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. We are publishing this edition a week later than usual. We apologize for any inconvenience in this change in schedule.
BISHOP WALTER SULLIVAN, FORMER PAX CHRISTI USA BISHOP-PRESIDENT, PASSES: Today is the funeral of Bishop Walter Sullivan, former PCUSA bishop-president from 1991 through 2003. The funeral is in Richmond. If you have not already had the opportunity, we encourage you to check out our special webpage dedicated to Bishop Sullivan. It includes reflections and comments from people who knew and loved him, an obituary, photos and more. You can see the page here: http://paxchristiusa.org/about/ambassadors-of-peace/remembering-bishop-walter-sullivan/
REV. JIM GOWER, EARLY PCUSA AMBASSADOR OF PEACE, PASSES AT 90: It is with great sadness that we learned from Bill Slavick that Rev. Jim Gower, long-time member of Pax Christi Maine and a true ambassador for peace for Pax Christi USA during the early years, passed away on Monday morning earlier this week. Denny Dreher, regional coordinator for Pax Christi Maine, wrote: “At approximately 1:30 a.m. today, December 17, our beloved Fr. Jim Gower died–falling gently into the arms of the loving God whom he served so joyfully and faithfully for so many years… I happened to read a letter in the Franciscan Action Network (FAN) e-mail message this morning and was struck by the realization of how Fr. Jim followed St. Francis’s lead in serving God. He had no trouble setting the goal of following Jesus… [W]e give thanks for the gift of Fr. Jim’s presence in our lives–and with our efforts as Pax Christi for so many years.” Read more about Fr. Jim at http://paxchristiusa.org/2012/12/19/obituary-rev-jim-gower-the-first-ambassador-of-peace-for-pax-christi-usa-dies/
SR. PATTY IN ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES NEWSPAPER: The following article appeared in The Tidings, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, following the regional dialogue sponsored by Pax Christi Southern California in November. “Sister Patty Chappell — who had been on the job as executive director of Pax Christi USA (PCUSA) for just a year — was walking between tables in the meeting room at St. Camillus Center for Spiritual Care around noon on Nov. 18. The Sister of Notre Dame de Namur was making points not only with inflections of her Southern down-home voice, but also with her waving arms and hands…” Read more of this article at http://www.the-tidings.com/index.php/news/newslocal/2935-pax-christi-leader-catholic-peace-movement-more-critical
FR. JOHN DEAR WRITES ABOUT PAX CHRISTI METRO DC-BALTIMORE MEMBER ELI MCCARTHY’S NEW BOOK: “A new book, Becoming Nonviolent Peacemakers: A Virtue Ethic for Catholic Social Teaching and U.S. Policy by Eli Sasaran McCarthy, proposes a new ethics of peace that takes us from the old paradigms of warfare, greed, militarism and imperialism into a new global network of nonviolent relationships through nonviolent peacemaking. McCarthy examines different approaches to nonviolent peacemaking, and recommends ‘a virtue based assessment’ using the example of Jesus, Gandhi and Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the Pakistani Muslim apostle of nonviolence. You can read more about Eli’s book here: http://ncronline.org/node/39711/. And for a YouTube video featuring Eli at Georgetown, go to http://youtu.be/aZvIOk2lv-M
PAX CHRISTI PENTAGON-AREA LEADS ANTI-DRONE PROTESTS: Pax Christi Pentagon-Area (VA) has been actively working on the drone issue for the past several months. Their most recent protest was featured on PressTV. “A recent rally held by mainly Christian peace organizations in front of CIA headquarters in Virginia was to protest against the increasing usage of drones by the U.S. both abroad and in its own skies… The rally did not only focus on the domestic usage of drones, it also voiced concerns about the so-called ‘double tapping’ attacks used in countries such as Pakistan, Yemen, Afghanistan and Somalia, meaning that a second attack always follows the first one, targeting the rescuers trying to help the initial victims. ‘They hit them twice, it is insidious and immoral and it is shameful, it is shameful on our government for doing such a thing,’ said organizer Jack McHale.” See more coverage at http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/09/277107/americans-protest-drone-use/
PAX CHRISTI METRO NEW YORK HONORS STUDENT FOR WORK FOR PEACE: “David L. Maloof II, resident of Darien and a member of the Fairfield College Preparatory School Class of 2013, has been awarded the Eileen Egan Peacemaker Award from Pax Christi New York for his work in helping to create a basketball facility at a Palestinian Christian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. Maloof worked for several years to create a basketball court and add a ping-pong table to the refugee camp whose previous recreational facilities for teens consisted only of a dirt soccer field. He returned to the camp this past summer to run a basketball clinic for the children at the camp. Maloof also coaches wrestling for inner-city Stamford children.” Read more at http://www.darientimes.com/12409/darien-teen-awarded-peacemaker-award/
Upcoming or Ongoing Events:
Dec. 28 – Feast of the Holy Innocents: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122812.cfm
Jan. 1 – World Day of Peace: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Day_of_Peace
Jan. 6 – Epiphany Sunday: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/010613.cfm
Jan. 6-12 – National Migration Week: http://www.usccb.org/about/migration-and-refugee-services/national-migration-week/index.cfm
Jan. 21 – MLK Day: http://mlkday.gov/about/serveonkingday.php
Feb. 2 – Regional Dialogue in Michigan: http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/regional-dialogues-2012-13/
Quicklinks:
Pax Christi Manteca (CA) was featured in the news for a talk they sponsored on climate change … Pax Christi USA welcomes our newest group, Aquinas High School Peace and Justice Club in La Crosse, WI … Pax Christi Metro New York released this statement following the violence in Newtown, CT last week … Pax Christi Twin Cities (MN) member Steve Clemens was named an honorary award recipient by the Hawkinson Foundation for Peace and Justice. You can see his remarks from the ceremony on YouTube … Pax Christi Massachusetts has started a new forum for students and young adults. Contact Brian at brianashmankas@yahoo.com if you want to connect … A number of Pax Christi groups, from Long Island to Minneapolis and all over, are participating in the 2 Million Friends campaign … Pax Christi Illinois is participating in the 8th Annual World Peace Day Interfaith Service … Pax Christi International was nominated for the Tipperary International Peace Award … Read the December edition of Pax Christi International’s newsletter online … Read Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace Shelley Douglass’s reflection in the wake of the recent election … Many thanks for the long service of Kathy O’Leary, state coordinator for Pax Christi New Jersey. Kathy is stepping down as coordinator this month … Pax Christi Metro New York was honored as a 2012 Great Nonprofit Top-Rated Award Honoree … See more local and regional updates in the fall 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.