Sarah Mitchell
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States in 1945 is a well-known tragedy. Less well-known is that Nagasaki was a centre of Japanese Catholicism, and Hiroshima also had a Catholic community. The destruction of these cities and the loss of life among their Catholic populations has been a source of reflection and debate within the Catholic Church, with many questioning the morality of the bombings.
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What You'll Learn
Two-thirds of Nagasaki's Catholics died
The atomic bombing of Nagasaki by the United States on August 9, 1945, killed two-thirds of the city's Catholics. The bombing of Nagasaki followed that of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, which immediately killed upwards of 80,000 people. The death toll in Nagasaki was between 35,000 and 80,000 people, with a similar number dying in subsequent days and years from radiation injuries and illnesses.
Nagasaki had a rich history of Christianity and was an important center of Catholicism in Japan since the 16th century. The city was initially evangelized by Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries, and many Japanese, including feudal knights and lords, converted to Christianity. The Japanese government, however, began to persecute Christianity to curb its spread. Nagasaki became a city of martyrs, with Japanese Catholic martyrs, such as St Paul Miki, being put to death during the widespread persecution of Christians under the Tokugawa Shogunate.
The Urakami Cathedral, located just 500 meters from the hypocenter of the explosion, was instantly destroyed, burying those praying beneath the rubble. The atomic bombing of Nagasaki not only devastated the city but also dealt a heavy blow to the small Japanese Catholic community, with two-thirds of its members perishing in the conflagration. The Catholic doctor, Nagai Takashi, who survived the bombing, described Nagasaki as "a whole burnt offering on the altar of sacrifice, atoning for the sins of all the nations during World War II."
The morality of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been widely debated, with some justifying the actions as necessary to end the war and save lives, while others, including the Catholic Church, condemn the indiscriminate destruction of cities and innocent civilians as a crime against God and humanity. The Catholic bishops of Hiroshima and Nagasaki welcomed the United Nations treaty banning nuclear weapons, expressing disappointment that Japan was not a signatory. The anniversary of the bombings is commemorated by Catholics in the United States and Japan, who work together to promote a world free of nuclear weapons and pray for peace.
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The Catholic Church's stance
The Catholic Church has a long tradition of evaluating the morality of war and the conduct of warfare. According to the Catholic Just War tradition, the mass targeting of civilians is not considered morally permissible. The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki resulted in the deaths of upwards of 80,000 people in Hiroshima and 35,000 people in Nagasaki, with many more dying in the following months and years from radiation sickness and other injuries. The majority of those killed are believed to have been innocent civilians.
The Catholic Church's position, as reflected in the catechism, condemns "every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants." The Church considers such acts as "a crime against God and man, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation." This stance is consistent with the Church's teaching on the sanctity of human life and the inherent dignity of all people.
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as the only wartime deployment of atomic bombs, have been particularly controversial within the Catholic Church. The mass destruction and loss of life caused by a single bomb highlighted the unique dangers posed by nuclear weapons. Many Catholics, including prominent figures such as Archbishop Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki and Bishop David Malloy, have advocated for nuclear disarmament and a world free from nuclear weapons. Archbishop Takami, born seven months after the bombing of Nagasaki, lost his grandmother, two aunts, and an uncle in the attack.
Additionally, the impact of the bombings on the Catholic communities in Hiroshima and Nagasaki has been significant. Nagasaki, in particular, has been an important center of Catholicism in Japan since the 16th century. The atomic bombing of Nagasaki killed two-thirds of the city's Catholics, including a significant number of missionaries. The destruction of Catholic churches and religious sites in both cities further added to the devastation experienced by the Catholic community.
While some Catholics have defended the decision to use atomic weapons as a necessary act to end World War II and save lives, others have strongly condemned it as immoral and inconsistent with the Church's teachings. The debate within the Catholic Church reflects the complex ethical and moral questions surrounding the use of nuclear weapons and the responsibility to protect civilian lives.
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Catholics' justifications
The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 remain two of the most controversial events in history, and the Catholic Church has been vocal in its reflections on the morality of these acts.
Firstly, it is important to note that the Catholic Church has a longstanding tradition of evaluating the morality of acts of war. According to Catholic doctrine, acts of war that involve the indiscriminate destruction of cities and their inhabitants are considered crimes against God and humanity. This is because the mass killing of civilian populations is not morally permissible, and the use of nuclear weapons falls under this category.
However, some Catholics have offered justifications for the bombings. One common argument is that the bombings saved lives by bringing about a swift end to World War II. This is based on the belief that the alternatives to end the war would have resulted in more casualties, including American and Japanese forces, as well as Japanese civilians. This justification is reflected in the words of Father Miscamble, who suggested that understanding the historical context would help one comprehend how many lives the bombings saved. This view was particularly prevalent among American Catholics during the Cold War, who felt that the conflict with Russia justified the use of nuclear weapons against Japan.
Another perspective on the justification for the bombings is that they were not intrinsically morally evil. This argument, based on the principle of double-effect, suggests that the physical evil of the bombings was separate from moral evil, and that there is no proportion between the two. Therefore, the potential avoidance of moral evil, such as sins or wilful untruths, could justify the physical evil caused by the bombings.
Despite these justifications, many Catholics have condemned the bombings. The consensus among Catholic moral reflection is that the mass targeting of civilians fails to meet the criteria for the just conduct of war. The Catholic bishops of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for example, welcomed the United Nations treaty banning nuclear weapons. The bombings also devastated the large Catholic communities in both cities, with two-thirds of Nagasaki's Catholics killed, and the Archbishop of Nagasaki losing several family members.
The anniversary of the bombings is often commemorated by Catholics, who work to promote peace and nuclear disarmament. These commemorations serve as a reminder of the horrific power of nuclear weapons and the need to prevent their use in the future.
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The Urakami Cathedral's destruction
The Urakami Cathedral, also known as the Immaculate Conception Cathedral or St. Mary's Cathedral, was a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Motoomachi, Nagasaki, Japan. The construction of the cathedral began in 1895, after a long-standing ban on Christianity was lifted. The Urakami Cathedral was completed in 1914 and, at the time, was the largest Christian structure in the Asia-Pacific region.
On August 9, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, exploding 500 metres above Matsuyama-machi, which was just 500 metres from the cathedral. The blast completely destroyed the Urakami Cathedral, along with much of the surrounding area. It is estimated that more than 10,000 Christians living in the area were killed, including the parish priest, Saburo Nishida, and curate Fusayoshi Tamaya, who were in the church at the time.
The destruction of the cathedral was a significant loss for the religious community of Nagasaki, who viewed it as a symbol of their spirituality and resilience in the face of persecution. Despite the devastation, the Christians in the area were determined to rebuild, and a temporary church was completed on December 1, 1946, the first public building to be restored in the area. This temporary structure soon became overcrowded, and so in 1958, reconstruction of the Urakami Cathedral began, with a new, larger cathedral built of reinforced concrete. The new cathedral was finished in 1959, and in 1980 it was remodelled with brick tiles to more closely resemble the original French style.
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Catholics' commemorations
Catholics have been commemorating the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki for many years, with an emphasis on the need for nuclear disarmament and peace. The Catholic Church has a longstanding tradition of evaluating the morality of war and prosecuting war actions, and many Catholics continue to debate the ethics of the atomic bombings.
On the 75th anniversary of the bombings in 2020, prominent Catholics in the United States and Japan worked together to promote a world free of nuclear weapons. Archbishop Mitsuaki Takami of Nagasaki, who was born seven months after the bombing, recalled the personal tragedies inflicted on his family, including the deaths of his grandmother, two aunts, and an uncle. Bishop David Malloy of the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace, spoke about the need for nuclear disarmament, and both offered prayers for peace. The event was moderated by Dr. Maryann Cusimano Love and included a visual memorial of the destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Pope Francis visited Nagasaki in November 2019 and spoke forcefully about the abolition of nuclear weapons, saying, "A world of peace, free from nuclear weapons, is the aspiration of millions of men and women everywhere. To make this ideal a reality calls for involvement on the part of all." Pope John Paul II also visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1981 and spoke at the Hiroshima Peace Park.
Catholics have also commemorated the bombings through literature and art. An essay titled "Our Lady the Hibakusha: A Story of Two Cathedrals" was published in the Catholic Worker Movement in August 2010, reflecting on the different responses of two bishops to the devastation caused by the atomic bombs. Additionally, a piece of art, Patrick's Cathedral, was created to speak truth to the reality of nuclear weapons and the lack of recognition and repentance from American Christians for the atomic bombings of Japan.
The annual anniversary of the bombings invites remembrance of war and a renewed resolve to work for peace. Catholics continue to advocate for nuclear disarmament and to promote a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.
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Frequently asked questions
Nagasaki was the centre of Japanese Catholicism, with nearly two-thirds of Japan's Catholics living there. The bomb killed between 40,000 and 80,000 people in Nagasaki, two-thirds of whom were Catholic.
Yes, two churches survived the atomic bombing in Nagasaki: the Urakami Catholic Cathedral and another church that was not named in the sources.
Yes, two churches survived the atomic bombing in Hiroshima, although the names of these churches were not found in the sources.
The bomb instantly killed upwards of 80,000 people in Hiroshima, with many more dying in the months and years afterward from burns, radiation sickness, and other injuries.
