Tag Archives: Pax Christi St. Cloud

ON THE LINE: September edition features 30 Days of Peace, Caravan of Peace, Los Alamos story and more!

Posted on September 13, 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.

ALPENA PEACE PEOPLE PAX CHRISTI GROUP SPONSORS 30 DAYS OF PEACE: From the Alpena News – “If participants in this year’s 30 Days of Peace take anything away from attending one of the multitude of planned activities, Sister Mary Hughes hopes it is inner peace. ‘My hope is that initially it will help people as individuals to find a peace within themselves and that will be spread to their relatives, their friends and their neighbors,” Hughes said. “If we have an atmosphere of peace within our community, it will spread. It will affect the leaders we choose for local and state, and our church and civic groups. It will affect the activities in the community and promote wholesome living.” On Sept. 14, An Evening of Poetry, Readings, Blues and Jazz will be held from 7-9 at Cabin Creek Coffee in downtown Alpena. Poems and readings promoting peace will be given by representatives of the local Pax Christi, a Catholic organization that strives to create a world that reflects the peace of Christ. ‘People come to this event who never come to anything else given by LARCC or Pax Christi, so if you have different things, you get different people,’ said Hughes of the wide diversity of events planned for the entire month.” Read the whole story here: http://www.thealpenanews.com/page/content.detail/id/522591/30-Days-of-Peace-initiative-coming-up.html?nav=5042

LONG-TIME PC-FLORIDA, MICHIGAN MEMBER PASSES: In late August, we learned that long-time Pax Christi USA member and local group leader Herb Bazur had died. Herb was 88 years old. Herb was active in Pax Christi USA for many years, including his local participation with Pax Christi groups and members in Michigan, Florida and Indiana. Known for his Pax Christi USA rose tattoo, Herb was often the center of laughter and joy at the many Pax Christi gatherings he and his wife Betty attended. Herb’s family writes in his obituary, “We will work to keep alive the memory of our charismatic and colorful Herb in many ways. He would encourage us to stop and smell the flowers, love our neighbors, walk with the marginalized, vote with poor people in mind, and spread joy.” Read more about Herb here: http://paxchristiusa.org/2012/08/27/obituary-herb-bazur-long-time-pax-christi-usa-leader-age-88/

Pax Christi Texas members participated in the Caravan of Peace in August.

PAX CHRISTI ST. CLOUD PROTESTS AT CAMP RIPLEY: From The Morrison County Record – “The exercises at Camp Ripley usually involve training soldiers and public safety agencies. But the exercises at the National Guard base Monday involved the constitutional right to free speech. A peace vigil/protest was held Monday by the Little Falls Partners for Peace and Occupy Little Falls in front of the gates of Camp Ripley. In addition to several demands, one of the group’s goals was to increase public awareness about the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), often called drones. Two factions with opposing views about war stood across from each other, both literally and figuratively, near the gates of Camp Ripley. Standing north of Highway 115 in front of Camp Ripley’s gates, members of the Little Falls Partners for Peace and Occupy Little Falls held what they termed a “peace vigil” and drone protest. About 14 in all, others were from the Brainerd Area Coalition for Peace, Women Against Military Madness from the Twin Cities, Alternatives to War, St. Cloud Occupy, Pax Christi St. Cloud and Alexandria Peace, joining the Little Falls contingent.” Read more at: http://mcrecord.com/archives/515939/exercise-at-camp-ripley-right-to-free-speech/

NCR ARTICLE ON THE PASSING OF JOSHUA CASTEEL: From NCR’s Tom Roberts – “The news, expected but dreaded, began to leak out on Facebook on Saturday night. Joshua Casteel had died earlier that day. He was 32. And the postings, which seemed endless, as well as those on the site of the Iraq Veterans Against the War and on Pax Christi USA all seemed to ache in trying to say some version of the same thing: How do we tell those who should know about this life of grace and courage, of holiness and unending search, of both consummate resolution and relentless questions? How did he fit it all into such a short time, and how do we explain that the world — the church, the state and beyond — needs to know of this life?” Read more here: http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/inspirational-soldier-turned-conscientious-objector-dies-lung-cancer-32

PAX CHRISTI NEW MEXICO REMEMBERS HIROSHIMA: From The Santa Fe Reporter – “Members of various activist organizations and local residents against nuclear weapons gathered in Ashley Pond in Los Alamos on Sunday. The rally, which was mainly organized by Pax Christi New Mexico and lasted all afternoon, celebrated the 67^th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima during World War II. Dozens of framed pictures of victims and information about the bombing’s aftereffects were scattered around the area to pay homage to the victims. Organizers also established a live stream of the 8:15 am annual bell ringing in Hiroshima, Japan, the precise time the bomb was dropped in 1945. Father John Dear, an Christian anti-nuke activist nominated by Desmond Tutu for the Nobel Peace Prize, called the atomic bomb ‘the biggest sin’ and Los Alamos as its birthplace. ‘We gather here to repent that greatest sin,’ he told the crowd. Read the whole article here: http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/blog-3714-los-alamos-remembers-hiroshima.html

Pax Chrsti New Mexico members Fr. John Dear and Bud Ryan at the Hiroshima Day event at Los Alamos.

PAX CRISTI MICHIGAN SUPPORTS SCHOOL SALE TO MUSLIM ORGANIZATION: From The Detroit News – “An interfaith coalition plans to demonstrate its support Tuesday night for the sale of a school building owned Farmington Public Schools to a Muslim organization. The sale last year of the former Eagle Elementary School in West Bloomfield for $1.1 million has drawn protests from groups alleging the district showed undue favor to the buyer, the Islamic Cultural Association, which plans to open a school there. Taking ‘a stand against Islamophobia,’ coalition members plan to attend the West Bloomfield Township Planning Commission meeting, which is at 7:30 p.m. The commission is expected to consider issues related to the Islamic group’s construction plans for the site. Coalition members include Jewish Voice for Peace-Detroit, Pax Christi-Michigan, Detroit Meeting of Friends, Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network, Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, Michigan Coalition for Human Rights, Pointes for Peace and Michigan Coalition for Human Rights. Read more at: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120814/METRO02/208140446/Controversy-surrounds-sale-school-W-Bloomfield-Muslim-group?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

Upcoming or Ongoing Events:

Sept. 15 – Regional Dialogue in Atlanta, GA: http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/regional-dialogues-2012-13/

Sept. 21 – International Day of Peace: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs090/1011223557022/archive/1110865699008.html

Sept. 22 – Pax Christi South Dakota Conference with Sr. Helen Prejean: http://presentationsisters.org/vocation-outreach/events/Pax_Flyer_September_2012.pdf

Sept. 29 – Pax Christi Richmond with the Catholic Diocesan Office of Justice and Peace and the Office for Black Catholics will co-sponsor the Slave Trail Walk. Contact Mike at mike.jackman@capitalone.com for more information.

Sept. 29 – Pax Christi Minnesota State Assembly with Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer: http://www.paxchristimn.org/2012/08/18/jack-nelson-pallmeyer-to-headline-minnesota-peace-assembly/

Sept. 29 – Regional Dialogue in Illinois: http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/regional-dialogues-2012-13/

Oct. 20-21 – Pax Christi Florida’s Fall Assembly and Regional Dialogue: http://paxchristiflorida.org/events/

Oct. 27 – Pax Christi Massachusetts Regional Dialogue: http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/regional-dialogues-2012-13/

Quicklinks:

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, founding Bishop-President of Pax Christi USA, was featured in the Albany Times Union … Many thanks to all of the Pax Christi regions and groups who took out an ad in the Momentum 2012 program booklet. See videos, listen to the speeches and see photos from the event on the PCUSA website … PC Metro DC-Baltimore member Jean Stokan wrote the article, “U.S. Elections: The Whole World is Watching” for the Intercommunity Peace and Justice newsletter … The Archbishop of Abuja, Nigeria, John Onaiyekan has been named Pax Christi International’s 2012 Peace Laureate … At the August 6th remembrance of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan in WWII at the Quaker Meeting House in West Hartford,CT, PC-Hartford member Kate McLoughlin was a featured speaker … Pax Christi International Co-President Marie Dennis has a series running on the PCUSA website on civil discourse during this election year … Pax Christi Massachusetts board member and PCUSA Ambassador of Peace Nancy Small reflected on the 9/11 anniversary in this blog post … The Pax Christi USA-produced film on Haiti was chosen for another film festival … Heather Brouillet Navarro of PC-St. Louis, Sr. Esther Pineda of PC-Salinas (KS) and historian David O’Brien were elected to the National Council … See more local and regional updates in the summer edition of The Peace Current …

Send your news items, announcements, photos and links to stories about Pax Christi groups or members to jzokovitch@paxchristiusa.org.

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

Tagged 30 Days of Peace, Albany Times Union, Alpena Peace People, Bishop Gumbleton, Bud Ryan, Camp Ripley, Cite Soleil, Dave Atwood, David O'Brien, Detroit News, Esther Pineda, Haiti, Heather Brouillet Navarro, Herb Bazur, Hiroshima, Intercommunity Justice and Peace, International Day of Peace, Jean Stokan, John Dear, Joshua Casteel, Los Alamos, Marie Dennis, Momentum 2012, Morrison County Times, Nancy Small, National Catholic Reporter, Pax Christi, Pax Christi Atlanta, Pax Christi Detroit, Pax Christi Florida, Pax Christi Illinois., Pax Christi International, Pax Christi Massachusetts, Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore, Pax Christi Michigan, Pax Christi Minnesota, Pax Christi New Mexico, Pax Christi Richmond, Pax Christi South Dakota, Pax Christi St. Cloud, Pax Christi Texas, Santa Fe Reporter, Slave Trail Walk, Tom Roberts

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

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…”

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 3^rd. 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.”

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 31^st 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 13^th annual Stations of the Cross … Pittsburgh-area Pax Christi hosted its 17^th 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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Posted in Calendar, Local Group News, News, On The Line, Regional Events, Regional News

Tagged Blue Water Pax Christi, Capt. Wayne Porter, Catholic Sentinel, Commonweal, Diane Lopez Hughes, Gonzaga University, Helen Prejean, Jack Gilroy, Jack Morris SJ, Jane Domingue, JustFaith Ministries, Know Drones Tour, Mel Duncan, Michael McCarthy, Mohawk Valley Pax Christi, Nancy O'Byrne, Nick Mele, Pax Christi, Pax Christi Arizona, Pax Christi Florida, Pax Christi Genesee County, Pax Christi Greensburg, Pax Christi Harrisburg, Pax Christi International, Pax Christi Los Angeles, Pax Christi Manasota, Pax Christi Metro New York, Pax Christi Michigan, Pax Christi Richmond, Pax Christi Southeastern South Dakota, Pax Christi Southern California, Pax Christi Spokane, Pax Christi Springfield, Pax Christi St. Cloud, Pax Christi Texas, Pittsburgh-area Pax Christi, Sr. Patty Chappell, State Journal Register, Tom Cordaro, YNN

ON THE LINE: Pax Christi groups, members featured in articles on Israel-Palestine, concealed gun law, and more

Posted on June 8, 2011 | 1 Comment

“On The Line” features news items and announcements from around the nation featuring Pax Christi members, local groups, regions and partners. During the summer months, “On The Line” will appear on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month.

FROM THE PORTLAND PRESS HERALD, by William Slavick of Pax Christi Maine: “The uproar about President Obama’s call for Middle East negotiations based on the 1967 border, with points given to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for lecturing Obama in the Oval Office (“Netanyahu defines the real Mideast conflict,” Our Views, May 29) primarily serves to indicate how uninformed Congress and U.S. mass media are regarding Palestine.

“Every peace negotiation for 20 years has begun and ended with the 1967 line with mutually agreed land swaps.

“It was Netanyahu who was off the reservation in arguing not from “facts on the ground,” as usual (if we can take it, we’re going to keep it), but reverting to the day when Israel, without the fourth most powerful military and sufficient nuclear bombs to destroy most of the Arab world, feared an Arab attack…” To read the entire article, click here.

FROM THE WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, by Trudi Jenny of Pax Christi Madison (WI): “At a recent Capitol Square Farmers Market, Pax Christi-Madison conducted an informal survey on the proposed concealed weapons bill by asking passers-by to vote on whether concealed weapons should be allowed at the market. The results were 36 in favor (of which four would amend to require permits), and 318 opposed.

“This supports the findings of a statewide survey done by Third Eye Strategies of Springfield, Va., on the issue of guns in public in Wisconsin. Their report, done for Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, found most voters in opposition to concealed carry (see www.waveedfund.org).” To read the entire article, click here.

Pax Christi Minnesota members at a demonstration on May 1st.

FROM THE STATEN ISLAND (NY) ADVANCE: Pax Christi Staten Island will holds its annual Dorothy Day Pilgrimage honoring the co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement on June 11.

Participants will meet at 10:30 a.m. at her gravesite in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains. After a brief prayer service, the group will proceed to the former Spanish Camp where Dorothy Day’s cottage once stood and walk along the beach as Ms. Day did.

Memories and thoughts concerning Ms. Day’s life will be discussed. For information, call Charles Kitts at 718-447-3464 or e-mail him at charleskitts@aol.com.

FROM THE ST. CLOUD (MN) TIMES: “Pax Christi-St. Cloud and the Alternatives to War Committee have announced a ‘peace-messaging’ contest for youths in area schools and faith communities.

“The contest, which goes through Memorial Day, is open to children and youths through age 18. Entries will be evaluated by members of the two organizations based on how clearly and effectively they express a positive vision of authentic peace.

“Up to 50 entries will be selected as winners. Those whose entries are selected will have their design printed on a repurposed T-shirt that they will receive, and their design will be displayed at events sponsored by both organizations as well as posted on the Alternatives to War Committee’s website.”

PEACEMAKERS ANNOUNCED: Pax Christi Metro New York (PCMNY) held their 2011 Peacemaker Awards Reception on Sunday, May 22 at the Academy of St. Joseph in Greenwich Village. PCMNY honored Marie Dennis, Director of the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns and Co-president of Pax Christi International; Fr. Michael Perry, pastor of Our Lady of Refuge, Brooklyn; and Renata Mulder, PCMNY Board and Development Committee Member.

IN BRIEF: Click here to see photos from Pax Christi Long Island’s Memorial Day Peace Procession at Jones Beach … Pax Christi Central Seattle will be holding an evening conversation on June 9 at the Maryknoll Mission House with Eleanor Gilmore and Sheila Lemieux, sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, as they share their account of nonviolent civil resistance and active peacemaking … Pax Christi Duluth (MN) hosted a Dorothy Day series that culminated with a presentation by Art Laffin of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in Washington, D.C. The group has also been engaged in letter-writing campaigns to their legislators through Bread for the World and calling legislators about demilitarization … Pax Christi Phoenix organized a vigil against the death penalty on May 25 when the state of Arizona executed Don Beatty … Joan Tirak, coordinator of Pax Christi Michigan gave presentations to the JustFaith groups at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in East Lansing (MI) and at St. Girard Church in Lansing.

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

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Posted in News, On The Line, PCUSA in the news

Tagged Art Laffin, Dorothy Day, Fr. Michael Perry, Joan Tirak, Marie Dennis, Pax Christi Central Seattle, Pax Christi Duluth, Pax Christi Long Island, Pax Christi Madison, Pax Christi Maine, Pax Christi Metro New York, Pax Christi Michigan, Pax Christi Phoenix, Pax Christi St. Cloud, Pax Christi Staten Island, Portland Press Herald, Renata Mulder, St. Cloud Times, Staten Island Advance, Trudi Jenny, William Slavick, Wisconsin State Journal

ON THE LINE: Cost of War event in LA, action in DuPage County, letter in Newsday, and more

Posted on April 6, 2011 | Comments Off

Compiled by Johnny Zokovitch

Each week “On The Line” features news items and announcements from around the nation featuring Pax Christi members, local groups, regions and partners.

COST OF WAR/CULTURE OF PEACE EVENT IN LA: Pax Christi Southern California and Pax Christi Los Angeles are co-sponsors of an event featuring authors Chris Hedges, Paul Chappell, and David Swanson, on April 30 at 7:30pm at the University of Southern California. The event, “Cost of War/Culture of Peace,” will focus on unmasking the costs of racism, war and empire. More information on the event can be found at http://www.uniteduniversitychurch.org.

THE DAILY HERALD: The Daily Herald, covering Chicago and the surrounding counties, featured an article and story which included a photo of Pax Christi DuPage County members. Included in the photo below are PCUSA Ambassador of Peace Tom Cordaro (4^th from the left) and Siobhan Kolar (5^th from the left), who joined with Latino activists at a press conference in front of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office calling for an independent investigation of racial profiling in the county. Protesters are asking the county to opt out of the federal Secure Communities Program that targets immigrants in the community for deportation.

THE GEORGIA BULLETIN: Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, founding bishop-president of Pax Christi USA, presented a three-day Lenten retreat at the Sacred Heart Basilica in Atlanta focusing on the church’s teaching on peace and violence. The Georgia Bulletin, the diocesan Catholic newspaper, called the retreat “part history lesson and part theology discussion.” To read the entire article about Bishop Gumbleton’s presentation, click here.

NEWSDAY: Eleanor Krebs, a Pax Christi member in Farmingdale, NY, had a letter to the editor published in the March 29 issue of Newsday. The letter was headlined, “Mourn the lives and money lost in Iraq.” Ms. Krebs wrote, “As we enter the ninth year of our war with Iraq, it is a time of mourning for all Americans. First, let us mourn the 4,439 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq and the thousands more wounded, the suicides and the traumatized. Next, let us mourn the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed and the tens of thousands wounded and the homes and hospitals , factories, roads and bridges destroyed in Iraq…”

DISARM NOW PLOWSHARES SENTENCING: Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace Bill Quigley wrote to share with us the results of the sentencing phase for the Disarm Now Plowshares in Washington. He writes, “Two grandmothers, two priests and a nun were sentenced in federal court in Tacoma, WA Monday March 28, 2011, for confronting hundreds of U.S. nuclear weapons stockpiled for use by the deadly Trident submarines. Sentenced were: Sr. Anne Montgomery, 83, a Sacred Heart sister from New York, who was ordered to serve 2 months in federal prison and 4 months electronic home confinement; Fr. Bill Bischel, 81, a Jesuit priest from Tacoma, ordered to serve 3 months in prison and 6 months electronic home confinement; Susan Crane, 67, a member of the Jonah House community in Baltimore, Maryland, ordered to serve 15 months in federal prison; Lynne Greenwald, 60, a nurse from Bremerton, Washington, ordered to serve 6 months in federal prison; and Fr. Steve Kelly, 60, a Jesuit priest from Oakland, California, ordered to serve 15 months in federal prison.” For more information and how to lend your support, visit http://disarmnowplowshares.wordpress.com.

ST. CLOUD (MN) TIMES: Pax Christi St. Cloud was featured in an article in the St. Cloud Times entitled, “It’s time to bring all the troops home.” The article highlighted an informational protest meant to draw attention to the various conflicts in which U.S. troops are participating. To read the entire article, click here.

IN BRIEF: Pax Christi Hudson Valley was the featured partner this past week on the Billion Bells for Peace website… The “Economic and Ecological Way of the Cross” in Washington, D.C. will be held on Good Friday beginning at noon on the west side of the U.S. Capitol. The event is sponsored coordinated by the Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach. For more information contact Ryan Murphy at rmurphy@columban.org… A diverse group of Houston citizens, including Pax Christi Houston, were instrumental in proclaiming April 4 “Houston, the Beloved Community Day.” The proclamation was presented to the sponsoring groups by Mayor Annise Parker and Councilwoman Jolanda Jones at a Houston City Council meeting… Pax Christi Northeastern Pennsylvania co-sponsored a speech by an anti-death penalty activist at Lycoming College. Read the article here… Pax Christi Long Island presented their Peace Award to Seemi and Habeeb Ahmed of the Islamic Center in Westbury, NY as “Builders of the Peaceful Community” and the Peacemaker Award to PCUSA Ambassador of Peace Rev. John Dear S.J… Pax Christi Baltimore is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. Congrats to PC-Baltimore long-time coordinator Chuck Michaels and PC-Baltimore!