THE Catholic Church has a long history of opposition to nuclear weapons.

Over the past year Cardinal Keith O'Brien has taken a leading role in promoting this case. Along with other Christian leaders such as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Cardinal O'Brien has issued a ringing call to make Trident history. This is the churches' challenge to our politicians.

There are many reasons to oppose Trident's replacement. For example, there are strong arguments about the cost - where else could we spend £25 billion? Several military figures say there is no strategic reason why the UK should retain nuclear weapons.

However, the main opposition is on moral grounds.

In 1965, at the end of the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church condemned weapons which cause "indiscriminate destruction". In 1982 the Scottish Catholic bishops stated that: "If it is immoral to use nuclear weapons, it is also immoral to threaten their use." In April 2006 the Catholic bishops of Scotland called for Trident's decommissioning, with the money saved to be spent on aid and development programmes.

One Trident submarine is on patrol at all times, in our name, targeting people with nuclear weapons. Thus, we are making enemies of people of whom we know nothing. The Christian viewpoint calls us to love our neighbour and to treat them as we would like to be treated ourselves. Targeting people for annihilation does neither of these.

Pope Benedict XVI has stated clearly that "in a nuclear war there would be no victors, only victims". He called for countries such as the UK which possess nuclear weapons to "strive for a progressive and concerted nuclear disarmament". The Pope believes the future of the world is at stake as a result of some states' desire to increase their nuclear arsenal.

The Pope called for greater efforts to promote non-proliferation. In his New Year message for 2007 he said: "The way to ensure a future of peace for everyone is found not only in international accords for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, but also in the determined commitment to seek their reduction and definitive dismantling. May every attempt be made to arrive through negotiation at the attainment of these objectives.

"The fate of the whole human family is at stake."

The Catholic Church in Scotland hopes our government and MPs will heed these words.

The churches in Scotland have worked very closely to express their opposition to nuclear weapons. A petition with around 20,000 signatures sponsored by the Catholic Church, the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church, as well as Christians from many denominations, stating that Trident should not be replaced, was handed into the Ministry of Defence on 1 December, 2006.

There is a strong moral case against the retention and replacement of Trident. The voice of the churches, of trade unions, of civic society is clear in opposition to Trident and our politicians should act accordingly.

DR RICHARD MCCREADY
NATIONAL SECRETARY, JUSTICE AND PEACE COMMISSION, BISHOPS' CONFERENCE OF SCOTLAND