CSJP Leadership Team Statement on US Military Action in Venezuela

We, the Leadership Team of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, affirm the statements by Pope Leo XIV and Pax Christi International on the recent US military action in Venezuela. In the spirit of the 23rd Congregation Chapter commitment to “resist every form of war and violence,” we believe it is important to speak out at this critical time.

We echo the concerns shared by Pope Leo after the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square on January 4: “The good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over every other consideration. This must lead to the overcoming of violence, and to the pursuit of paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the sovereignty of the country, ensuring the rule of law enshrined in its Constitution, respecting the human and civil rights of each and every person, and working together to build a peaceful future of cooperation, stability and harmony, with special attention to the poorest who are suffering because of the difficult economic situation.”

We join Pax Christi International in condemning the US military action in Venezuela on the early morning of January 3, 2026. “The violation of international sovereignty by the United States represents a very dangerous precedent that risks justifying and legitimizing further violations of this kind by the armed forces of the most powerful nations, plunging us into an uncontrolled situation of injustice and violence.”

On this Sunday, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany, when the Magi were guided by the light of a star to pay homage to the Christ Child. During this moment of darkness, we pray for the wisdom and courage to follow the light of the Prince of Peace.

“In order to overcome the darkness, it is necessary to see the light and believe in it,” Pope Leo wrote for his message for the World Day of Peace on January 1. “Peace exists; it wants to dwell within us.  It has the gentle power to enlighten and expand our understanding; it resists and overcomes violence. Peace is a breath of the eternal: while to evil we cry out ‘Enough,’ to peace we whisper ‘Forever.’  Into this horizon the Risen One has led us.  Sustained by this conviction, even amid what Pope Francis called ‘a third world war fought piecemeal,’ peacemakers continue to resist the spread of darkness, standing as sentinels in the night.”

Congregation Leadership Team
Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace
January 4, 2026