As we saw in the last Forgotten Truth, The Church and her Fathers and Doctors have always defended the right to wage Just War. This was so until Vatican II, when the Popes began to adopt the pacifist modern mentality that aims for a One World Order with a corresponding Panreligion.

Some readers have asked TIA if these postings on Just War should be understood as a support for the Trump-Netanyahu war in Iran. No, they should not be understood this way. We do not support this war. These documents are meant to help confused Catholics to realize that the recent papal declarations that there cannot be a Holy War or a Just War do not reflect the centuries-old teaching of the Church.

In this excerpt from War, Just War by Atila Guimarães, we present to our readers Church law on war as set out in Gratian’s Decretum, the most complete collection on Catholic laws and principles until the 12^th century, and still an important source for commentaries until Vatican II.

Below are Gratian’s answers to different questions dealing with war (Part 2, Cause 23), which comprise part of the superb anti-Liberal precepts that inspired Canon Law in centuries past.

Gratian

Question 1: Is the military profession sinful? The answer is negative, and the negation is supported by numerous arguments. It is demonstrated that the military life can be most praiseworthy: “Men can please God in the military profession. For example, God gave great testimony of this to David, who was sanctioned in the exercise of arms.”

Question 2 deals with the causes of the just war. The war has to be authorized by legitimately established public authority. Further, ruses and ambushes are permitted in war. This is proved by examples in the Old Testament, in which God Himself counseled or ordered ruses in warfare.

Question 3 examines whether the insult or damage caused to allies is sufficient cause for war. St. Ambrose answered this question with an energetic argument: ‘If the allies of a offended party do not repel the injury given when they are able to do so, they become like the one who made it.” And further: ‘Whosoever should stop the impious behavior and does not do so, in fact nourishes it.’ (De officiis, 1, I, chap. 36).

Question 4 deals with public punishment. While at times, for the sake of peace one should tolerate evil persons, at other times one must correct them, and even exclude them from society if there is no hope of their amendment. This way of acting does not violate charity or peace, but is for the good of the entire society. Charity orders us to place the common good before that of the individual. …The medicine of severity is what forces the evil to be good. Mercy can be charitable, but it can also be unjust. The established powers have the obligation to stop a disturbance to the public order. …

Following the example of Christ, one can use violence to move evil men toward the good. This is not cruelty, but love. Far from being a fault, it is a way to soothe the just wrath of Almighty God. The faith of the combatants prepares for the victory; while delay in punishing evil attracts the ire of God.

Question 5 teaches when homicide is permitted. In a just war those who kill the enemies do not break the Fifth Commandment: “The soldier who kills an enemy in obeying the legitimate authority is not guilty of homicide."

Excerpt from Gratian, The Treatise on Laws (or Decretum), apud Ortolan,
col. 1917-8, in War, Just War by Atila S Guimarães,
 Los Angeles: TIA, 2004, pp. 60-61
Posted on November 7, 2026

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