Pope wants to officialize immorality of nuke arms possession

Pope Francis is planning to change official Catholic Church teaching to declare the use and possession of atomic weapons as “immoral,” to make clear that his rejection of the Cold War-era doctrine of deterrence is official church policy.

Francis had declared the possession of nuclear weapons immoral on Sunday in Hiroshima during an emotional encounter with survivors of the U.S. atomic bomb.

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Pope Francis speaks during a news conference onboard the papal plane on his flight back from a trip to Thailand and Japan, Monday, Nov. 26, 2019. (Remo CasilliPool Photo via AP)

Pope Francis is planning to change official Catholic Church teaching to declare the use and possession of atomic weapons as “immoral,” to make clear that his rejection of the Cold War-era doctrine of deterrence is official church policy.

Pope Francis boards off the airplane at the end of his apostolic trip to Thailand and Japan, upon his arrival at Rome's Fiumicino International airport, Tuesday, NOc. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoGregorio Borgia)

He said this “must go in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” referring to the published compendium of official church teaching.

Pope Francis speaks during a news conference onboard the papal plane on his flight back from a trip to Thailand and Japan, Monday, Nov. 26, 2019. (Remo CasilliPool Photo via AP)

Flight attendants greet Pope Francis after he boarded off the airplane at the end of his apostolic trip to Thailand and Japan, at Rome's Fiumicino International airport, Tuesday, NoV. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoGregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis speaks during a news conference onboard the papal plane on his flight back from a trip to Thailand and Japan, Monday, Nov. 26, 2019. (Remo CasilliPool Photo via AP)

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Pope Francis is planning to change official Catholic Church teaching to declare the use and possession of atomic weapons as “immoral,” to make clear that his rejection of the Cold War-era doctrine of deterrence is official church policy.

He said this “must go in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” referring to the published compendium of official church teaching.

Pope Francis speaks during a news conference onboard the papal plane on his flight back from a trip to Thailand and Japan, Monday, Nov. 26, 2019. (Remo CasilliPool Photo via AP)

Flight attendants greet Pope Francis after he boarded off the airplane at the end of his apostolic trip to Thailand and Japan, at Rome's Fiumicino International airport, Tuesday, NoV. 26, 2019. (AP PhotoGregorio Borgia)

Pope Francis speaks during a news conference onboard the papal plane on his flight back from a trip to Thailand and Japan, Monday, Nov. 26, 2019. (Remo CasilliPool Photo via AP)

On Tuesday, during a press conference en route home from Japan, Francis indicated that his Hiroshima address should be considered part of his magisterium, or official church teaching.

He said this “must go in the Catechism of the Catholic Church,” referring to the published compendium of official church teaching.