Tag Archives: Jack Gilroy

ON THE LINE: March edition features climate change rally report, immigration reform support, calendar items and more!

Posted on March 13, 2013 | Comments Off

Compiled by Johnny Zokovitch

Each month, “On The Line” features news items and announcements from around the nation featuring Pax Christi members, local groups, regions and partners. These are gleaned from articles in local newspapers, websites, magazines, and elsewhere.

FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S FATHER PASSES AWAY: Pax Christi USA learned that the father of Dave Robinson, former Executive Director of Pax Christi USA, passed away last week. Jean Stokan, former PCUSA staff member, wrote: “Dave had come back home after being with his father for a week in New Jersey, when he got the word from his sister, who was with him at the time of his death… It all happened so fast. I think it was only two weeks ago that they got a diagnosis of cancer.” Sr. Patricia Chappell, Executive Director of Pax Christi USA, asked that we “keep Dave and his family in our prayers and may the soul of his father rest in peace.” Messages of sympathy can be sent to: David Robinson & Family, 10175 Dietzel Road, Union City, PA 16438.

Pax Christi Michigan State Coordinator embraces PCUSA Executive Director Sr. Patty Chappell, SNDdeN, at the Michigan regional dialogue in February. (Photo courtesy of PC-Michigan).

PC-Michigan Coordinator embraces PCUSA Executive Director Sr. Patty Chappell, SNDdeN, at the MI regional dialogue in February. (Photo courtesy of PC-Michigan).

VANDERHAAR SYMPOSIUM HAPPENS THIS WEEK IN MEMPHIS: The Vanderhaar Symposium was founded in memory of Dr. Gerard A. Vanderhaar, a professor of religion and peace studies at Christian Brothers University and a Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace. Vanderhaar spent his lifetime promoting peace through active nonviolence, writing six books, as well as speaking the message worldwide. The symposium seeks to continue Vanderhaar’s legacy by bringing a noted scholar or peace activist to Memphis each year to address social and moral issues related to peace and justice and/or Catholic social teaching. This year’s symposium features several young dynamic speakers on the theme, “Communities Engaged in Resolving Urban Social Conflict.” The symposium will take place on Thursday, March 14. For more information: http://www.gvanderhaar.org/

Pax Christi Metro-DC-Baltimore members vigil outside the White House in support of Article 9. (Photo by Ted Majdosz)

Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore members vigil outside the White House in support of Article 9. (Photo by Ted Majdosz)

PC ILLINOIS MEMBERS MEET WITH CONGRESSMAN FOSTER ON IMMIGRATION REFORM: (From PC-Illinois member Tom Cordaro) “On February 20th members of Pax Christi Illinois organized a religious leaders delegation to urge Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) to support Comprehensive Immigration Reform. The delegation included minsters and representatives from the Jewish, Muslim, Christian (Catholic and Protestant) and Unitarian faith communities in the 11th Congressional District. The group urged Congressman Foster to embrace key principles that should be included in any immigration reform legislation; family unification, a pathway to citizenship, worker protections and an immediate moratorium on all deportations. The group was well received and will continue to work with local immigrant communities to advocate and organize in support for these principles.”

A Pax Christi Illinois organized delegation to visit Congressman Bill Foster (front row, 3rd from the left) to urge support for comprehensive immigration reform. Pax Christi members include Tom Garlitz (front row, 2nd from the left), Steve Jackson (front row, third from the right), Eleanor Wegman (front row, far right) and Tom Cordaro (second row, 3rd from the right).

A PC Illinois-organized delegation visited Congressman Bill Foster (front row, 3rd from the left) to urge support for comprehensive immigration reform. PC-IL members include Tom Garlitz (front row, 2nd from the left), Steve Jackson (front row, third from the right), Eleanor Wegman (front row, far right) and Tom Cordaro (second row, 3rd from the right). (Photo courtesy of Tom Cordaro)

PC MADISON (WI) MEMBER REPORTS BACK FROM CLIMATE CHANGE RALLY: (Trudi Jenny of PC Madison attended the Feb. 17th climate change rally in Washington, D.C. This is her report.) “It was a long bus ride and a long rally in frigid wind chills, but the short of it is—the climate action grassroots movement is alive and very well! Three busloads (150 people) from Wisconsin arrived in D.C. around 11:00 am on February 17th, just in time to join everyone gathering near the Washington Monument. Between 35,000 and 50,000 souls from across the country braved the cold to express the urgent need to lower our carbon emissions if we are to save God’s gift of Earth. Young and old carried signs, chanted and sang, and shared their own stories, inspired by the words of rally speakers including Bill McKibben (350.org), Michael Brune (Sierra Club), two leaders of First Nation tribes in Canada, and Tom Steyer, a California investment fund manager and major Obama fundraiser.The event brought back memories of being in D.C. to participate in civil rights marches and protests against the Vietnam War. While those events were much larger, it was inspiring and energizing to be among so many of my fellow citizens who are working on the front lines of what I consider to be the most important issue of our time. If we don’t save the Earth, all our peace-building efforts will be thwarted.” Read the entire article here: http://paxchristiusa.org/2013/02/26/care-for-creation-report-back-from-february-17th-climate-rally-in-dc/

Upcoming or Ongoing Events:

Mar. 23 – Regional Dialogue for Pax Christi Metro New York and Long Island: http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/regional-dialogues-2012-13/

Mar. 23 – Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore’s annual Spring Assembly, “Drone Killings—Not in Our Name!” with Medea Benjamin, Ray McGovern and Phyllis Bennis: http://www.paxchristimetrodc.org/

April 5-7 – PCUSA Ambassador of Peace Fr. John Dear, S.J. hosts a retreat on “Jesus the Peacemaker” at Kirkridge Retreat Center in PA: http://paxchristiusa.org/2013/03/11/regional-event-retreat-with-fr-john-dear-s-j-on-jesus-the-peacemaker/

April 6 – “Jesus, Model for Our Nonviolence,” Pax Christi Massachusetts’ retreat with Fr. Simon Harak, S.J.: http://paxchristima.org/

April 6-7 – Pax Christi Florida Spring Retreat, “The Spirituality of Intentional Communities: An Evolving Vision”, with Christine Vladimiroff, osb: http://paxchristiflorida.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/2013-pcf-retreat-brochure.pdf

April 7 – Regional Dialogue for Pax Christi Texas: http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/regional-dialogues-2012-13/

April 15 – Global Day of Action Against Military Spending: http://www.paxchristi.net/international/eng/news.php?id=2233&wat=show

April 20 – Pax Christi Michigan State Conference, “Prophetic Leadership of Women: Justice from the Margins,” with Elizabeth Walters, IHM, and Barbara Reid, OP: http://www.paxchristimi.org/2013_state_conference.htm

April 26-29 – Midwest Catholic Worker Faith and Resistance Retreat in Winona, MN: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!searchin/national-cw-e-mail-list/april$2026%7Csort:date/national-cw-e-mail-list/JlxevjlWaoc/6x9YFwqa0J0J

Quicklinks:

Pax Christi Metro D.C.-Baltimore members protested outside the White House during the visit of the Prime Minister of Japan last month … Pax Christi Long Island member Bob Keeler spoke on the American War Economy in February … Pax Christi at Corpus Christi University Parish in Toledo offered workshops on nonviolence education at their parish in February … As part of Pax Christi Memphis’s “Conversation About Predator Drones,” the group presented The Predator, a two act play by PCUSA member Jack Gilroy that highlights America’s fascination with drones … Pax Christi Haiti Program Director Daniel Tillias was featured in a video for his work in Cite Soleil … Pax Christi International has launched the Bread is Life campaign, a fast for a just peace in Syria … Pax Christi Western New York regional coordinator William Privett is stepping down from the position this Spring. Thanks for your years of service Bill! … Pax Christi International’s March 2013 newsletter is online … See more local and regional updates in the Spring 2013 edition of The Peace Current …

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Posted in Calendar, Local Group News, News, On The Line, Regional Dialogues, Regional Events, Regional News

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BOOK REVIEW: Catholic priest challenges readers to think, feel differently

Posted on February 3, 2013 | Comments Off

by Jack Gilroy

bury bookHarry Bury is a Catholic priest who knows peacemaking is not passive. When John Lennon and Yoko Ono were writing “Imagine,” the visionary song that swept the world in 1971, Fr. Bury was chaining himself to the United States Embassy fence in Saigon. At that time, Vietnamese people and villages were being destroyed by American search and destroy missions and ripped apart by gun fire, houses torched, bodies burned by napalm as American Air Force Generals bragged that our planes were bombing North Vietnam back to the Stone Age.

Bury, like fellow Catholic priests, Phil and Dan Berrigan, helped give vision to Catholics and other Christians who were subjected to either clergy silence or outright support for the American killing machine. In fact, the most visible Catholic leader, Francis Cardinal Spellman, made trips to Vietnam not as protest but in praise for our actions as he shook holy water on guns, planes and troops.

In his book, An Invitation to Think and Feel Differently in the New Millennium, Bury lays out four assumptions for people to consider on the path to a better world: 1) We assume we are in the process of learning the truth but never do. Since we don’t have an absolute certainty about anything, nobody is right and nobody is wrong. 2) We visualize what we want. Nobody wants problems, so we can create a world full of meaning and free of problems. 3) We are one if we picture ourselves as one. 4) We consciously assume we are good and intend to do good. Consequently, there are no bad-intentioned people in the world.

Some might say Fr. Bury is naive. Readers can think and feel this about his seemingly utopian thesis but he gives specifics for the reader to contemplate. Fr. Bury truly is a contemplative soul and his spirituality is exciting. Bury does not confine his thinking to geographic borders, religions, or ethnicity but to one human race.

Throughout the years, Bury’s vision of justice was not blurred by strict obedience to Church hierarchy. The Archdiocese of Minneapolis worked to get Fr. Bury to turn his energies to academia. Bury took up the offer, studied and obtained a Ph.D in Organizational Behavior. Bury’s greatest legacy may be the college students he taught and sent out in to the world over the years with his ideas about getting people to think and feel differently about a more just world.

Each chapter of the New Millennium engages the reader with challenges. Bury’s book would make an excellent guide for college or high school students. He emphasizes there are no correct or wrong answers and challenges readers to research, think, discuss, debate and then come together in a “common good” consensus.

Six chapters outline how world culture is evolving from Pre-Modern to Modern (our culture in transition) to the New Millennium. He negates the emphasis Modern Culture gives to competition. To Bury, cooperation is the name of the game. He explains that goals are best arrived at without bitterness and hostility. That seems like a message to our divided nation and world.

Fr. Bury gets contemplative when he envisions change in the transition from Modern to New Millennium culture. He believes God is reappearing after being smothered by science. Bury loves science but finds it no longer alone on a throne but sharing the space with spirituality, ethics and diversity. He believes bringing in all of these aspects will help people understand that everyone is acting in their perceived best interests. Although evil does occur, no one sets out to do evil. He says the more we learn to love ourselves, the more we are able to love others and realize that we are all one. God may want us to connect but we can’t do it ourselves; we need to connect to community.

Fr. Bury has no secret remedy to bring justice to the world but he gives away his Christ-centered focus with the very last sentence of his book: “We devote our very lives to contemplation and action, which are the essence of spirituality in the New Millennium Story.”

Click here to see more information about Fr. Bury and the book.

Jack Gilroy is a playwright and author and member of Pax Christi Upstate New York. 

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Posted in Book Review, Bread for the Journey, Gilroy, Peacemakers

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ON THE LINE: April edition features Good Friday Way of the Cross stories and more

Posted on April 12, 2012 | Comments Off

Compiled by Johnny Zokovitch

Each month, “On The Line” features news items and announcements from around the nation featuring Pax Christi members, local groups, regions and partners. These are gleaned from articles in local newspapers, websites, magazines, and elsewhere. 

PC-Metro NY Way of the Cross

Pax Christi Metro New York's Cross Banner during the Good Friday Way of the Cross

COMMONWEAL FEATURES PAX CHRISTI METRO NY STATIONS: “Pax Christi Metro New York has now held a Good Friday Way of the Cross across 42nd Street and through Times Square for 30 years in a row. One of this year’s more striking meditations came from students at the Christo Rey High School in East Harlem who spoke at the fifth station – Simon of Cyrene is forced to help carry the cross — about bullying. ‘Like Simon, we are called to help carry the cross of those who are bullied,’ as one student said. But as the students pointed out, bullying is too often condoned by inaction – and then those who condone it are surprised when the victim does not want to become a Facebook ‘friend.’ Read the entire post here: http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/?p=18345

MOHAWK VALLEY PAX CHRISTI STATIONS FEATURED ON YNN: “The Good Friday tradition of the Outdoor Living Stations of the Cross continued in Utica. The walk, organized by the group Mohawk Valley Pax Christi, included 15 stops at various charities, churches and social organizations as community members wound their way through the city. At each stop, they read a Bible passage about Jesus’ journey to the cross. Then different members delivered short sermons of how the lesson applies to modern issues. ‘There will be 15 stops along the way, and we always end in a circle of hope because we believe we have to have courage and hope to continue this important work,’ said organizer Jane Domingue.” Click here to see video of the stations: http://centralny.ynn.com/content/all_news/579685/outdoor-living-stations-of-the-cross-in-utica/

STATE JOURNAL REGISTER HIGHLIGHTS PC-SPRINGFIELD (IL) STATIONS: “Since 1984, a Springfield group has used Good Friday as an occasion to call attention to injustices in our society, and this year was no different. ‘We’re not going to change the world today,’ said Diane Lopez Hughes of Pax Christi Springfield, one of the organizers of the Way of the Cross. ‘But Good Friday is an important time to remember how our faith often calls us to speak for peace and justice. Our greatest example of that is the life and death of Christ,’ she said.” Read the entire article here: http://www.sj-r.com/top-stories/x1607842335/Good-Friday-walk-calls-attention-to-injustice

PAX CHRISTI GREENSBURG (PA) CO-SPONSORS DRONE TOUR: Government Security News’ website featured an article on the Know Drones Tour, co-sponsored by PC-Greensburg (PA): “As the Federal Aviation Administration takes initial steps to authorize the use of unmanned drones in U.S. airspace for surveillance, law enforcement and commercial purposes, opposition to such uses of drones is beginning to take shape. The 2012 Know Drones Tour, a public education campaign focusing on legal, ethical and civil liberties concerns raised by the surge in drone warfare and drone surveillance, will begin in Brooklyn, NY, on April 12, with sidewalk displays of large-scale replicas of the MQ-9 Reaper drone, the workhorse of drone warfare, say tour organizers.” Read more here: http://www.gsnmagazine.com/node/26052?c=video_surveillance_cctv

A LETTER FROM FR. JACK MORRIS, SJ, WHO HELPED START PAX CHRISTI IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST: The following was excerpted from a letter passed on to us from PCUSA National Council member Nick Mele: “Several weeks ago, I was told that I may have only a week to live, and the word went out. I did have a close call because of internal bleeding from an unknown source. I had four transfusions and when stable returned to my Jesuit residence in Portland. I would like to thank all of those who also gave transfusions of prayer and hope at the time I knew nothing of the gravity of my condition … The letters and cards you sent have been read to me and are appreciated, but I am no longer able to keep up with correspondence…”

PC Southeastern South Dakota

Members of PC Southeastern South Dakota march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

PAX CHRISTI LOS ANGELES LEADS ANTI-DEATH PENALTY DEMONSTRATION:  The following excerpts are from a story that appeared in the Catholic Sentinel by Mary Hotchkiss: “The Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, better known as the LA Congress, is attended by Catholics from around the world… The Anaheim Convention Center is filled with up to 40,000 enthusiastic Catholics who come to attend inspiring liturgies and learn from well-known Catholic educators, including Sr. Helen Prejean…  On Saturday of the Congress, a lunch time demonstration against the death penalty was held on a grassy knoll in front of the Convention Center. It was organized by Pax Christi Los Angeles, the Catholic Peace Movement, the Catholic Mobilizing Network, Catholic Legislative Network (check), and Amnesty International. Several hundred people gathered around the speakers and Sr. Helen Prejean. Sr. Helen urged us to remember that Jesus was a victim of the Death Penalty…”

Members of PC-Los Angeles march with Dead Man Walking author Sr. Helen Prejean.

PC-ST. CLOUD (MN) SPONSORS TALK BY MEL DUNCAN OF NONVIOLENT PEACEFORCE: “The founding Executive Director of the Nonviolent Peaceforce, Mel Duncan, spoke at the Public Library on April  3rd. Sponsored by Pax Christi St. Cloud, Duncan described the work of the Peaceforce, begun in 2002 with peace advocate David Hartsough and which has its base in Brussels.  Countries where NP teams have contributed to peacebuilding or are doing so now are Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Gautemala, South Caucasus, Kyrgyzstan and South Sudan. In 2007 NP received Special Consultative Status to the UN’s Economic and Social Council. That same year the Fellowship of Reconciliation gave Duncan its Pfeffer International Peace Prize, and the Utne reader named him one of ‘50 Visionaries who are Changing your World’ in 2008.”

Billboard

A billboard sponsored by PC-St. Cloud (MN) and Vets for Peace.

Upcoming Events:

  • PC-Richmond (VA) will host a “Spring Day of Reflection: Exploring Relationships with Earth and Ourselves” with the Thomas Berry Educational Center, on April 14. Contact Ginnie Morrow at ginnie.morrow@yahoo.com.
  • PC-Florida will host their Spring Retreat in Parrish, FL on April 14 and 15. Retreat leader is Sr. Paula Gonzalez. For more info, click here.
  • PC-Michigan’s 31st annual state conference, “Power: Who Lies? Who Dies? Who Pays? Who Profits?” will be April 21 at St. Anastasia Church in Troy, MI. Pax Christi Ambassador of Peace Tom Cordaro and PCUSA Executive Director Sr. Patty Chappell are featured speakers. For more info, click here.
  • PC-Spokane (WA) is sponsoring “Imagining a New Vision for American Prosperity and Security” with Capt. Wayne Porter at Gonzaga University on April 21. For more info contact Scott Cooper at scooper@ccspokane.org
  • PC-Arizona will be holding the first Regional Dialog with members of PCUSA national leadership on May 12 at the Phoenix Archdiocesan Pastoral Center. Contact Margaret Wolford for more information at wolford2102@centurylink.net

Quicklinks:

Bradenton.com featured photos of PC-Manasota (FL)’s Stations of the Cross … Pax Christi Harrisburg held its 13th annual Stations of the Cross … Pittsburgh-area Pax Christi hosted its 17th annual Way of the Cross/Way of Compassion … Pax Christi Indianapolis has a new website … Pax Christi Southern California and Los Angeles co-sponsored the march and gathering called “Replace the Death Penalty with Life: Support SAFE California” … Pax Christi Florida council member Jim Rucquoi participated with other PCF members in a march in Sanford, FL for justice for Trayvon Martin. Jim took video of the march which took place on March 26 … Read Pax Christi International’s April newsletter … Pax Christi Texas honored Sarwat Husain, vice chair of the National Council on American Islamic Relations as their Peacemaker of the Year … Blue Water PC’s Michael McCarthy was published in the IPS journal Other Words … PC-Genesee County (NY) featured the War Orphan program at their recent Pasta for Peace dinner … JustFaith Ministries in collaboration with Pax Christi USA just released a special 12 session module for small groups on “Just Peacemaking.” There is a special discount for Pax Christi local groups wanting to purchase the module … Three plays written by playwright and Pax Christi member, Jack Gilroy, are now available as downloads for performance by churches, local groups, schools, etc. on the PCUSA website … PCUSA is seeking an Associate Director of Development …

  • Send your news items, announcements, photos and links to stories about Pax Christi groups or members to johnnypcusa@yahoo.com.

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ON THE LINE: March edition features PC members and groups in the news

Posted on March 14, 2012 | 2 Comments

Compiled by Johnny Zokovitch

Each month, “On The Line” features news items and announcements from around the nation featuring Pax Christi members, local groups, regions and partners. These are gleaned from articles in local newspapers, websites, magazines, and elsewhere. 

PAX CHRISTI FLORIDA MEMBER FASTS WITH FARMWORKERS: John Dwyer of Pax Christi Florida represented Pax Christi at the Coalition of Immokalee Worker’s Fast for Fair Food earlier this month. John fasted with farmworkers and their allies for 6 days outside of the headquarters of Publix Supermarkets, who are refusing to meet and work with the CIW to institute changes to improve the lives of farmworkers agreed to by other grocery and fast food giants. John wrote to say,” Just returned from my week’s fasting with the CIW in Lakeland at Publix.  Everyone from every faith was there… People came from everywhere.  Amazing.  Best fast I ever had.”

CIW Celebration

CIW Publix Picket/Jubilant Victory Celebration 2/12/12, following the announcement that any agreement with Trader Joe's was reached, photo by Karen Dwyer

PAX CHRISTI CPT MEMBER IN HEBRON UNDER THREAT: Since publication of the Christian Peacemaker Team’s report, “Under Attack: Golani Brigade’s war on the Palestinian population of Al-Khalil (Hebron),” the Israeli army’s Golani Brigade has threatened CPTers with arrest and death several times.  Pax Christi Indianapolis member, Jo Anne Lingle, is one of four Christian Peacemaker Team members recently sent to Hebron. The report documents the recent escalation of human rights abuses in Al Khalil.  These threats are an attempt to prevent CPT and other international organizations from continuing to document ongoing human rights abuses, including violence and harassment, committed by soldiers against the civilian population of Al-Khalil. Read more here: http://cpt.org/cptnet/2012/03/10/al-khalil-hebron-international-observers-under-threats-arrest-and-death-israeli-ar

PAX CHRISTI USA FOUNDING BISHOP-PRESIDENT ON MICHIGAN RADIO: “Bishop Thomas Gumbleton probably won’t vote in the primary today, though he spends his life doing work that’s greatly affected by the political world. Nor does he seem impressed that Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are fellow Roman Catholics. Actually, he seems pretty appalled by them.” To listen to the interview with Bishop Gumbleton, go to http://www.michiganradio.org/post/politics-other-means

PAX CHRISTI FLORIDA STATE COORDINATOR RECEIVES AWARD: Nancy O’Byrne, Pax Christi Florida State Coordinator received an award at the Catholic Days at the Capitol luncheon in Tallahassee, FL in February.  Nancy stated upon accepting the award, “I am deeply honored to receive this award today; and deeply grateful that I belong to a Church that has a long, rich history of Catholic Social Teaching, responding to the Gospel Mandate to stand up for the poor, the lowly, the disenfranchised and marginalized; be it a baby in a Mother’s womb; an undocumented worker trying to support his family; a prisoner on death row; or a refugee fleeing from war and oppression.  We are all called to raise our voices in support of the dignity of each human person and the care of all God’s Creation.” Nancy was nominated by Bishop Felipe Estevez to receive the Thomas A. Horkan, Jr. Distinguished Catholic Leader Award.

Nancy O'Byrne

Nancy O'Byrne, state coordinator of Pax Christi Florida, receives award. With her husband David and Bishop Estevez, photo courtesy of Pax Christi Florida

PAX CHRISTI METRO NEW YORK CELEBRATES DAN BERRIGAN: “Marvelous, the best thing I’ve seen, moving, enlightening, inspiring, fabulous, wonderful, beautifully done, a lovely event, a gift!  Such was just some of the praise given to the man and the tribute that over 200 people paid to the iconic priest, poet, and prophet, Fr. Daniel Berrigan on Sunday, January 29th, in St. Joseph’s Greenwich Village Church.  Fr. Berrigan turned 90 years old last May, and Pax Christi Metro New York (PCMNY) decided there could be no better subject for its Peacemaking through the Arts Winter Benefit than this influential man as he achieved this wonderful milestone.” Read more here: http://paxchristiusa.org/2012/03/14/regional-event-pax-christi-metro-new-york-hosts-berrigan-celebration/ or the NCR article here: http://ncronline.org/news/people/pax-christi-pays-tribute-berrigan-ny

TIFFIN-AREA PAX CHRISTI STAYS COMMITTED TO PEACE: “On March 15, 2004, a group of demonstrators gathered at the Seneca County Courthouse to protest the start of the war in Iraq. Initiated by members of Tiffin Area (OH) Pax Christi, that first vigil turned into a weekly event, usually at 4:30 p.m. Three women, Mary Lily and Phyllis Putnam of Tiffin and Jean Cossey of Carey, have faithfully appeared at least 30 minutes every Friday afternoon for the past eight years. ‘Actually, I had gone a couple times up to Toledo, because they had somebody that was standing with signs. Then we started here, so I came down here,’” Lily said. Read the entire article here: http://www.advertiser-tribune.com/page/content.detail/id/544613/Local-protesters-abandon-vigil–still-committed-to-peace.html?nav=5060#.T0vhBCO6Mh2.email

PAX CHRISTI PALM BEACH (FL) SENDS ANTI-NUKE FILM TO FL SENATORS: PC Palm Beach member, Jack MacFadyen, arranged for the video, The Forgotten Bomb, to be delivered to Florida’s two U.S. Senators.  The movie examines the political and legal implications of nuclear weapons, but also digs deeper, into the cultural and psychological reasons behind the arsenal’s existence.  Film producer Bud Ryan’s quest takes us from the homes of hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) in Japan, to an abandoned Uranium mine in New Mexico, to an underground Titan missile silo in Arizona. From these places, and many others, Ryan puts together the pieces of a puzzle that explain why we have the bomb, and how we might finally do away with it.

Upcoming Events:

PCUSA Ambassador of Peace Rev. John Dear, SJ will speak at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Atlanta, March 14. For more info, click here.

PC-Texas will host their Compassion Conference on March 23-24 in San Antonio, more information here: http://paxchristitexas.org/2012/02/08/2012-compassion-conference/

PC-Richmond (VA) will host a “Spring Day of Reflection: Exploring Relationships with Earth and Ourselves” with the Thomas Berry Educational Center, on April 14. Contact Ginnie Morrow at ginnie.morrow@yahoo.com.

PC-Florida will host their Spring Retreat in Parrish, FL on April 14 and 15. Retreat leader is Sr. Paula Gonzalez. For more info, click here.

PC-Michigan’s 31st annual state conference, “Power: Who Lies? Who Dies? Who Pays? Who Profits?” will be April 21 at St. Anastasia Church in Troy, MI. Pax Christi Ambassador of Peace Tom Cordaro and PCUSA Executive Director Sr. Patty Chappell are featured speakers. For more info, click here.

Quicklinks:

Pax Christi International sends a letter to Russia on the situation in Syria … Pax Christi Arizona members held vigils on the eve of an execution in Arizona earlier this month … Pax Christi Lansing (MI) is holding two special Lenten programs on March 20 and March 27 on the Occupy movement and immigration … JustFaith Ministries in collaboration with Pax Christi USA just released a special 12 session module for small groups on “Just Peacemaking.” There is a special discount for Pax Christi local groups wanting to purchase the module … Three plays written by playwright and Pax Christi member, Jack Gilroy, are now available as downloads for performance by churches, local groups, schools, etc. on the PCUSA website … PCUSA is seeking an Associate Director of Development … Pax Christi Metro DC participates in Ash Wendesday service at the White House … PC-New Jersey holds immigrant rights march on Ash Wednesday …

  • Send your news items, announcements, photos and links to stories about Pax Christi groups or members to johnnypcusa@yahoo.com.

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