ABSTRACT
On 3 May 1983, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops entered the public policy debate on nuclear arms in a very clear way. Their pastoral letter directly challenged the public policy of the United States in a number of areas. The moral duty today is to prevent nuclear war from ever occurring and to protect and preserve those key values of justice, freedom and independence which are necessary for personal dignity and national integrity. As Christians we cannot be indifferent to the danger to the planet and its inhabitants, but the first and most pressing concern is the moral dimension— the fact that by the actions we may bear the responsibility and guilt for the intentional destruction of God's creation. The pastoral letter shows the way to escape the evil of the destruction of the world and the awesome responsibility and guilt for the indescribable sin.
