At Church and Synagogue

Prayers for peace took on added urgency Sunday as religious leaders agonized over the escalation of the Gulf War. In a sermon at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, ROMAN CATHOLIC Cardinal John O’Connor said, “I will not denounce the world leaders who sincerely believe that they had to prosecute this war,” but he added, “However just the reasons, there is no just war.” However, some religious CONSERVATIVES and JEWISH leaders said the ground assault was a necessary step to end the war. The Rev. Morris Chapman of Wichita Falls, Tex., president of the 15-million-member Southern Baptist Convention, said Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein left President Bush no choice.