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.
HIROSHIMA DAY WITNESS: Numerous Pax Christi local groups from around the nation participated in events, prayer services, and public actions to commemorate the first atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima 67 years ago. Here is a sampling of what groups did: Pax Christi New Mexico members hosted their annual “Sack Cloth and Ashes” vigil at Los Alamos. Pax Christi Metro New York hosted prayer, talk, and a public witness to express opposition to nuclear weapons with historian David Watt providing a historical critique of the bombings and Leila Zand, Middle East Program Director from Fellowship of Reconciliation, sharing a contemporary look at the nuclear threat with Iran. Pax Christi Metro D.C.-Baltimore members joined others at the Pentagon where members of the Atlantic Life Community were arrested for nonviolent action. Pax Christi-St. Maurice Church in S. Florida held a special evening of remembrance that included speakers and Japanese drumming. Members of Pax Christi Rochester (MN) lit peace lanterns to illuminate the threat of nuclear war. Pax Christi of Pomona Valley (CA) sponsored a peace vigil.
PAX CHRISTI MICHIGAN SUPPORTS LCWR: On their website, PC-MI writes, “We are writing to assure LCWR that Pax Christi Michigan stands firmly in support of your members throughout the United States AND in absolute opposition to the Vatican decree issued against you on April 18, 2012. We are deeply saddened by the decree contents and want you to know that we stand in awe of the positions you have taken and the leadership you have given through your prophetic works over these many years. Moreover, Pax Christi Michigan is a proud signatory of the Pax Christi International letter of support which was issued just a few weeks ago, publically declaring our solidarity with LCWR in praise of your work. PCM joined other National Sections, including Pax Christi USA, and numerous PC Regional Members as signatories of this powerful letter…” To read the entire letter, click here: http://paxchristimi.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/open-letter-to-the-leadership-conference-of-women-religious-from-pax-christi-michigan/
WOMEN OF GOD SLIDESHOW: Former Pax Christi USA Development Director Jo Clarke has put together an excellent slideshow called “Women of God” which is now playing on the Erie Benedictines’ website. At a time when our women religious have come under Vatican criticism, this slideshow really celebrates the incredible, diverse ministries of our Sisters. Click here to see the slideshow: http://eriebenedictines.org/
PAX CHRISTI HARRISBURG (PA) LEADER PASSES: Patricia Mary Schulder “wasn’t afraid to get arrested across from the White House for protesting the Vietnam War — and did. She wasn’t afraid to hold an anti-war sign in front of the federal building in downtown Harrisburg — and did that, too. [She] believed it wasn’t enough to hope and pray for peace and justice. She also worked for it… ‘Pat made a difference in the world,’ said Mary Hertzel of Harrisburg, a fellow member of Pax Christi. ‘She came to peace vigils at noon at the Federal Building. She held posters about ending war. She always worked for peace. She also gave great Christmas parties and served delicious food. We will miss her very much.’ Read the entire story at bit.ly/NRZmB2
SUPPORT FOR JUSTICE FOR JANITORS: Dave and Peggy Atwood of Pax Christi Houston were arrested in support of the Justice for Janitors campaign. Dave also delivered a powerful letter of support to janitors organizing for their rights in that city. This is an excerpt from his message: “his is not a matter of supply and demand as some in the business world would like to say. This is a question of basic justice. Paying poverty wages to someone to do an essential job is just plain unjust. And so I say to the large companies who are making record profits and to their CEOs who are earning millions of dollars each year, treat these workers right! If you do so, your company will do better and the Houston economy will benefit. And I say to the janitors and other low-wage workers of Houston: ‘Stand your ground, my brothers and sisters! Your cause is just and God will bless you.’” Click here to see their video in support of the campaign: http://youtu.be/PqU3yk9-7B0. Click here to see photos from the action in which Dave and Peggy were among those arrested: http://www.chron.com/business/article/Protesters-block-intersection-in-support-of-3716827.php?cmpid=emailarticle&cmpid=emailarticle
Upcoming or Ongoing Events:
July 1-August 9 – Forty Day Fast for the Truth of Gospel Nonviolence, http://lifeofanunorsister.blogspot.com/2012/07/forty-day-fast-for-truth-of-gospel.html
August 5-9 – Faith and Resistance Retreat in Washington, D.C., commemorating the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; contact Art Laffin at artlaffin@hotmail.com for more information
Sept. 7 – Momentum 2012 with Bishop Gumbleton, Bishop Kevin Dowling and Teacher of Peace Ruben Garcia at Trinity University in Washington, D.C., http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/momentum-2012/
Sept. 15 – Regional Dialogue in Atlanta, GA: http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/regional-dialogues-2012-13/
Sept. 21 – International Day of Peace
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 – Regional Dialogue in Illinois: http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/regional-dialogues-2012-13/
Quicklinks:
PC Pacific NW member Nick Mele writes on various peace and justice topics on his blog, The Disconnect … Pax Christi Florida member Pat Mahon reflects on Hiroshima on his blog, ChristFaithPower … Pat O’Neill had his letter in support of the Transform Now Plowshares published in the Knoxville (TN) newspaper … Pax Christi El Paso is showing “The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It” for August … PC Metro NY Director Rosemarie Pace was quoted in a comment on the New York Daily News’ website regarding the theater attack in Aurora … Pax Christi Mariposa hosted a speech by Dan Flaming of the Economic Roundtable in July … Pax Christi members in the Bay-Area (CA) are supporting Hyatt housekeepers in their boycott of Hyatt Hotels … Pax Christi Illinois member Tom Cordaro has a series running on the PCUSA website critiquing the theology and practice of nonviolence from an anti-racist perspective … 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.
I am disappointed that Pax Christi has no references to or support of the recent Plowshares action at the Y-12 weapons plant in Oak Ridge, TN, where an 82 y.o. nun, a 63 y.o. Catholic Worker, and a Catholic Veteran for Peace were arrested after easily breaching the highest security area in our country, resulting in a shut down of the weapons plant and an embarassment to the NNSA and DOE.
Hi Tupper, I think you must have missed it. On July 31, we published this piece from Rose Marie Berger: http://paxchristiusa.org/2012/07/31/nuclear-disarmament-transform-now-plowshares-at-oak-ridge-nuclear-facility/
And in the On The Line edition for August, we carried a link to Pat O’Neill’s letter praising the Transform Now Plowshares (it was published in the Knoxville paper).
We also linked to the stories on our Facebook page. It’s hard to cover everything but we try!
Thanks,
Johnny