The Catholic commentariat, in the wake of the opening salvos of the war in Iran, has, if you’ll forgive the pun, exploded.

Many voices are untethered from Catholic just-war and social teaching. Some are rendering final judgment without a knowledge of all the facts, some of which may not be revealed until the conflict is over.

I am sure my prayers for its quick and benign conclusion are not the only ones in God’s hearing at the moment. Tragically, we now count four American service members among the thousands who have already died as a result. A girls’ school was struck on the first day of the conflict and over 150 students were killed.

Some of those offering their take on the war in light of Catholic just-war teaching are offering sage and measured counsel for the benefit of the many who might not be sure at the.