On Saturday, May 6, the Beatitudes Center will host writer and activist Frida Berrigan for a special conversation about her father, Phil Berrigan, who would have turned 100 in October 2023. This virtual event will be held 11 am Pacific, 12 PM Mountain, 1 PM Central, 2 PM Eastern on Zoom.
Learn more about the program at this link.
Use this link to register with the Beatitudes Center in order to receive the Zoom link to join the call on May 6.
Philip Berrigan, along with his brother Daniel, was one of the giant peacemakers of the 20th century. A former Josephite priest, he spent his life protesting the Vietnam War and nuclear weapons. In October 1967, he was arrested as part of the Baltimore Four for pouring blood on draft files. Then on May 17, 1968, he was part of the Catonsville Nine which poured homemade napalm to burn draft files. He spent several years in prison, later married Elizabeth McAlister, founded Jonah House (a community of resistance in Baltimore), and then founded the Plowshares movement.
Phil participated in five Plowshares actions, including the Pax Christi-Spirit of Life Plowshares action with John Dear in 1993. He spent over 11 years of his life in prison for nonviolent civil disobedience; authored several books and hundreds of articles; was nominated for the Nobel peace prize; and was featured on the cover of TIME magazine. He died on December 6, 2002.
This year, October 5, 2023, marks the 100th anniversary of Philip Berrigan’s birth. To begin the celebrations, the Beatitudes Center is pleased to welcome Phil’s daughter Frida, a community activist and urban gardener who lives in New London, CT with her husband, three kids and four chickens. Frida is the author of It Runs In the Family: On Being Raised By Radicals and Growing Into Rebellious Motherhood (OR Books, 2015). Her writing appears regularly at TomDispath.com and WagingNonviolence.org. She will reflect with us on the life and lessons of her father, Philip Berrigan.
This session will last an hour and a half; cost: $30.
The Plowshares movement is a mistake. Here’s why:
Arun Gandhi said: “You can quote me as saying Mahatma Gandhi would disagree with the Plowshares actions because they employ tactics of secrecy and destruction of property. I also think locking up the most courageous and devoted peace leaders for long prison terms is a way of weakening the peace movement. Those leaders could do much more for peace outside of jail than in it.” ( The Jesus Journal – Summer 1995 – No. 77 – page 44 )
“Common people who are not directly involved in social debates and political conflicts have their lives to live, they become angry at those who are disturbing their lives or damaging property that has to be repaired using public funds. Thus the average person, whose support is often necessary for lasting success, is alienated. Rather than leading to a resolution, they escalate the conflict and create more deeply entrenched opponents.” (Legacy of Love by Arun Gandhi – page 132)