: Pastor worried for people living in fear; Spanish masses down 30% year-over-year.
Before Washington, McElroy was bishop of San Diego, busy border area. "I feel it got to a point where it was getting out of control under Biden." Believes in strong borders but objects to "roundup of people throughout the country" who have lived good lives, raised children here (many US citizens).
Trump won Catholic vote 55% to 43% over Kamala Harris, promising border security and deportation. Cardinal: "I would like to know what Catholics feel about this indiscriminate mass deportation. I think that it's very clear the American people are saying we really didn't vote for this."
To those saying "I don't want to hear politics from my priest": "I say fine, I want to preach the gospel. God wants us to promote peace in the world uh because his desire is that we be one human family. What we're seeing as pastors is an enormous profound level of human suffering. And that's what motivates us."
Castel Gandolfo, pope's summer home for 400 years, formerly Roman emperor's villa. Pope Francis enlisted Father Manny Durant (Chicago priest, US immigrant) to open it. Pope Leo: "Full force ahead, Father Manny. This is the spiritual heart of uh Borgola and this entire space."
Innovative project: Vatican's first job training center for migrants and vulnerable locals in sustainable farming, gardening, cooking. Goal: train 1,000 people per year; with 6,000 dioceses, scalable model.
First graduating class of chefs: Ali from Bangladesh, Nin from Syria, young man from West Africa who survived sea journey to Lampedusa, Italy (tens of thousands drown). Pope Leo to spend July 4th in Lampedusa, major migrant landing site.
Cardinal: "He's sending a message that um his top priority right now is to be with those who are downcast and marginalized. [No] coincidence that he's going there on July 4th." Cardinal Tobin referenced Statue of Liberty in Newark archdiocese: "she's green and she's on a little island just that belongs to New Jersey... she's holding up a torch and she's reading from a scroll and it says welcome."
In 2026, largest number of converts in recent years. Cardinal Tobin's archdiocese: all-time high new members. Attributed to Pope Leo. Tobin worked with four popes: "each one in some way was the right one for that moment in time. I believe that uh Pope Leo is the right man at this time."
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