The following report on the Pax Christi USA national council spring meeting was prepared by Sherry Simon, vice chair of the national council.
The Pax Christi USA national council and staff of the national office convened in Washington, D.C. in early May for staff and planning meetings. (Pictured below in front of the Stuart Retreat Center in DC.)
Prior to the beginning of the council meeting on Friday, most council members gathered with Pax Christi USA Bishop-President John Stowe in front of the White House for a prayer service with many other Catholic groups and Christian partners calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza; the service also included urged the United States government to stop supplying Israel with weapons. The prayer service participants also expressed their solidarity with students protesting on campuses across the country. In a statement delivered at the demonstration, Bishop Stowe emphasized, “It’s a requirement of our faith that we are called to be peacemakers, not by some movement of the moment, but by the Lord Jesus Himself.”
Because of the many changes occurring within Pax Christi USA as well as the enormous challenges faced by the world today, Bishop Stowe arranged for the national council to participate in the same “Spiritual Conversation” that bishops engage in prior to synod meetings at the Vatican. This three-hour “Spiritual Conversation” created an atmosphere of trust and welcome, focusing on active listening and speaking from the heart. National council members were asked to consider questions related to the movement of Pax Christi in upcoming days. This spiritual exchange served to bond council members and inspired new ideas that the council will develop in the days ahead.
Over the course of two days, the council met as a whole and in separate committees to make decisions related to several ongoing projects. One of the most pressing concerns was the search for a new executive director following the announcement of the resignation of the current director, Johnny Zokovitch. It was determined that the interview process should be completed by the first of June and the new director would be hired shortly thereafter. On another note, longtime council member Madeline Labriola, whose final term will be up in October 2024, was presented with tokens of appreciation for her selfless service to the organization.
Johnny Zokovitch has been an incredible gift to Pax Christi USA and is well loved by the council and staff. So, council members decided to give him a personal send-off as this was his final in-person meeting with them before he leaves this summer. Council members Charlene Howard (Chairperson) and Madeline Labriola dressed in homemade hip-hop t-shirts that were emblazoned with the message “We Love JZ!” Madeline wrote lyrics to a hip song tune that went on and on about “JZ” and his off the chart attributes and contributions to Pax Christi. Following the performance, Johnny was presented with many gifts “appropriate” for use in his retirement. During his tenure, Johnny has been instrumental in expanding the reach of Pax Christi USA and growing our peace movement on many levels. He will be greatly missed.