Italy’s Catholic bishops are urging the country to “break free from the logic of war,” calling growing global military spending a misuse of resources. In a statement titled Educating for a Disarmed and Disarming Peace, the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI) denounces both the war in Ukraine—where, they note, the aggressor has invoked the Gospel to justify violence—and the devastating conflict in Gaza, which they describe as “a war among the children of Abraham.”

The bishops warn that despite past progress in nuclear disarmament, the world is again pouring money into increasingly destructive weapons, including new nuclear arsenals. They argue that military budgets continue to swell while efforts to finance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals struggle for support.

The CEI calls for renewed commitment to dialogue, peacebuilding, and investment in human development rather than arms.