ON THE LINE: Report-back on Good Friday actions, PC in the Huffington Post, and more

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.

ED. Note: Sorry for posting this a day late. I was out sick yesterday.

WAY OF THE CROSS: By our report in the national office, over 20 Good Friday Way of the Cross prayer and witness events were held throughout the United States, connecting the suffering of Jesus with the suffering of our sisters and brothers because of poverty, injustice, war, violence, sickness, and more. Here are a few links, photos and news stories sent in from groups across the country:

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: Pax Christi New Jersey joined other groups to focus on immigration advocacy: http://tinyurl.com/3flvncy
Pax Christi members in Seattle participated in an extended liturgy at the Federal Building downtown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RqkFxMBq10
Photos with Pax Christi Metro-D.C.-Baltimore members from PCUSA partner Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns’ Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.1670996618216.2084636.1336393679
THE EDMONTON JOURNAL: PCUSA’s partner JustFaith Ministries had groups participate in places like Edmonton, http://tinyurl.com/3lf5g3b, and in Louisville, KY, home to the national office of JustFaith Ministries
YNN featured a video of Mohawk Valley (NY) Pax Christi’s Good Friday event on their website: http://tinyurl.com/6zkrxpa
WYNC featured Pax Christi Metro New York’s Midtown march: http://tinyurl.com/5u5tb3n

THE HUFFINGTON POST: Pax Christi Metro New York’s coordinator, Rosemarie Pace, wrote a piece which was published on The Huffington Post on Good Friday. The reflection centered on the importance of Good Friday within our tradition and shared information about the Way of the Cross which Pax Christi Metro New York holds each year. You can read the whole story here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rosemarie-pace/good-friday-stations-of-t_b_851197.html

IMPROVING POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS: For the past three years, members of Pax Christi of the Pomona Valley in Southern California have been working on justice issues concerning immigrant rights and improved police-community relations as members of an active justice coalition in the city of Pomona. As part of this work, Pax Christi members have attended and spoken at public hearings, participated in peaceful demonstrations, worked at building positive relationships with community leaders and written letters to the editor and op-ed pieces for the local newspaper. A significant milestone was reached in this work in April, when the Pomona City Charter Review Commission voted
to add language to the city charter saying that the Pomona City Council shall create a police review commission. The question of a police review commission will now go before the city’s voters in a general election. Pax Christi members plan to continue to be involved in advocacy as the election approaches.

PHOTO: Leona Wieland and Sr. Gabriella, co-chairs of Pax Christi Southeastern South Dakota, sent us this photo from a recent event they held in Sioux Falls:

IN BRIEF: Pax Christi Marin (CA) will be hosting an event on homelessness featuring the Gubbio Project’s executive director Laura Slattery, on May 9th, at San Rafael. The event is featured in THE MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL: http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_17924475… Long-time member of Pax Christi Memphis, Father John Atkinson, will celebrate 50 years of ministry on May 13, 2011… Beatitudes Pax Christi (MI) is involved in the Moveable Peace 2011 project with Michigan Peaceworks… Students belonging to Bishop Alemany High School Pax Christi (CA) have participated in a St. Francis Peace Festival, attended functions coordinated by the Los Angeles chapter of Pax Christi, and written letters concerning federal and state legislation… La Crosse-area Pax Christi (WI) has been focusing on immigration issues and hospitality toward our Latino/a brothers and sisters.