The Church and World War I

What role did the Church play during the First World War and what effect did the Great War have on the Church?

In this international conflict, Catholics were facing Catholics in the trenches, and everyone looked to their own Bishops and the Pope for a response. This booklet examines the role of Pope Benedict XV in the efforts to find peace, the role of the local Churches in the combatant nations and the Church’s need to look after suffering soldiers and civilians alike.

About the author

Harry Schnitker is an author and editor of a number books on history. He is a Research Fellow and member of the PhD research team at Maryvale Institute, as well as a Research Fellow at St Ninian's Institute, Dundee; and Catholic Lay Chaplain at Perth Prison.