This year, 37 nominees were put forward for consideration for the Pax Christi USA 2024 Teacher of Peace Award.
Each year (with the exception of a four year hiatus between 2017-2020), Pax Christi USA honors an outstanding peacemaker in the tradition of Sr. Thea Bowman, Fr. Dan Berrigan, Cesar Chávez, Sr. Dianna Ortiz, Dorothy Day, Fr. Ray East, Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Fr. Bryan Massingale, and others. Last year’s recipient was Fr. Joe Nangle, ofm.
The award recognizes women and men whose lives and work exemplify the theme of Pope Paul VI’s World Day of Peace message, “To reach peace, teach peace.”
“The thing that amazes me every year is how many people both inside and outside our movement are nominated — for ways large and small, public and private, local and national in which they are embodying what it means to ‘teach peace’ in our world today,” stated Johnny Zokovitch, Pax Christi USA Executive Director. “Every one of these nominees is recognized for their witness in following the nonviolence of Jesus, their work for justice and peace in whatever way that manifests.”
The Pax Christi USA National Council, following consultation with the Teacher of Peace Committee, makes the final decision regarding this year’s recipient. Next month, the 2024 Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace will be announced with this year’s recipient receiving the award at a time and place to be determined this summer.
Following is a list of this year’s nominees (listed randomly):
- Fr. Richard Watson
- Sr. Mary Scullion, RSM
- Dennis Duffell
- Ansel Augustine
- Joshua Snyder
- Fr. John Dear
- Eli McCarthy
- Frida Berrigan
- Sr. Paulette Schroeder, osf
- Joan Tirak
- Stephen J. Pope, Ph.D.
- Archbishop John Wester
- Fr. Tom Lumpkin
- Mary Liepold
- Anita Lopez
- Sally McClean
- Anna Brown, Ph.D.
- Mary Catherine Bunting
- Sister Elizabeth Walter, IHM
- Robert (Bob) Cooke
- Christina Leano
- Eliane Lakam
- National Black Catholic Sisters’ Conference
- Steve Baggarly and Kim Williams
- Brian Terrell and Betsy Keenan
- Dr. Craig Ford Jr.
- Robert Ellsberg
- Stephen Rohde
- Clare Grady
- Jean Stokan and Scott Wright
- Kenneth Cooper
- Fr. Harry Bury
- Joan Baez
- Dr. Terrence Rynne
- Mary Hanna
- Kim Redigan
- Jack McHale
Pax Christi USA congratulates each of the nominees and gives thanks for their work on behalf of peace with justice. We encourage our members and others to send notes of congratulations to those you know among the nominees and to thank them for their commitment!