Priests Urge Bishops to Speak on Gaza
Priests Against Genocide USA asks the U.S. Catholic bishops to publicly support three days of prayer and advocacy in Washington, DC.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Catholicism
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Priests Against Genocide USA sent an open letter to Archbishop Paul Coakley and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops asking for public support. The group is organizing three days of prayer and advocacy in Washington, DC, on November 14-16.
Why it matters
The letter argues that continued U.S. weapons funding conflicts with the Leahy Law, which bars military aid to forces committing serious human rights violations. It asks the bishops to make their prophetic voice heard in the public debate.
Priests Against Genocide is an international network of more than 2,700 priests, bishops and cardinals that marked its first anniversary in Rome on September 22. The USCCB autumn meeting in Baltimore, November 16-19, falls on the final days of the Washington program.
The players
Priests Against Genocide
An international network of more than 2,700 priests, bishops and cardinals working to oppose genocide and advocate for peace in the Holy Land.
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
The national body through which the bishops of the United States coordinate pastoral and public policy activities.
Archbishop Paul Coakley
The Archbishop of Oklahoma City who serves as a leader within the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The details
The Washington program opens with an interfaith procession and vigil and includes a Catholic gathering featuring Fr Bashar Fawadleh, pastor of Taybeh, the only entirely Christian Palestinian village remaining in the West Bank. The program closes with a public press conference featuring Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant clergy.
Timeline
September 22, 2025: Priests Against Genocide marks its first anniversary with public prayer in Rome.
November 14-16, 2026: Prayer, advocacy and solidarity program held in Washington, DC.
November 16-19, 2026: USCCB autumn meeting takes place in Baltimore.
Culture Shift
The letter's appeal rests on the Leahy Law, a statute that has shaped U.S. security assistance since the 1990s, and it asks religious leaders to press the government on its compliance. The move places Catholic clergy in an advocacy role over foreign military aid rather than only pastoral concerns.
Parishioners who want to take part can join the Washington program in person or follow its prayer and advocacy activities. The open letter invites bishops and lay members to add their voices to the call for public accountability on U.S. weapons policy.
The takeaway
Catholics who want to engage can follow the USCCB autumn meeting and the Washington program to see whether the bishops respond publicly. Watching how the bishops address the Leahy Law question offers a clear way to track the debate.
What happens next
The USCCB autumn meeting in Baltimore on November 16-19, 2026 is the next scheduled point at which the bishops are expected to convene.
Further reading
Explore more on Catholicism and the faith-based responses to global conflict.
More information
To take part, Join Priests Against Genocide USA.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ICN.
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