ON THE LINE: January 2015 edition highlights the old of 2014 and the new of 2015

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. 

PHOTOS FROM THROUGHOUT 2014: Sometimes, it is best just to let the pictures do the talking. Click here to see about 50 photos of some of the events and actions which Pax Christi USA members across the nation took part in, as well as some of the moments that shaped our work in 2014.

PAX CHRISTI SOUTH DAKOTA HOSTS 20^TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE: In September, Pax Christi South Dakota members, led by the Presentation Sisters, hosted their 20^th annual conference in Watertown. The theme was “Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery,” with speakers Sr. Ruthmary Powers, HM and Sr. Josie Chrosniak, HM, current National Chair of Pax Christi USA. Other presentations which also part of the program, including a presentation on the Sexual Exploitation of American Indian Women and Girls. Click through the slideshow below to see a few photos from the event.

PAX CHRISTI MEMBERS WILL PARTICIPATE TO PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND: All Pax Christi members are invited to a unique experience of attending the Pax Christi International (PCI) World Assembly in Bethlehem from the evening of May 13th to the morning of May 17th in Bethlehem, while also participating in a Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) Living Stones pilgrimage taking place several days before and after the World Assembly. The pilgrimage is being organized by Bob Cooke of Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore. The trip will take you to many of the places where Jesus and his disciples walked as well as providing the opportunity to meet Living Stone Christian (as well as Muslim and Jewish) peacemakers in the Holy Land and find out more about how we can help them in their march to peace and justice in our time. Deadline to register is January 25. For more information, visit  http://paxchristiusa.org/2014/12/11/invitation-join-pax-christi-in-the-holy-land-in-may-2015/

PC SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PETITION PHARMACISTS CONVENTION: Alice Soto and Mike Walsh of Pax Christi Southern California joined members of Death Penalty Focus of Orange County at a vigil at the American Society for Health-Systems Pharmacists to encourage them to join other pharmacists oppposed to participation in executions. The vigil hand-out stated, in part, “Participation in executions undermines the position of trust that pharmacists enjoy in this nation. A handful of pharmacists are bringing the entire pharmaceutical profession into disrepute by using their training and tools to kill their patients without their consent. Pharmacists as individuals are free to agree with or dissent from executions as public policy, but they must not participate in this process as medical professionals who have sworn an oath to protect life.”

ED GUINAN, FIRST GENERAL SECRETRAY OF PCUSA, PASSES AWAY: This morning, I learned that Ed Guinan, Pax Christi USA’s first General Secretary in 1972, had passed away over the holiday. PCUSA Ambassador of Peace Janice Vanderhaar had written to share the news. I never met Ed personally, but had heard stories of him and his commitment to peace with justice, especially his work in starting the Community for Creative Nonviolence. For Pax Christi USA, Ed organized the first national assembly in 1973, and he published the first PCUSA magazine, “Pax Christi Thirdly” (it would appear three times a year) that same year… Read more here: http://paxchristiusa.org/2015/01/05/obituary-ed-guinan-first-general-secretary-of-pax-christi-usa-passed-away-on-dec-26/

PAX CHRISTI ILLINOIS HOSTS INTERFAITH PEACE SERVICE ON NEW YEAR’S DAY: On January 1st Pax Christi Illinois joined with diverse faith communities from the Western Suburbs for an annual World Peace Day Interfaith Prayer Service. This year marks the 10th anniversary of this interfaith event that began as a project of local Pax Christi groups. The service will include participation from Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Baha’i and Christian faith communities.  The event was attended by over 200 people… Read more here: http://paxchristiusa.org/2015/01/05/regional-news-pax-christi-illinois-brings-together-interfaith-community-for-10th-annual-world-peace-day-prayer-service/

Upcoming or Ongoing Events:

Jan. 19 – MLK Day

Jan. 23-25 – Interfaith Conference on Drone Warfare, Princeton, New Jersey: http://www.peacecoalition.org/component/content/article/39-cfpa/233-interfaith-conference-on-drone-warfare.html

Jan. 26 – Bishop Thomas Gumbleton’s birthday

Feb. 7 – “We Grow Together” workshop with Pax Christi Texas and Catholic Communities Color, Houston, TX

Feb. 14 – PC New Jersey and Sacred Heart’s Annual Gathering for Peace and Justice, Camden, NJ. The theme is “The Silent Coup: The Overreach of Government and the Cause of Peace.” For more info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1539404322996107/?source=1

Feb. 16 – PCUSA workshop with Notre Dame/Americorps Volunteers in Washington, D.C.

Feb. 18 – Ash Wednesday, Lent begins

Feb. 18 – Pax Christi NJ’s annual pilgrimage from Ellis Island. Focus this year will be mass incarceration.  Contact Kathy at kolearypcnj@gmail.com or Gene Squeo atgenesqueo@rocketmail.com for more info

Feb. 27 – PCUSA workshop for Gonzaga High School students in Washington, D.C.

Mar. 7 – Sr. Patty Chappell, SNDdeN, Executive Director of PCUSA, speaks at the Social Justice Convocation in Baltimore, MD

Mar. 14 – Sr. Patty Chappell, SNDdeN, Executive Director of PCUSA, speaks at the Western Illinois Faith Peace Coalition

Mar. 19 – Solemnity of St. Joseph

Mar. 20-26 – Delegation to El Salvador honoring Oscar Romero, http://paxchristiusa.org/2015/01/14/event-delegation-to-el-salvador-to-honor-the-life-and-legacy-of-romero/

Mar. 22-24 – Notre Dame’s Catholic Social Tradition Conference, https://notredame-web.ungerboeck.com/coe/coe_p2_details.aspx?eventid=11955&sessionid=fb5fg6ffofgkfekfd7

Mar. 24 – Anniversary of the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero

Mar. 25 – Annunciation of the Lord Feast Day

Mar. 29 – Palm/Passion Sunday

Mar. 31 – Cesar Chavez birthday

Quicklinks:

Pax Christi Michigan held their 8^th annual New Year Peace Service in Lansing … Pax Christi Massachusetts covered a number of issues and events—including the death penalty, Campaign Nonviolence, local group updates and more—in their Summer-Fall 2014 newsletter … PC New Mexico leader Bud Ryan screened his film, “The Forgotten Bomb,” last week in Taos, NM … Members of Karen House CW in St. Louis have put together an excellent newsletter on the theme of Ferguson … Michael McCarthy of Blue Water Pax Christi published an article in the Port Huron Herald on his decision to travel to Chiapas, Mexico … Pax Christi Metro New York’s Winter 2015 edition of Kerux is now online posted … LA Catholic Worker leader Jeff Dietrich has just published a new book, “The Good Samaritan: Stories from the Los Angeles Catholic Worker on Skid Row” … Pax Christi Northern California with the Tri-City Interfaith Council and Interfaith Women of Peace held a prayer for peace around the world on Dec. 31, joining others all around the world who paused as individuals and gathered in community to pray for peace … PC Florida rallies against the death penalty … PCUSA staff member Johnny Zokovitch wrote a Christmas reflection for the PCI Peace Stories blog … Pax Christi International’s January 2015 newsletter is online … See more local and regional updates in the Winter 2014-15 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.