Dear Pax Christi USA members,
Over the last two years members of the staff, Pax Christi USA National Council and the Pax Christi Anti-Racism Team (PCART) visited a number of the regions. At many of these gatherings, we held a conversation about the mission of Pax Christi USA, our priorities, the PCART vision statement, and how all of these worked together to create the actuality of PCUSA. Then this past June, regional leaders, PCART members, National Council and staff were able to gather together to meet and have a conversation about how all of these groups support the mission of PCUSA, as well as how together we can plan for the future.
One of the outgrowths of that gathering was the formation of a committee to work on the creation of a statement that would reflect the many parts of Pax Christi, encompassing our statement of purpose, our priorities and the PCART vision statement. The members of this ad-hoc committee were:
- Ed Martinez (National Council member)
- Stephen Jackson (Pax Christi Illinois regional representative)
- Cathleen Crayton (Pax Christi Anti-Racism Team member)
- Carol Ann Breyer (Pax Christi Florida regional representative)
- Liz Bailey (Pax Christi Long Island regional representative)
- Rose Marie Tresp, RSM (National Council member)
This committee took into consideration all of the input from the regional gatherings and the meetings this past June and produced a revised vision statement (see below) for our organization which we believe reflects all of the pieces of Pax Christi USA in a clear and simple way.
If you have questions about the process or need clarity about the vision statement, please feel free to contact Pax Christi USA Executive Director Sr. Patty Chappell, SNDdeN at pchappell@paxchristiusa.org or Pax Christi USA National Council Chair Sr. Josie Chrosniak, HM at josiec@en.com.
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PAX CHRISTI USA VISION STATEMENT
WHO WE ARE
Grounded in the Gospel and Catholic social teaching, Pax Christi USA (PCUSA) is a membership organization that rejects war, preparation for war, every form of violence and domination, and personal and systemic racism. As PCUSA, a section of Pax Christi International, we are a Catholic peace and justice movement that seeks to model the Peace of Christ in our witness to the mandate of the nonviolence of the Cross.
WHAT WE DO
- Guided by the spirituality of nonviolence, we advocate and provide leadership for disarmament, demilitarization and reconciliation with justice, inclusiveness, economic and interracial justice, human rights and care of creation.
- We strive through prayer, study and action to be attentive to the interrelatedness of the key issues stated above and, in our response, to be conscious of their impact on the world community.
- We work to align our organizational structures, policies, and practices with our intent to be an anti-racist, multicultural Catholic movement for peace with justice.
OUR VISION
A more peaceful, just and sustainable world through the efforts of our members and in collaboration with other groups.
* Affirmed December 2014 by the Pax Christi USA National Council