Pax Christi USA’s Executive Director Charlene Howard was interviewed by Heidi Schlumpf, senior correspondent at the National Catholic Reporter, for the February 13, 2025 episode of “The Francis Effect,” a podcast hosted by Schlumpf, Dan Horan, and David Dault.
Use this link to listen the podcast. The interview with Charlene is in the last third of the show, starting around the 52.00 mark.
The episode begins with a discussion about the effects the recent attacks on USAID have had on charities and NGOs, especially in the Catholic world. The three hosts then look at the recent comments made by Vice President JD Vance on theological issues. The interview with Charlene Howard is in the third part of the show, starting around the 52.00 mark.
Fascinating to listen to but one thing disappointed me. The response to Trump’s idea to his building up the military was not directly answered. Trump’s statement reflects the old Cold War doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction. That philosophy did not lead to peace but a nuclear arms race that came perilously close to wiping out the entire human race and devastating the planet. The Cold War ended not because of MAD or the arms race but from domestic causes within the USSR itself, leading to its demise. Peace must be based on respect and trust, not fear.