|
Holy Cross Peace Actions
|
|
From Chicago, Illinois
Vigils and other protests are on-going in Chicago, IL. The
8th Day Center for Justice conducts a weekly protest in front of the
Federal Building.
|
|
|
|
Sister Dana Sullivan, CSC (left) was arrested in a
March 25 civil disobedience action protesting the invasion of Iraq.
Here Dana is shown with two of her "cell mates" - James and
Sue Berg.
|
Dana Sullivan, CSC (right) and Miriam Todoroff, BVM at
the weekly silent vigil at the Federal Building
|
|
From Bangalore, India
Father John Desrochers, CSC gathered 15,000 signatures opposing
the war in Iraq which he then forwarded to the leading anti-war NGOs
in the United States and U.S. goverment officials, including President
Bush.
|
|
From South Bend, Indiana
On the day after the bombing of Iraq began, 350 people gathered at
a Not in our Names demonstration in South Bend. The
demonstration was initiated by the Holy Cross International Justice
Office and the Sisters of the Holy Cross Justice Office and involved a
coalition of over 13 churches and other peace organizations.
Many members of Holy Cross, including the entire Leadership Team of
the Sisters of the Holy Cross, participated.
|
|
|
|
Sister Linda Kors, CSC (playing guitar)
accompanies singers from Saint Mary's College.
|
The crowd gathered in the plaza outside the Morris
Center for the Performing Arts for opening prayers of lamentation.
|
|
|
|
|
Rashied Omar recites a passage from the Qu'ran.
|
Sister Mary Ellen Vaughan, CSC and Father Robert Pelton,
CSC carry the HCIJO banner.
|
|
|
|
Sister Mary Turgi, CSC (left) leads participants
(including Sisters Joanne Becker and Anna Mae Golden, CSC and Father
Tom McNally, CSC front row) in the closing reflections and
prayer.
|
Sister Jeanette Fettig, CSC (right) joins other
demonstrators in reflection on the words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
and Thomas Merton.
|
|
|
|
| Pat McGowan, CSC (Moreau seminarian) closes with a
phrase of activist Dorothy Day: "No one has the right to sit
down and feel hopeless. There's too much work to do!" |
|
|
|
Anti-war
activities in Bangladesh reported by Brother Jarlath D’Souza, CSC
It is sad, yet stirring, to hear the
news of our dear brother Yeshua Moser, arrested in Bangkok, for
protesting the unjust aggression in Iraq. In Dhaka our Buddhist Peace
Fellowship members are quite concerned.
The same sentiments are expressed,
especially in solidarity with our dear sisters and brothers in Pax
Christi, for those who have been arrested in Washington DC, while
protesting the sinful Iraq action.
Here in Bangladesh, even though the
official Government stance was revealed only yesterday—one of
protest over the killing of civilians—street protests have taken
place since the very first day of the bombings and invasion. Various
groups, ranging from rightist Islamist to leftist and moderate middle
of the way, have taken out processions, have had sit-down
demonstrations, have burned effigies and “invaders” flags, have
put out public statements, etc. In all these outdoor demonstrations,
women and children have featured prominently. We from BICPAJ have
taken part in a couple of these, organised by Human Rights coalitions.
Most importantly, on 27 March, BICPAJ
and its fourth successive reflection meeting, with members of
different faiths, on the evils of War, the “enemy image”,
reconciliation, etc. Yesterday’s meeting was chaired by Ven. Bodhipal
Mahathero, BICPAJ Vice-chairperson and a national level Buddhist
activist. Those who took part were Christian nuns and Islamic
spiritual leaders. Sorrow was expressed at the
current turn of events, and anguish at the deaths of innocent
civilians. “No war in Iraq”, read the main banner at this meeting.
However, Bangladesh being a country where Muslims are the majority in
number, events could quite suddenly take a violent turn, anti-US-UK,
but it could be also anti-Christian. Christian. (Christians form less
than one percent of the total population in Bangladesh. This, in spite
of the fact that Government has provided armed guards at the churches
and major Christian institutions in Dhaka City and all over the
country.
Keep
us in your prayers, and we will keep you posted should there be any
further developments. Hoping against Hope, that Peace will come again
to Iraq by the time you receive this note, Brother Jarlath D’Souza.
|
|
|
From
Larry Lussier, CSC, EB, Milford, Connecticut
St.
Gabriel parish, Milford held a "Candlelight Prayer Service for
World Peace" on Sunday, March 23 at 6 p.m. Specific
invitations went out to all Catholic parishes and general invitations
went out to all citizens of Milford through press releases.
|
|
From South Bend, Indiana
The South Bend community participated in a rolling
wave of candlelight vigils that were held in over 100 countries
around the world on Sunday, March 16.
|
|
|
|
Sister Miriam Angela, CSC greets an
enthusiastic fellow marcher.
|
Venantie Kabagwira and Sister Joy
O'Grady, CSC listen to a speaker in front of Morris Performing Arts
Center.
|
|
|
|
Sister Miriam, Venantie, Sister Judith
Anne Beattie, CSC and Sister Joy check their candles before departing.
|
Sister Judith Ann, Sister Miriam,
Venantie and Sister Mary Ellen Vaughan, CSC begin their walk to the
Leeper Park Island.
|
|
|
|
All ages participated in this vigil for
peace.
|
|
|
From South Bend, Indiana
The South Bend, Indiana community joined
people around the
world as they marched for Peace on February 15, 2003.
|
|
|
|
Sisters Joanne Becker, Arlene, Aline Marie, Barbara Jeanne and
Miriam carry the banner.
|
Sister Mary Turgi from the Holy Cross International Justice
Office
|
|
|
|
Many Holy Cross priests, brothers and sisters serving in the South
Bend area marched.
|
Approximately 500 South Bend residents participated in the march.
|
|
|
|
Michiana Coalition for Peace and Justice together with
the Center for Peace and Nonviolence organized the march. We
thank them for this opportunity to gather.
|
Sisters Aline Marie, Joanne Becker, Mary Turgi, Ann Oestreich, IHM and
Father Bob Pelton, CSC are a little chilly but still smiling at the conclusion of the
walk.
|
|
Sister Marilyn Zugish oversees endorsement of the proposed South Bend
Resolution against the war after Sunday liturgy at the Church of
Loretto.
|
|
|
|
From
Pat Crane, CSC in Chimbote, Peru
In
Chimbote on Saturday, we marched against the War with Iraq. I asked
the Mesa de Concertacion por la Lucha Contra de la Pobreza to sponsor the
march and they did. I only returned recently and found out that no one
was
doing anything so on Wednesday we made the decision to march. We
were interviewed
by the press twice so we got information in the paper on two different
days
and we were filmed by one TV station. There were only about 100 marching,
but we represented many sectors of the population. I will have pictures
soon. I used our declaration (the HCIJO statement on War on Iraq), but
cut it down to one page as a handout along the route of the march and
we gave out 300 copies. Then I asked everyone to pray that we did not
have to march again because maybe
we could avert the war.
|
|
|
From
Jean-Paul Pearson, CSC in Montreal, Canada
I
attended a Manifestation on Peace in Montreal where 25 000 people
walked. For
next Sunday we are going to walk again in Montreal. We hope to gather more
people. Let us get united in favor of Peace.
|
|
|
From
Patti Dieringer, CSC in Lima, Peru:
We
had a march here also - about 300 in front of the US Embassy.
There was lots of traffic passing, some honked in response. We
had soldiers, tanks and jeeps. We started at noon with about 30,
more soldiers than protesters but our numbers slowly increased.
No violence at all. There was another meeting in the center of
town. I don't know who or how many were there. Someone
said 100. Chimbote had 100 in their march also. Small
turnout but those who were there were quite vocal. Take care and
have peace!
|
|
|
From
Jarlath D'Souza, CSC in Bangladesh (director of BICPAJ)
A
special meeting organized by BICPAJ, Bangladesh Inter-Religious
Council for Pease and Justice, was held on 18 Feb. 2003 to support the
CALL for NO-WAR in IRAQ, for Tolerance and Friendliness. This
meeting was also participated in by members of Pax Christi Bangladesh,
IFOR groups in Bangladesh, EATWOT members in Bangladesh, members of
Buddhist Peace Fellowship in Bangladesh, etc.
|
