Pax Christi New EnglandCampaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (PCAN)
Faith Leaders Summit Dialogue Sessions
Spring 2026
Inspired by the leadership of Archbishop John Wester, who published a seminal pastoral letter over four years ago and has organized the Partnership for a World Without Nuclear Weapons, PCAN (the Pax Christi New England Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) has organized and produced a virtual summit, the Faith Leaders Summit Dialogue, in four 90-minute sessions, each featuring five to seven Catholic and other faith leaders as presenters and moderators sharing their views on how best to activate and mobilize a great many people of faith to work actively for the abolition of nuclear weapons. The Summit Diologue Sessions have concluded, but if you were not able to watch live, you can access all four below. Many thanks to our distinguished presenters, and to all who worked on the sessions or participated by watching and engaging! Please watch this space for follow-up information.
The moderator for PCAN Summit #1 was Peter Metz. Panelists were: Marie Dennis, Catholic Institute for Nonviolence; Ira Helfand, Back from the Brink, ICAN, IPPNW; Giulia Bordin, Pax Christi International, and Maria Udalova, Students for Nuclear Disarmament.
The moderator for PCAN Summit #2 was Tom Countryman, Board Chair of the Arms Control Association. Panelists were: Claire Schaeffer-Duffy, Catholic Worker; Ken Butigan, Catholic Nonviolence Initiative; Michele Dunne, OFS, Franciscan Action Network; Michael Martin, U.S. Marine Corps, retired; Frida Berrigan, War Resisters League, and Jerry Powers, University of Notre Dame.
The moderator for PCAN Summit #3 was Danny Hall, Back from the Brink. Panelists were: Bishop John Stowe, Pax Christi USA; Maryann Cusimano Love, Catholic University; Dan Moriarty, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns; Kevin Ahern, Manhattan University, and Archbishop John Wester, Partnership for a World without Nuclear Weapons.
The moderator for PCAN Summit #4 was Ann Suellentrop, Kansas City Peace Works and Physicians for Social Responsibility. Panelists were: Nick Mele, Pax Christi International Disarmament Group; Sr. Bridget Bearss, RSCJ, Leadership Conference of Women Religious; Fr. Stephen Newton, Association of U.S. Catholic Priests; Camila Perez, Pax Christi USA Young Adults Caucus, and Joseph Gerson, Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, & Common Security.
