Massachusetts Rallies to Enforce the Leahy Law – 12 noon in Boston, Worcester & Springfield
Registration Now Open for January 27 Forum “Building a World Without Nuclear Weapons: An Urgent Imperative”
Building a World Without Nuclear Weapons:
An Urgent Imperative
An online forum to be held January 27, 2024, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Most Rev. John C. Wester
Archbishop of Santa Fe, NM
Dr. Ira Helfand
Past president of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and a member of the International Steering Board of ICAN (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
Marie Dennis
Catholic Nonviolence Initiative/Pax Christi International
Our online forum, offered in association with Pax Christi USA, will examine the existential threat and moral implications of nuclear weapons, encourage dialogue about solutions, and urge prayer and action from individuals and groups.
SAVE THE DATE! Online Forum — “Building a World Without Nuclear Weapons: An Urgent Imperative” JANUARY 27, 2024, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET
“To love our enemies means we have to begin the process of ending our preparations to kill them, including our preparations to drop nuclear weapons on them.”
—Living in the Light of Christ’s Peace: A Conversation Toward Nuclear Disarmament
A Pastoral Letter by Most Reverend John C. Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe
January 11, 2022, page 16
As we approach the second anniversary of Archbishop Wester’s pastoral letter, cited above, and the third anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entering into force, Pax Christi Massachusetts is planning an online forum on January 27, 2024, 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm ET, entitled Building a World Without Nuclear Weapons: An Urgent Imperative, to examine the existential threat and moral implications of nuclear weapons, to enter into dialogue about solutions, and to urge prayer and action from individuals and groups.
Registration details are still being developed, but three powerful speakers have already been secured: Archbishop Wester; Dr. Ira Helfand, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW)/Back from the Brink, and Marie Dennis, Catholic Nonviolence Initiative/Pax Christi International. Claire Schaeffer-Duffy of SS. Francis and Therese Catholic Worker, Worcester, will serve as moderator.
We thank and welcome our many co-sponsors for this forum! You can find them all listed here.
Keep watching www.paxchristima.org for the registration opportunity!
If you have questions about the event, please email [email protected].
Northampton Peace Activists Initiate Fast for Palestine, and Invite all to Join
Calling on their neighbors and friends to join them, a coalition of Northampton peace activists initiated a fast for Palestine on December 12, 2023. Pax Christi MA is supporting this effort, which is described in this press release. The fast will be maintained until all of the area’s elected officials support two main demands:
1. A permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the West Bank.
2. Enforcement by the President and Congress of the Leahy Law with respect to the Israel Defense Forces. This law prohibits shipment of U.S. weapons to gross violators of human rights.
Click here for a descriptive flyer, which includes more background information and contact information for Central/Western MA legislators.
Neighbors and friends who wish to show solidarity are invited to join the fasters as outlined in the flyer, join in some modified form (e.g., one day per week) and/or support the fasters with prayer.
Stopping the Genocide in Palestine: A Conversation with Craig Mokhiber, December 9, 2023
This webinar, presented by PCAP (Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace) and FOSNA (Friends of Sabeel North America), was co-sponsored by Pax Christi MA.
Archbishop John Wester on Dorothy Day and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons
Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, author of Living in the Light of Christ’s Peace: A Conversation Toward Nuclear Disarmament, was in New York City during the last week of November for the Second Meeting of State Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons at the United Nations. While there he offered a Mass at the Church of the Divine Savior on the anniversary of the death of Dorothy Day, November 29. A small but enthusiastic contingent from Pax Christi MA was in attendance. Archbishop Wester’s homily is linked above. Here is the link to his letter, co-signed with other bishops, to the UN meeting
Archbishop Wester’s homily, Mass at Church of the Divine, 11/29/2023
Attending the Mass from Massachusetts were, from left, Christopher Spicer Hankle, Pat Ferrone, Karen Brennan, Linda Taylor, Archbishop John Wester, Madeline Labriola (Rhode Island), and Peter Metz. Also attending but not in the photo: Claire Schaeffer-Duffy, Scott Schaeffer-Duffy, and Dr. Ira Helfand.
Fall Assembly 2023
Pax Christi MA Fall Assembly
The Fall Assembly was held Saturday, October 28 at St. Susanna Parish in Dedham. Keynote speaker was Rev. Kevin Peterson, founder of the New Democray Coalition and the Faneuil Hall Race and Reconciliation Project. His topic was “Renaming Faneuil Hall: the Role of Public Theology.” An afternoon panel of advocates expanded on the topic, and included Rev. Andre Bennett, President/ECCO; Youth Minister/Zion Baptist, Lynn, Rev. Valerie Copeland, Pastor, Neighborhood Church, Dorchester, and Sr. Linda Bessom, SNDdeN.
The parish hall stage displayed an installation of stones commemorating victims of gun violence arranged by Madeline Champagne and Rita Corey, with assistance from St. Susanna Pax Christi members Blanche Crandall and Pat Ferrone. Pat also displayed her handmade tributes: long horizontal banners with the names of gun violence victims listed chronologically, and banners honoring past recipients of the Peacemaker Award.
-
- Memorial for the victims of gun violence in Maine October 25
-
- Memorial for victims of gun violence in the USA
-
- Rev. Kevin Peterson
-
- Rev. Valerie Copeland
-
- Rev. Andre Bennett
-
- The Assembly Moderator, Father Rocco Puopolo
-
- The 2023 Peacemaker Award went to Anne Gagnon, Pax Christi Western MA, center
-
- Banners honoring past Peacemaker awardees were posted in the meeting hall
Pax Christi Spring Retreat: Living the Company of Jesus
This spring’s retreat will feature Dr. Phil Harak, co-coordinator of Pax Christi MA. as he honors his brother, Fr. G. Simon Harak S.J., who passed into eternal life in 2019, by presenting some of Fr. Simon’s homilies and his own reflections, which focus on Jesus’ commitment to the nonviolent kingdom.
The retreat will take place on Saturday, April 22nd from 9am to 3pm at St. Thomas Parish Center, located at 1076 Thorndike St. (Rt. 32) in Palmer, MA
Additional details can be found on the attached flier.
Pax Christi Anniversary Celebration and Assembly, October 29, 2022
Build on Our Past to Create our Future
Guest Speaker: PCUSA Executive Director, Johnny Zokovitch
Keynote, workshops, Festive Lunch and Anniversary Celebrations
St. Susannah’s Parish Hall (and on Zoom), 262 Needham St., Dedham
Registration/Coffee: 8:30am
Program: 9:00am to 3:30pm
Parish Mass: 4:00pm
We’re celebrating: Pax Christi USA 50 years, Pax Christi MA 30 years, Pax Christi Maine 40+ years, Pax Christi Rhode Island 20 years!