[RJT]

You might think yours is a good example - and as a hypothetical it could very well be a good example - but it doesn’t work that way. Our Church does not operate that way.

So, you need to either find another example or accept the fact that your fears are unfounded.

Let’s take an extreme example and assume for the sake of discussion (or to ease fears) that the Pope did make such a pronouncement.

Let say a war started in Zoolooland. The Pope says this war is unjust and any Catholic who fights in it or supports it in anyway will be excommunicated. Well, I would have to guess that the Pope probably is right that the war is unjust. Usually these guys (Popes) aren’t idiots. So the reasoning the Pope came to conclude the war is unjust I am sure would be based on sound logic. Thus, the politician should have already realized this on his own anyway. He would (should) be voting against the war to begin with and not because the Pope said it.

The Pope does not get involved in these things. I can’t remember exactly what the last Pope said about Iraq, but he wasn’t real pleased with the war, per se. Because he isn’t pleased with any war. If he were to make a direct statement about say a brutal dictator - it would simply be that - a statement. It would not be any formal doctrine that us Catholics would be obligated to follow simply by decree.