March 24th Vigil to remember the 4th Anniversary of the Iraq War

On March 24^th we will be holding a special vigil in remembrance of the 4^th anniversary of the Iraq war. The vigil will begin at 10:00 am across from the post office at the intersection Maple St. and Broad St. in Summit. (There is a public parking lot behind the post office.)

The vigil will focus on the needs and hardships of military families with loved ones in Iraq. The purpose is to draw attention to the often overlooked human costs of this war. We are inviting all interested persons to join us. Our theme for the event is “Honor the dead, heal the wounded, end the war”. We will be collecting money for the Deployed Military Spouses Relief Fund. For more information on the fund you can contact:

Fawn I. Mutschler

Military Grant Liaison

Women's Opportunity Center

YMCA of Burlington County

wocmilitarygrant@ymca-bc.org

609-543-6200 Ext. 325

Morristown rally to save Darfur

On Sunday, March 18, the North Jersey Coalition for Darfur, which is an ecumenical gathering of all faiths from northern New Jersey, will be hosting a rally to save Darfur on the Morristown Green at 2 p.m. They are encouraging people from surrounding areas in northern New Jersey to unite and rally together to put an end to the massive suffering in Darfur.

Pope Benedict XVI has urged us all to be part of the effort to end genocide in the western Sudan region. In November 2005, the pope said:

"The horror of events unfolding in Darfur… points to the need for a stronger international resolve to ensure security and basic human rights. Today, I add my voice to the cry of the suffering and assure you that the Holy See will continue to do everything possible to end the cycle of violence and misery."

At the rally, attendees can expect to hear speeches from different political, religious and humanitarian spokepersons trying to mobilize opinions. Invocations and prayers of the different religions, which include Christian and Jewish religions, will also be said. The coalition hopes its efforts will urge government officials to respond by sending more humanitarian relief to the region.

For more information on the coalition go to: www.njcoalition4darfur.org.