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Mark Your Calendar
May 19th, 2013
Peacemaker Awards Reception
On Sunday, May 19th, we will host
our 2013 Peacemaker Award Reception in Casserly Hall below
St. Joseph's Greenwich Village Church from 3 to 6
PM. We are proud to be honoring Sr. Janet
Kinney, CSJ, who is the Executive Director of
Providence House, which helps women on parole from
prison get back on their feet. We are also
honoring David Maloof, a graduating senior from
Fairfield Preparatory High School, who organized a
program of support for young Palestinian refugees in
Lebanon. David has collected sports equipment
at home and coached basketball in Lebanon, building
a bridge of awareness and care across the
continents. Finally, we are honoring Judy
Lewis, a relatively new Development Committee and
PCMNY Board member, whose office volunteer
work has energized, inspired, and achieved wonders
in a very short period of time. As
always, it will be a great event filled with
wonderful people, delicious refreshments, and
spirited music. Be sure to be part of the fun.
July 1st-August 9th,
2013
40-Day Fast for
Christian Nonviolence
Be one of
numerous individuals and groups to participated in our
annual fast for Christian Nonviolence. This fast is an
opportunity to remember, repent, and resolve to
transform our culture of violence, whether the
violence of the street or the violence of war,
drones, and nuclear weapons proliferation. It
is scheduled to end on the tragic triple
anniversaries of the executions of St. Edith Stein,
Jewish convert to Catholicism and holocaust victim,
and Blessed Franz Jaegerstaetter, martyr for
refusing to serve in Hitler's army, and the atomic
bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, the largest Christian
community in Japan. It will be framed with prayers
made available by PCMNY for you to pray alone or in
community on July 1st and August 9th. To join
the fast for a day, the same day each week
throughout the 40 days, or more, contact the PCMNY
office with your name and e-mail address. (If you
don't have an e-mail address, you may provide your
mailing address to receive the prayer services and
further information about the fast and concluding
event, our annual Hiroshima/Nagasaki Memorial.)
August 4th, 2013
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Memorial
Each
year PCMNY offers this commemorative event to mourn
and repent for the horrific loss of life caused by
the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in
August, 1945 and to advocate for the abolition of
nuclear weapons today. Now, we can add Fukushima to
the list of Japanese cities devastated by nuclear
tragedy. On Sunday, August 4th, Sisters
Jean Fallon and Kathleen Reiley, MM will report back
from Fukushima, making the connection between
nuclear energy and nuclear weapons, why we should
care and what we should be doing about them. The
Memorial will also include a public witness.
Starting location: Casserly Hall, St. Joseph’s
Church, Washington Place off Sixth Avenue. Time:
2:30-4:30 PM.
August 17th, 2013
Annual Summer
Picnic
Please come
to Central Park, north side of the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, on Saturday, August 17th,
at 1:00 PM for our annual pot-luck picnic. Bring
your family and friends, games and musical
instruments, along with something to share to eat or
drink. It’s a great way to be community.
Contact the PCMNY office to say you're coming, so we
can exchange cell phone numbers, just in case we
have trouble finding each other!
September 21st,
2013
UN International Peace Day
September 21st has
been UN International Peace Day for decades now, but
so many people still aren't familiar with it; yet,
it's such an important day. Not only is it a
day for the United Nations to renew its dedication
to the pursuit of peace, it is also a Day of
Ceasefire, both personally and politically.
Once again, PCMNY will recognize the day with a
special event reflective of what is happening at the
time in our struggle to make peace in a world too
comfortable with war. Stay tuned for details
as they develop.
November 2nd, 2013
Fall Assembly
Titled The Franciscan Insight about Peace-Making:
Widening Our Circles of Care, this Assembly will
be presented by renowned Capuchin Fr. Michael
Crosby. The genius of Francis as a peacemaker has
still not been grasped. Or, if it has been grasped,
it has not been embraced as a model for bringing
about the "shalom" of God's Reign on earth as it is
in heaven. Fr. Crosby will share his understanding
of why Francis' way of making peace in the midst of
the materialism and militarism of his day has much
to teach us today. Join us on Saturday,
November 2nd from 10 AM to 4 PM at Mary the Queen
Convent in Yonkers, NY. Registration
information will be available in early Fall.
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Past Events
Holy
Innocents Prayer Service
In the midst of Christmas and New Year’s, our Church
asks us to stop and remember the holy innocents who
were and are victims of violence. Consequently,
each
December 28th,
the Feast of the Holy Innocents, PCMNY offers a
prayer service to commemorate victims of violence,
especially children. Through readings, song,
and calls to action, we recall how Jesus came as a
vulnerable infant to be one with us and how children
today fall prey to violence and need our support.
In 2012, we particularly remembered children
devastated by violence in Gaza, Afghanistan, and
Syria, from bombs, landmines, and drone strikes.
We also remembered our own American children who are
victims of gun violence, especially the 20 innocents
of Newtown Elementary School in Sandy Hook,
Connecticut. We listened to guest speaker,
Robina Niaz, founder and director of Turning Point
for Women and Families who shared her own story of
being a child of war, a refugee, and now a social
worker helping children recover from family
violence. Despite the great sorrow that is
this feast day and its perpetuation into the
present, the service concluded with the good news of
the courage of Malala Yousufzai, the Pakistani
teenager who had the courage to risk death to
advocate for education for girls, and the nonviolent
efforts of the Afghan Peace Volunteers.
Peacemaking through the Arts
Each winter,
PCMNY hosts an artistic presentation to inspire
peacemaking in a creative way. It's also a way
to lift spirits in what can be a stark and gloomy
season. On Sunday afternoon, January 27th,
2013, PCMNY
proudly presented
Thomas Merton & Dorothy Day:
Pilgrims and Prophets of Peace, a “play that
brings to life two of the most important and
inspiring spiritual teachers of the last century.”
Sharon Halsey-Hoover and David Hoover, the
playwrights and performers, enthralled the audience
with their faithful portrayals of these modern-day
saints. The large and enthusiastic crowd--that
included Cardinal Dolan--truly found it
“exceptional” and “spellbinding." You
can learn more about Sharon and David's work at
their website:
www.inscapeministries.com.
Ash Wednesday Leafleting
As is our tradition, members of PCMNY distributed a Lenten Reflection
to over 1600 faithful outside St. Patrick's Cathedral on
Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013. You can read it
any time this Lenten season by clicking the link on
our home page.
Retreat
From March 1st to the
3rd, 2013, over 40 people had the privilege of learning
from and being inspired by Bishop Thomas Gumbleton,
who guided us on the theme:
"Have this mind in you which
was in Christ Jesus...Conversion
to the active love of Jesus by praying Sacred
Scripture."
Read more about this memorable experience in a
Reflection by Madeline Labriola featured below.
As always, we were also treated to warm hospitality
from the Sisters of St. Joseph at their Renewal
Center in Brentwood, Long Island. Join us next
year from February 28th to March 2nd when Sr.
Kathleen Deignan, CND will be leading us on our
retreat. Sr. Kathleen is
founder of the Iona Peace and Justice Studies
Program and the Iona Peace Institute in Ireland
(1988-1995), founding
co-conveners of the Thomas Berry Forum for
Ecological Dialogue at Iona ,
and a member of the International Thomas Merton
Society where she has served as President.
PCUSA/Regional Gathering
March 23rd, 2013
marked a very special day for Pax Christi Metro New
York and Pax Christi Long Island. On that day,
we had the pleasure of gathering with Sr. Patty
Chappell, Executive Director of Pax Christi USA, and
Isaac Chandler, member of PCUSA’s anti-racism team, to engage in
mutual dialogue to explore ways to strengthen our
communication and accountability. Using a model of reflection, action, reflection,
we shared what is happening on the national,
regional, and local levels of Pax Christi. What we shared will become
part of the National Assembly
in Atlanta, GA from June 14th to the 16th, celebrating 40 years of Pax
Christi in the USA. We are most grateful to our
host, the Unitarian Universalist
Center on Shelter Rock Road in Manhasset, Long
Island and look forward to continuing the discussion
in Atlanta. Visit the PCUSA website to learn
more about the Atlanta conference and celebration:
www.paxchristiusa.org.
Good Friday Way of the Cross
PCMNY is
probably best known for its Good Friday Way of the
Cross, which was its founding event. Our 31st
consecutive Good Friday Way of the Cross,
commemorating
Jesus' suffering in His own life and in the lives of
people throughout the world today, took place
on March 29th, 2013, blessed by the presence and
participation of Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Bishop
Joseph Sullivan. Hundreds processed together
for nearly four hours through the streets of
Manhattan, praying for change in ourselves and a
society marred by such sins as poverty, racism,
bullying and gun violence, human trafficking and
war. Concluding with a 15th Station, we were
reminded that we are a Resurrection people in a Good
Friday world.
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Featured Recent Event
REFLECTIONS ON
THE PCMNY RETREAT WITH BISHOP THOMAS GUMBLETON
by Madeline Labriola, Pax Christi Hudson Valley
A few weeks have gone by
since I sat through one of Bishop Gumbleton’s
presentations at the PCMNY retreat on Long Island;
yet, I can still hear his deep, strong voice, feel
his gentle and humble presence, and visualize his
endearing smile. His words, although often
familiar, took on a new and more powerful meaning as
he spoke of the call we all have to conversion to
the true message of Jesus.
When I heard that Bishop
Gumbleton was going to be the retreat presenter, I
was thrilled. That I, a simple layperson, could be
in the presence of this icon of peace and justice
for three days was personally exciting for me. I
cleared my calendar, found my way to the heart of
LI, submerged myself in the moment and discovered
that I was not disappointed. He helped me believe,
once again, in the transforming power of love by
reminding me of how Jesus forgave Judas and Peter
for denying him, and even the Romans for crucifying
him. He encouraged me to get angry at the state of
the world but to confront it in a gentle way without
fear, knowing deeply that we speak the truth. “The
gospel message is Utopian,” he said, “It calls us to
transform the world into as close an image of the
reign of God as possible where everyone has a chance
of a life of justice.” He spoke from the heart of
God, and we know it resounded with truth: the truth
of the nonviolent life of Jesus.
The words of the gospel took
on a new meaning as he reminded us over and over
that Jesus always lifted up the poor, always cried
for justice, always treated others with respect and
dignity. He never aspired to power through force,
anger or violence. He was not a King for the rich,
he rejected power, he rode on a donkey to show us
his humility, for heaven’s sake!
He was despised and
eventually crucified because of his love of the
common person and for rejecting the ways of the
world. He chose to eat with tax collectors,
prostitutes, and outcasts. The Jewish authorities
expected him to throw off the Roman oppressors by
violent, powerful ways, but he did none of that. He
was not the Messiah they expected, nor is he the
Messiah so many relate to today.
All the examples found
throughout the Gospels reiterate that Jesus came to
save humanity not by the sword or even God’s wrath,
but only through love, kindness, and forgiveness.
Why then have we distorted
his message? Why then do we have weapons of mass
destruction? Why do we kill innocents in the name
of justice? And why do we continue to speak with a
righteous tongue while our hands bathe in the blood
of our brothers and sisters? Bishop Gumbleton
challenged us to recognize that it is the lack of
true understanding of the Gospel message that has
kept us from peace. The reign of God, he said, is
not going to come by bombing people, starving
people, or encouraging corrupt leaders to brutalize
their people. It won’t come by supporting the
corporations and their money interest at the expense
of unfair labor practices or destruction of the
environment. It will only come when we realize that
“Jesus taught us how to die, not how to kill.”
I, personally, found great
hope in his message. After 30 plus years of Pax
Christi work, endless hours of meetings, hundreds of
books, and thousands of prayers, this humble man,
this man who was one of the authors of the peace
pastoral said it so simply, “If we are made in the
image of God and God is Love, then the only thing we
can do is to Love.”
The road to conversion is
long, sometimes lonely, and even dangerous; just ask
Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, Oscar
Romero, or Gandhi. To live a life of nonviolence,
to vow never to hurt another human being, to be
willing to move beyond where I am now takes great
faith and willingness to listen to God’s call.
Because of this retreat and the community of
believers that I find whenever I am with Pax Christi
members, I am strengthened to continue the journey
in search for that deeper truth.
Many thanks to Bishop
Gumbleton for his presence, to Rosemarie Pace for
her dedication, and to the Sister of St. Joseph for
their hospitality.
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