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.
PAX CHRISTI INCARNATE WORLD HIGH SCHOOL, PC SAN ANTONIO BRING MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS TOGETHER: “Twenty-one Muslim and Christian groups partnered to have an evening ‘In the Footprints of Francis and The Sultan: A Model for Peacemaking,’ September 13, 2013. About 350 people gathered at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and then about 150 more people joined the group in the second half of the program at the Muslim Children Education and Civic Center. The program began with the film, ‘In the Footprints of Francis and the Sultan,’ which shares a little-known story of the Fifth Crusade in 1219. St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malek Al-Kamil engaged in dialogue which eventually led to peace. Their example is an invitation to join in respectful dialogues with people of different faiths and cultures… Student leaders in Pax Christi at Incarnate Word High School, who worked hard hosting the event, spoke of the joy of building bridges in this way. Karen Ball, the president of the San Antonio Pax Christi organization and a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church worked with their pastor Father Larry Christian and staff Sister Rose Kruppa, and Mike Portele to provide space when the number of attendees more than tripled… Read more about the event at http://www.uiw.edu/interfaithservice/
PCUSA TEACHER OF PEACE KATHY KELLY TO SPEAK IN OHIO: (from The News-Messenger) “International activist Kathy Kelly will speak at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at St. Bernardine Home on the campus of Our Lady of the Pines, 1220 Tiffin St. Her topic will be ‘Reflections on Warfare in Afghanistan and Gaza: Seeing through the Smokescreen.’ The event is free and open to the public. During each of 12 recent trips to Afghanistan, Kelly, as an invited guest of the Afghan Peace Volunteers, has lived alongside ordinary Afghan people in a working class neighborhood in Kabul. As founder and co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Kelly has traveled to many war zones and documented heartbreaking stories of families affected by war. In the past year, Kelly visited Gaza immediately following the Israeli Operation Pillar of Defense…” The event is co-sponsored by Tiffin Area Pax Christi. Read more at http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/20131013/NEWS01/310130013?nclick_check=1
PAX CHRISTI-COLLEGE OF THE HOLY CROSS REMEMBERS SEPTEMBER 11TH: (from The Crusader) “On Wednesday, Sept. 11, the Holy Cross Community joined Pax Christi in remembering the events of September 11, 2001 and praying for global peace in countries presently torn by conflict and violence, such as Syria, Yemen, and Sudan. Students gathered in Memorial Plaza where they wrote a prayer for peace in their own words and burned it in offering. After this, they were offered a candle to light and place on the edge of the fountain that stands in the center of the Plaza. The mood was somber, as students remembered the seven Holy Cross alumnae who lost their lives on 9/11 as well as their own loved ones. The Holy Cross chapter of Pax Christi will continue to follow the developments in Syria and the Middle East at their weekly meetings on Wednesdays, at 7 pm in Campion House.”… Read more at http://www.thehccrusader.com/news/pax-christi-vigil-1.3065196#.Ul7tE1AjK9A
PAX CHRISTI INTERNATIONAL CO-PRESIDENT FEATURED ON VATICAN RADIO: (from Vatican Radio) “Pope John XXIII’s Cold War era Encyclical Pacem in Terris or ‘Peace on Earth,’ remains ‘extremely contemporary’ and can act as a guide to peace-building in today’s world. That’s what Pope Francis told participants at a three day Vatican conference this week celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1963 Encyclical Letter. Experts from Catholic universities and institutions, and from the UN, the Council of Europe, the African Union, and the Organization of American States gathered in Rome at the request of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace to discuss the relevance of Pacem in Terris to their peace building efforts in today’s world. Among them were the leaders of the global Catholic peace network Pax Christi International. Philippa Hitchen caught up with co-president Marie Dennis, the first woman and first lay person to hold that leadership position. She explained why Pacem in Terris has served as a kind of Magna Carta for the work of that organization … Listen to the interview at http://www.news.va/en/news/pacem-in-terris-is-magna-carta-for-pax-christi-int
PAX CHRISTI ILLINOIS MEMBER SPEAKS ON DYING, RISING OF CATHOLIC PEACE MOVEMENT: (from NCR, by Tom Cordaro, PCUSA Ambassador of Peace) “Patrick O’Neill provided us with a wistful stroll down memory lane as he lamented the fading of the Catholic peace movement of the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. You’re right, Patrick, the Catholic peace movement ain’t what it used to be. There are profound changes taking place in the movement, but I’m not sure that you or NCR fully grasps them. These changes involve both a dying and a rising. What is dying is the white Catholic middle-class liberal construct of what constitutes ‘the Catholic peace movement.’ This construct was, in part, created by Pax Christi USA beginning in the 1970s. White Catholic peace activists founded the Pax Christi USA of the ’70s to serve the needs of white Catholic peacemakers. In many ways, we succeeded in moving nonviolent peacemaking into the mainstream of Catholic social thought and practice. For many years, this work went well for us. But while we were busy trying to change the world, the world changed… Read more at http://paxchristiusa.org/2013/10/07/reflection-the-catholic-peace-movement-dying-and-rising/
PAX CHRISTI USA AMBASSADOR OF PEACE HAS NEW BOOK ON NONVIOLENCE: How can we become people of nonviolence and help the world become more nonviolent? What does it mean to be a person of active nonviolence? How can we help build a global grassroots movement of nonviolence to disarm the world, relieve unjust human suffering, make a more just society and protect creation and all creatures? What is a nonviolent life? These are the questions John Dear—Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace, long time peace activist and Pace e Bene staff member—poses in his new book, “The Nonviolent Life.” John Dear suggests that the life of nonviolence requires three simultaneous attributes: being nonviolent toward ourselves; being nonviolent to all people, all creatures, and all creation; and joining the global grassroots movement of nonviolence… For more information, visit http://www.paceebene.org/
PAX CHRISTI OKLAHOMA CITY HOLDS ANTI-RACISM WORKSHOP: (from The Oklahoman) “’Becoming an Anti-Racist Community: First Steps’ and the ‘Becoming an Anti-Racist Community Workshop’ were held Oct. 5 and sponsored by Pax Christi Oklahoma City and Joy Mennonite Church. Susan Lee and Chris Houk, both of Oklahoma City, said they are members of Pax Christi Oklahoma City, a Roman Catholic ‘peace with justice’ movement. Lee, 62, said combating racism is an issue that Pax Christi USA has encouraged. The forum and workshop were presented by Cathleen A. Crayton and Alex Mikulich, members of the Pax Christi anti-racism team…” Read more at http://newsok.com/article/3887509
PAX CHRISTI METRO NEW YORK HOLDS PEACE MASS: About 40 people joined Pax Christi Metro New York at Holy Family Church, the United Nations parish in New York City, to celebrate a Peace Mass together. We were particularly touched to have three Pax Christi people who happened to be in New York from Texas and Ohio participate with us. Following the Mass, we had light refreshments and a stimulating discussion on ways to foster a culture of peace, especially among the young. Overall, it was a very good celebration of UN International Peace Day, September 21.
Upcoming or Ongoing Events:
Oct. 16 – 7-9 p.m. Susi Snyder, IKV Pax Christi, “Don’t Bank on the Bomb.” Sponsored by Abolition 2000 NY Metro. At the World Federalist-Global Policy Institute, 708 Third Ave., 24th Floor, New York.
Oct. 18-20 – Gandhi-King Conference in Memphis, TN: http://www.gandhikingconference.org/
Nov. 23 – A Faithful Budget: Creating a Federal Budget that puts “the least of these” first, 1:30 pm at First United Church of Oak Park, 848 Lake Street, 60301. Co-sponsored by Pax Christi Illinois. For more information, contact Nancy Oetter at 630-904-3859 or nloetter@comcast.net.
Quicklinks:
Catholic Peace Fellowship-Pax Christi Philadelphia held a Memorial Service for Franziska Jägerstätter on Sunday, September 29. During the service Johanna Berrigan (House of Grace Catholic Worker, attended Franz’s beatification), Tom Gumbleton (Bishop and Friend of Franziska), and John P. McNamee (Priest, Poet, visited Franziska with Aileen and Robert McGovern) shared reflections … Pax Christi Memphis member Ed Wallin had a letter in the Memphis newspaper regarding the governor’s treatment of the poor … Pax Christi Central Seattle hosted Pax Christi USA Ambassador of Peace Sr. Kathleen Pruitt to facilitate a day of reflection and discussion about the Christian call to nonviolence and will be planning a public declaration of the vow later this year … Pax Christi Metro New York has published the fall edition of their newsletter Kerux Live … Pax Christi International Co-President Marie Dennis gave the keynote address at South Dakota Pax Christi’s ninth annual conference … A new Pax Christi chapter is forming in Charlottesville, VA … Pax Christi Northeastern Pennsylvania is supporting Fr. Bill Pickard at his upcoming trial, Oct. 25. If you want to help cover his expenses, you can send checks payable to him to PCNEPA, PO Box 168, Clarks Summit, PA 18411 … Pax Christi Quad Cities (IA) participated in the planning for the 2013 Pacem in Terris Award Ceremony … Pax Christi USA co-sponsored a national teach-in on Syria … Pax Christi International has issued a statement on the closing of Tutela Legal in El Salvador … Pax Christi International’s October 2013 newsletter is online … See more local and regional updates in the Summer 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.
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