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.
PC GROUPS HOST, PARTICIPATE IN GOOD FRIDAY WAY OF THE CROSS ACTIONS: From Atlanta to New York City, Richmond to Denver, over 20 Pax Christi local and regional groups led or participated in Way of the Cross vigils and actions on Good Friday to connect the suffering in our world today with the suffering of Jesus on the cross 2,000 years ago. Pax Christi Metro New York’s service was featured in the Archdiocese of New York’s blog and the New York Daily News included a photo of Archbishop Dolan participating in the service. Pax Christi groups that participated in or led these prayer services and actions included groups (with links to news stories, etc.) in Harrisburg (PA), Richmond (VA), Washington DC, Denver, NYC, Atlanta, Utica (NY), Bradenton (FL), Naperville (IL), Chicago, Springfield (IL), St. Paul (MN), Hartford (CT), Milwaukee, Sioux Falls (SD), Muskegon (MI), Seattle, Sunnyvale (CA), Albany (NY), Melbourne (FL).
PC WESTERN NEW YORK CHOOSES NEW COORDINATOR: PC-Western New York recently chose Tom Casey to serve as their new regional coordinator. Tom is a former candidate for both Congress and the NY State Legislator. A recent retiree, Tom has been active in the Witness for Torture group and has been an active supporter for friends who have been arrested for protesting drones at the Hancock base in Syracuse. Tom is a faithful peace advocate and will bring new energy and leadership to PC Western NY’s search for a more peaceful community and world.
PAX CHRISTI MASSACHUSETTS HOLDS SPRING RETREAT WITH FR. SIMON HARAK, SJ: (From the website of the Catholic Communications Office of the Diocese of Springfield, MA) – “About 60 people gathered for a Pax Christi spring retreat at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, here, on April 6, to focus on ‘Jesus: Non-Violent Spirituality Made Flesh.’ The day was led by Jesuit Father Simon Harak, a professor of theology and director of the Center for Peacemaking at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. Father Harak holds a doctorate in ethics from Notre Dame University and provided the scriptural background for non-violence and peace. Using scripture, Father Harak explained how the Beaitudes are always mistranslated and the importance of being peaceful people. ‘Once you are so sure of your position to do violence, God slips away,’ he said in his morning talk. Read more of this article here: http://www.iobserve.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=2429&cntnt01origid=57&cntnt01returnid=58
PC MEMPHIS CELEBRATES CITY’S DIVERSITY: Pax Christi Memphis was present at the city’s “Heart of Memphis” event on March 30th. The day-long happening celebrated the city’s diversity with workshops, music, dance and entertainment. The event gave Memphians an alternative to gathering downtown to watch the Ku Klux Klan, who demonstrated in opposition to the re-naming of three Confederate-themed memorial city parks. Heart of Memphis drew a much larger crowd and gave residents the opportunity to come together in a showing of peace, justice and unity. Members Ed Wallin, Pax Christi Ambassador of Peace Janice Vanderhaar and Paul Crum were among the volunteers who greeted visitors to their table throughout the day.
PC TEACHER OF PEACE SR. MARY LOU KOWNACKI RECEIVES AWARD: (From NCR) – Benedictine Sr. Mary Lou Kownacki received the Archbishop Oscar Romero Award from the Mercyhurst University Religious Studies Department. The award is given out each year to an organization or individual who meets the criteria of ‘living the call of faith and justice in an extraordinary manner,’ according to The Merciad, Mercyhurst’s newspaper. Among other ministries, Kownacki has been involved with Pax Christi USA since its founding in 1973 and served as national coordinator from 1985 to 1991. The award is named after San Salvador Archbishop Oscar Romero, an advocate for the poor in El Salvador who was assassinated in 1980 while celebrating Mass. Read more of this article by clicking here: http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/benedictine-sister-receives-award-faith-and-justice-work
Upcoming or Ongoing Events:
April 15 – Global Day of Action Against Military Spending: http://www.paxchristi.net/international/eng/news.php?id=2233&wat=show
April 20 – Pax Christi Michigan State Conference, “Prophetic Leadership of Women: Justice from the Margins,” with Elizabeth Walters, IHM, and Barbara Reid, OP: http://www.paxchristimi.org/2013_state_conference.htm
April 20 – PC-Maine Regional Dialogue; contact Denny Dreher at laffmom@yahoo.com
April 26-28 – Resisting Drones, Global War and Empire, in Upstate New York: http://upstatedroneaction.org/Conference-2013.html
April 26-29 – Midwest Catholic Worker Faith and Resistance Retreat in Winona, MN: https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!searchin/national-cw-e-mail-list/april$2026%7Csort:date/national-cw-e-mail-list/JlxevjlWaoc/6x9YFwqa0J0J
May 4 – PC-Pacific Northwest Regional Dialogue; contact Scott Cooper at scooper@ccspokane.org
June 14-16 – Pax Christi USA National Conference in Atlanta, GA: http://paxchristiusa.org/programs/national-conference-2013/
Quicklinks:
Pax Christi Illinois participated in a rally against a for-profit immigrant prison in Joliet … PC International Co-President Marie Dennis is the keynote speaker at the Franciscan Spirituality Center in LaCrosse, WI on May 3-4. She will be speaking on “Intentional Living: A Pathway to Peace” … Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore member Scott Wright helped to craft the apology delivered by SOA Watch in El Salvador for the U.S.’s role in Salvadoran deaths during the war … Pax Christi Hudson Valley (NY) hosted a Peace Mass at St. Augustine’s Church on March 16. It was a beautiful mass with a warm welcome from Fr. Tom Lutz and an inspiring homily by our friend and deacon Tom Cornell … Pax Christi USA Teachers of Peace MJ and Jerry Park started a new peace academy through Little Friends for Peace in Washington, DC … PC MetroWest (MA) will be helping to organize the Natick Earth Day festival on April 21 … Tiffin Area Pax Christi members led a vigil calling for the release of detainees at Guantanamo … Read these reports from the Pax Christi Michigan regional dialogue and the Pax Christi Minnesota/South Dakota regional dialogue … Pax Christi of the Pomona Valley (CA) co-hosted “An Evening of Conversation with Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J.”. on February 16. Before a standing-room-only crowd, Fr. Greg shared stories of his decades of restorative justice work with youth … One former PCUSA National Coordinator, Sr. Mary Lou Kownacki, osb, interviews another, Sr. Anne McCarthy, on St. Brigid of Kildare … New group Pax Christi Southwest Florida has started a blog … Pax Christi International’s April 2013 newsletter is online … See more local and regional updates in the Spring 2013 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.