Nov 9, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Hundreds of Catholics in the U.S. military and their families gathered for the 13th annual Red, White and Blue Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Norwich Nov. 7.
The mass, celebrated by Bishop Michael R. Cote of Norwich, was held in honor of U.S. National Guard members and reserves from all branches of the military.
Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien of the American Archdiocese for the Military Services, delivered the homily on the theme of just war, quoting St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine.
Whether in Iraq or Afghanistan today, or in past wars, St. Augustine's philosophy of “benevolent severity” is as necessary now as it was in the early centuries of Christianity, Archbishop O'Brien said. The idea behind the phrase is that goodness can come, and at times can only come, out of violence that is used as a last resort to defend and protect others.