“This weekend’s events in Iran, Israel, and the Gulf and Middle East are very worrying. A series of violent acts across borders has increased tension and instability in the region, and jeopardised prospects of peace at a critical moment.” With these words, in a release, Christine Allen, director of CAFOD, the official Catholic aid agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, expressed her organisation’s solidarity with the populations of the Middle East countries involved in the war. “Our concern is for the millions of innocent people caught up in this new conflict”, CAFOD’s director went on. “CAFOD joins our Caritas partners all around the world, in urging all parties to heed Pope Leo’s advice to step back from the brink before it’s too late”. “The Holy Father asked us to refrain from further military action and uphold the shared obligation and moral duty to protect civilians”, Christine Allen went on. “And He reminded us that we must have the courage to say no to violence and that renewed commitment to diplomacy is needed to prevent any further loss of life. Justice, restraint and the sanctity of human life should guide every decision by national leaders. We urge swift action from international leaders, to prevent any further loss of innocent life and to ensure a genuine path toward peace”.