New Mexico church official urges nuclear disarmament talks
By SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN
Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The head of one of the oldest Roman Catholic dioceses in the U.S. says now is the time to rejuvenate a global conversation about the need for nuclear disarmament and avoiding a new nuclear arms race. Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester released a lengthy pastoral letter on the subject Tuesday. He noted during a virtual news conference that Los Alamos National Laboratory — the birthplace of the atomic bomb — is preparing to ramp up production of the plutonium cores used in the nation’s nuclear arsenal. Wester called the arms race a vicious spiral. Nuclear watchdog groups welcomed the letter, which marks just the latest instance of the Catholic Church wading into the debate.
