Help Children Form Consciences that Resist Violence Today's children come of age in a climate of violence. Day after day, year after year, they are saturated with violence on TV, in school, in their neighborhoods, and even in their homes. Studies by the American Psychological Association indicate that the average child witnesses 8,000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence before finishing elementary school. In this culture, often, as our Pope calls it, a Culture of Death, Catholic educators have a crucial responsibility to teach children alternative, peaceful responses to violence.

How? Pax Christi Metro New York has developed From Conflict to Common Ground, a fifteen-session program designed to teach young people positive, creative approaches to the conflicts they face daily. The program is unique because it instructs students in the methodology of peacemaking and places conflict resolution in a Christian context. Students learn that nonviolent conflict resolution grows out of the Christian tradition.

What We Do Pax Christi facilitators train teachers to present the program to their students. As the program is being implemented, Pax Christi serves as a resource, helping teachers with questions or problems that may arise. Common Ground is designed for  integration into the regular religion curriculum or other curricula so that it can become a permanent part of a student's Catholic education.

Pax Christi Metro New York provides well-trained facilitators to work with your faculty. Teachers receive a solid foundation in conflict resolution skills, as well as a manual which contains a complete set of materials designed for easy integration into religion courses.

What Your School Will Need To participate in Common Ground, schools should provide a group of educators and students excited to learn about conflict resolution. Six to eight hours of time is necessary to train teachers who will implement the program. This training can be scheduled to fit your needs, either in a one-day training session, or over the course of several days. The curriculum, training, supervision, and follow-up of Common Ground are available for a one-time cost of $500, with assistance available. 

Won't you help your students learn the skills they need to move from conflict to common ground?

 --The Challenge of Peace, A 1983 Pastoral Letter of  the U.S. Bishops

Pax Christi Metro New York © 2005
371 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10014 | 212.420-0250 | fax 212.420.1628 | nypaxchristi@igc.org