“There’s something called the just war doctrine,” [Speaker Mike] Johnson said.

After Mr. Vance, who has been a Catholic for about seven years, admonished Pope Leo to be more “careful” if he was “going to opine on matters of theology,” the chairman of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ doctrine committee shot back with a rare “clarification” statement about what Catholic “just war theory” really means.

“For over a thousand years, the Catholic Church has taught just war theory and it is that long tradition the Holy Father carefully references in his comments on war,” Bishop James Massa wrote.

To be a just war, he said, “It must be a defense against another who actively wages war, which is what the Holy Father actually said: ‘He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war.’”

Bishop Massa added, “When Pope Leo XIV speaks as supreme pastor of the universal Church, he is not merely offering opinions on theology, he is preaching the Gospel.”

Keep preaching, Republicans! Y'all's done some deep thunkin' on these here spiritual matters in the last 48 hours.