I Want To Join USA Fall 2004 • the increasing numbers of hungry, and Help Make A Difference! A Prophetic homeless, ill and those deprived of an ax Christi USA strives to Church education create a world that reflects the • the plight of our immigrant peoples P Peace of Christ by exploring, articulating The world in which we live • the hypocrisy in the legislative and and witnessing to the call of Christian nonvio- Peaceweavings certainly does not reflect lence. This work begins in personal life and ex- financial affairs of our government and in tends to communities of reflection and action to God’s design for the universe the foreign policies and new imperialism transform structures of society. Pax Christi USA or God’s hope that people and rejects war, preparations for war, and every form A Prophetic Church that characterize our national political creation would live in peace of violence and domination. It advocates primacy scene As the prophets of the Hebrew and harmony—that all would of conscience, economic and social justice, and • the dichotomy between the profession of respect for creation. Scriptures spoke to the inhumanity enjoy the dignity that ought to faith and justice Pax Christi USA commits itself to peace educa- of the “Empire” and called God’s be accorded the children of the Creator and • marketing practices that promote a tion and, with the help of its members, people to a new vision and hope for that all would have fullness of life. Far consumer culture and a culture of greed promotes the gospel imperative of peacemaking humanity, so must the Church today. from this ideal is the tendency toward as a priority in the in the United • the unethical business practices of States. Through the efforts of all its members and “Empire” building, with our own country multinational corporations in cooperation with other groups, Pax Christi taking the lead in modeling this. As the • terrorism in the Middle East USA works toward a more peaceful, just and prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures spoke to sustainable world. • the AIDS pandemic in Africa and India the inhumanity of the “Empire” and called I support Pax Christi USA Statement of • corrupt governments and the plight of the Purpose and wish to become a member. God’s people to a new vision and hope for poor in Third World nations humanity, so must the Church today. Name ______• the ever-increasing gap between the rich and poor and the feminine face of poverty Address ______Reading the signs of our times, we see too City ______many in our world that suffer from These and other affronts to human dignity, State ______Zip ______oppression and injustice. We see violence along with the pollutants that assault our that plagues our neighborhoods, society, Enclosed is my membership donation of environment and the misuse of natural $ ______. __$35 __$40 __$50 __$100 nation and world—and characterizes resources, testify that we are a long way relationships. The majority of our world At this time I can only contribute $ _____ from making God’s vision for the world lack those basic goods which would enable Payment: and hope for people our lived reality. It is __ Visa __ Mastercard them to live with dignity and respect. We the obligation of the Church to address

cannot escape these realities along with the these aberrations and speak out against Card Number ______other “eyesores” that mark our era: Exp. Date ______them, and it is the responsibility of the • Signature ______war and its many tragic consequences Church to hear God’s Word and give voice • economic domination and the “bullying” Please send me: to God’s will. It is the call of the Church to of nations __ Information about joining a local group be prophetic. __ Parish Sponsor Program information • the alienation of women, the rejection of

__ Youth/Young Adult Forum Information their personhood and exclusion of their The Church, the people of God, must speak __ Will/bequest information Pax Christi USA giftedness to those areas that diminish the dignity of

532 W. 8th Street, Erie, PA 16502 • the marginalization of peoples the person and serve as stumbling blocks to 814-453-4955; www.paxchristiusa.org • the abuse of children the unfolding of the reign of God, sin— personal sin and the sins of systems, life, the inclusion of all peoples, the recog- reassert our commitment to disarmament and the Prayer Reflections conduct of limited war only as a last resort….As societies and nations. The people of God nition of the dignity of the human person must demonstrate their outrage and demand and the complete liberation from anything Sunday: The Christian Faith is an integral unity, we have in the past, we again call on faithful peo- ple everywhere to renew their commitment to the change when poverty, oppression, and that diminishes the human person. The call and thus it is incoherent to isolate some particular element to the detriment of the whole of Catholic work of Christ’s peace and justice, and repeat violence of any form afflicts a people. The to conversion, the struggle for justice and doctrine. A political commitment to a single iso- Pope Paul VI’s plaintive refrain: ‘No more war, people of God must not tolerate those the commitment to transform the world are lated aspect of the Church’s social doctrine does war never again!’ —Bishop Wilton E. Gregory, “isms’ (gender, age, race, rank, etc,) that inherent to our being Church—the people not exhaust one’s responsibility towards the com- President, United States Catholic Conference of diminish the human person and any denial of God. mon good. —Doctrinal Note on Some Questions , August 6, 2004 of basic human rights or conditions that do Regarding the Participation of Catholics in Politi- cal Life, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Action Suggestions not enhance human advancement. The Bishop Gabino Zavala of the Archdiocese Faith, November 24, 2002 and approved by Pope people of God must identify and address of is the bishop-president of John Paul II the underlying values and kinds of Pax Christi USA. This piece is excerpted 1. Support Pax Christi USA’s sign-on statement, Monday: More than 840 million people in the Called to Embrace All Life: The Catholic Vote environments that lay a foundation for or from his keynote presentation prepared for world are malnourished, 153 million of them under and Catholic Values. Info on the statement is encourages dominance and tyranny—that the 2004 Pax Christi USA National Assem- the age of five. In the U.S., 33.6 million people, available at www.paxchristiusa.org or by call- causes, encourages or perpetuates injustice, including almost 13 million children, live in house- ing 814-453-4955 ext. 221. not only the acts visited on peoples but the holds that experience hunger or the risk of hunger. 2. Make copies of this brochure and place them in conditions and systems that allow and —Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns the information area of your local parish. 3. Get involved with local/national campaigns led support oppression. The people of God Prayer Tuesday: Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous; by people who are poor or marginalized. Sup- must speak to those aspects of a culture teach me to serve you as you deserve, to give and port their efforts by offering your time, money that promote lifestyles and products that Our Father, Mother, who are in the world not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the and resources to further their work. and surpass the world , wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and deplete the world’s resources and offer a not to seek reward, except that of knowing that I do narrow or biased worldview which Blessed be your presence, in us, in animals Resources your will. —St. Ignatius of Loyola • Recent Peaceweavings—including “Mixing supports the gross inequities that exist and flowers, in still air and wind. among peoples and nations. The people of May justice and peace dwell among us, as Wednesday: A Catholic moral framework does not you come to us. easily fit the ideologies of “right” or “left,” nor the God must act on behalf of those who platforms of any party…Our responsibility is to Politics and Religion” by Sr. Christine Vladimi- experience any diminishment and must act Your will be our will; measure all candidates, policies, parties, and plat- roff and “Choosing a Presidential Candidate” in favor of the Gospel. You will that we be sisters and brothers, as forms by how they protect or undermine the life, by Fr. John Rausch—are available as free downloads at the Pax Christi USA Web site, bread is bread, water is itself, dignity, and rights of the human person, whether For our hunger, for quenching of thirst. they protect the poor and vulnerable and advance www.paxchristiusa.org. The Gospel addresses the quality of human • Forgive us. the common good. —from Faithful Citizenship, NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Jus- life and the conditions in which it is nur- issued by the United States Catholic Bishops tice Lobby has free resources available for tured—it demands that persons, societies, We walk crookedly in the world, are groups and individuals on the upcoming elec- institutions and systems that oppress be perverse, and fail of our promise. Thursday: To act is to be committed, and to be tion. Visit www.networklobby.org for info. But we would be human, if only you committed is to be in danger. —James Baldwin • FaithfulAmerica.org is an online community of converted. Witnessing to the love of God in people of faith who want to build a more just Jesus compels us to exercise our preferen- consent to stir up our hearts. Friday: Let us then pursue what makes for peace Amen. and for mutual understanding. —Romans 14:19 and compassionate nation. It provides one-click tial option for the poor—to be voices for opportunities to impact current political issues. the voiceless, to act on behalf of those most Saturday: At a time when much of the world is Visit www.FaithfulAmerica.org. in need…to be prophetic! There can be no By Daniel Berrigan, SJ gripped by fear of terrorism and a few voices hint that the time may again come when the United justice without the promotion of human States should call upon its nuclear arsenal to make ‘quick work’ of frightening threats, it is fitting to