Dear companions on the journey,
Greetings to each of you from the national office of Pax Christi USA! As we think about the upcoming birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, I would like to invite all regional and local leaders, college students, families, women and men religious, and members of the Pax Christi community to commemorate and celebrate the legacy of Rev. Dr. King by not taking the day off but to use this day as a time of dialogue, reflection and service to others! It is critical for members of Pax Christi to be intentional in joining with communities of color across this nation, as together we commit to creating a future which will be better for many generations to come.
The staff at our Washington, D.C. location will join with Shiloh Baptist Church in their efforts to “keep the dream alive”. If you are not sure how to get involved, please contact the news outlet in your particular location. There are many rituals/services which will be offered. I invite you to post your reflections and/or actions on the Pax Christi USA website and Facebook page!
In closing, let each one of us continue our commitment to concretizing Dr. King’s dream of equality, equity and deep respect and appreciation of one another.
I remain working for peace through justice,
Sr. Patricia Chappell, SNDdeN
Executive Director, Pax Christi USA
Here in Springfield, MO, there will be a Martin Luther King Jr. March and Celebration on March 16th, followed by a Multicultural Festival. Many individuals and organizations will take part; my wife and I will be among the representatives of Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Dr. King was adamantly opposed to capial punishment. His wife, Coretta Scott King, has said: “I stand firmly and unequivocally opposed to the death penalty for those convicted of capital offenses. An evil deed is not redeemed by an evil deed of retaliation. Justice is never advanced in the taking of a human life. Morality is never upheld by a legalized murder.”