PCMA working group focused on peace in Palestine and an end to the genocide: update and invitation to join

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After the Assembly in Nov. 2024, a small group of Pax Christi-ites began meeting to work for peace in Palestine and an end to the genocide. Many of us have already been doing that in other contexts, and with other groups, but we thought it was important that we, AS PAX CHRISTI, be speaking out. And so, we’ve been meeting virtually, and welcome more of you to join us.

First we reached out to the church hierarchy, asking Archbishop Henning to meet with us, make a strong statement demanding a ceasefire and instruct his priests to do the same. A meeting was denied, so some members rallied outside the church, but still the most response we got was to pray for “peace in the Middle East.” A second letter was sent, including a request that the statement on the archdiocesan website spoke about the genocide in Gaza that’s happening now, rather than just condemning the Oct. 7, 2023 events. Still no progress. You can read about this in the current issue of the newsletter.

Apparently there are only about a dozen bishops/archbishops/cardinals in the US who have made statements in support of Gaza and against the genocide. The late Pope Francis, however, was a major voice calling for an end to the genocide. Even during his hospitalization—to the very day before his death—he met virtually with a parish in Bethlehem every day, giving them spiritual sustenance. We ourselves (PCMA) sent a petition asking him to deliver humanitarian aid in person, thinking his presence might break the blockade. His illness prevented him from considering that.

Our group is considering where our next focus should be. Time is running out. The healthcare system in decimated. People are starving and hundreds have already died of starvation from the imposed famine. Homes, fields, schools, desalination plants are pure rubble. There are bombings every night. The war has spread to the West Bank. Israeli leaders have freely spoken of their intent to kill or eject all Palestinians from their homeland, and make the land itself unlivable. Our own president sees it as a real estate opportunity, and doesn’t care it is an erasure of an entire people. (We have already done that on our own continent, after all.)

Why Palestine, when there are so many other important social justice issues that need our nonviolent attention? We believe there is no other immediate issue requiring action. Immigration, gun control, and the death penalty affect hundreds, even thousands in the course of a year. Climate change and nuclearism are existential dangers, yes, but we have time to work on them. In Palestine there are over 100 deaths daily since Israel broke the ceasefire, thousands are facing starvation, and let’s face it—genocide is like extinction: once a people are gone, they are gone. In addition, as Americans we have a heavy responsibility here because it is our money and our weapons that are killing the Palestinians. But our group is not mainly political. We seek to address the situation through the lens of nonviolence.

We are thinking our next level of action might be in parishes, seeing if we can get some peace & justice committees to invite us to do education around the issue. This could be a one-night event, or a deeper dive, with a several-week curriculum available. We’d like to gain some allies among the pastors as well.

We are looking for more people to join us in our work.

  • The Task Force would welcome you and your insights. We meet virtually every 2-3 weeks, on Wednesdays evenings.
  • Can you commit to pray, even fast, for a just peace in Palestine?
  • We could provide links for several ways to educate yourself. But remember, all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing. Step up, speak out, put your body where your prayers are. Join us.

Silence is complicity. Silence is death. Lord, have mercy.

Submitted by Jeanne Allen

For more information visit the Metro West section of our Local Chapters page and or contact Jan Leary at JanLeary@aol.com.