Before There was Veteran's Day, There was the Feast of St. Martin of Tours

"As we hold individuals in high esteem those who conscientiously serve in the armed forces, so also we should regard conscientious objection and selective conscientious objection as positive indicators within the Church of a sound moral awareness and respect for human life." (U.S. Bishops, Declaration of Conscientious Objection and Selective Conscientious Objection.)

Today our government observes Veteran's Day and the Catholic Church observes the feast day of St. Martin of Tours the patron saint of both soldiers and conscientious objectors.

Martin of Tours was the son of an officer in the Roman army who, at the age of 15, joined Roman army himself. As a young man, he underwent a conversion after an encounter with a beggar. In a dream, the beggar he had encountered earlier that day, appeared to him as Christ.

Some time after his Baptism, he began to view his military service as incompatible with his Christian faith. Prior to a battle, he asked Emperor Julian for his release from the army declaring, "I have served you as a soldier; allow me henceforth to serve Christ... I am a soldier of Christ and it is not lawful for me to fight".  He offered instead to stand unarmed between the Roman and Gothic lines.  Julian declined Martin's offer but he did throw Martin into prison until a truce was reached.

After his release, Martin returned to the place of his birth in the Alps and founded, what is considered to be, the first monastery. Some years later, he was reluctantly elected bishop. 

Today, let us hold in our thoughts and prayers all those who have suffered and sacrificed after an examination of conscience. Let us pray for those who are honored because, out of a moral duty, they served, and those who are persecuted and punished because, out of a moral duty, they refused. 

Conference on Freeing the World of Nuclear Weapons

Freeing the World of Nuclear Weapons

Sunday, May 31, 2009
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
First Memorial Presbyterian Church
51 West Blackwell Street
Dover, NJ 07801

Admission Free

President Obama has catapulted nuclear disarmament to the front page from its obscurity over the past decade. The August 9 Saving Lives Task Force* has scheduled its second conference on May 31st to continue promoting the disarmament agenda. Join the group to learn what is happening in the disarmament movement and how you can support national and international efforts toward a nuclear weapons free world.


Timing is critical. The START Treaty** expires this year.

Speakers:

Brian Finlay, President of the Stimson Organization, Washington , D.C – The Domestic Politics of Nuclear Disarmament

Rick Ufford-Chase, Former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Executive Director of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, Director of the Stony Point Conference Center – The Role of Faith-Based Groups

Larry Hamm, Director, People’s Organization for Progress – Redirecting Spending to Social and Humanitarian Programs

Anyone interested in becoming part of this important project is encouraged to contact:

Dave Mortensen at dmortnj@hotmail.com or 862-812-2324 and/or
Madelyn Hoffman, NJ Peace Action nj_peaceaction@yahoo.com

or 973-259-1126.

* The August 9 Saving Lives Task Force is a Partner with New Jersey Peace Action.

** The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and the USSR by late 2001 resulted in the removal of about 80% of all strategic nuclear weapons then in existence. There is still a long way to go.


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There is no charge to attend this forum. A free-will donation will be gratefully received.


ORGANIZERS & CO-SPONSORS OF THE MAY 31 PEACE CONFERENCE

Organized by:

Islamic Center of Morris County in Rockaway

Jam-e-Masjid Islamic Center in Boonton

Multifaith Peace and Justice Alliance

New Jersey Peace Action

Peacemaking Committee of the Presbytery of Newton (Representing 62 Presbyterian churches in northwest NJ)

Seeds of Peace of the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship

Social Action Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sussex County

Co-Sponsors:

Essex County Chapter of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

First Memorial Presbyterian Church of Dover

Lakeland Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Network of Spiritual Progressives

Northwest New Jersey Peace Fellowship

Pax Christi NJ

Tikkun

Veterans for Peace, Chapter 021

Vietnam Veterans Against the War - North Jersey

The August 9th Saving Lives Task Force is still seeking co-sponsors for this event. All we ask is that co-sponsors allow their name to be listed. If you can also help us publicize the event to your contacts and networks, that would be greatly appreciated. If you are interested in being a co-sponsor, please send an e-mail to nj_peaceaction@yahoo.com.

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Note: The church sanctuary where much of the program will take place is not air conditioned, but there will be fans.

Parking: When on West Blackwell Street with the church to the right - Make a left on to Prospect Street and go about 200 feet. There is a free public parking lot on the left. For people with special needs, there is limited parking behind the church. The driveway is located just before the church on your right. (Revised directions will be circulated shortly.)

CONTACT:

Madelyn Hoffman, Director of NJ Peace Action at director@njpeaceaction.org or (973)851-2136

David Mortensen at dmortnj@hotmail.com or (862)812-2324

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Fr. Louie in NJ This Week & Again in June

Father Louie Vitale, the founder of Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service, will be touring the east coast this spring. He will be making several stops in NJ.

Below is a list of his current engagements.

For more info on Fr. Louie’s calendar including contact info for each event click here.


May 19, 2009
7:30pm - 9:30pm
Torture: Spiritual and Moral Perspectives
Princeton Theological Seminary
64 Mercer St 609-921-8300
Princeton, NJ, 08540

May 20, 2009
10:00am - 12:00pm
Loving Your Enemies: Transforming Us vs. Them Thinking
Monroe Township Municipal Building
1 Municipal Way
Monroe Township, NJ, 08831

May 21, 2009
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Love Your Enemies: Transforming Us vs. Them Thinking
Sacred Heart Church
Broadway & Ferry
Camden , NJ

June 10, 2009
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Living as a Peacemaker
St. Bonaventure Church
174 Ramsey St
Paterson, NJ, 07501

June 11, 2009
7:00pm - 9:00pm
The Nonviolent Response to Terrorism
St. Francis of Assisi Church
4700 Long Beach Blvd
Brant Beach, NJ, 08008


About Fr. Louie

With a background in sociology and a focus on the Sociology of Religion and social movements, Louie is a long time social activist. A Franciscan priest who served as the provincial of the California Franciscan Friars from 1979 to 1988, he co-founded the Nevada Desert Experience and its enduring movement to end nuclear testing. He recently completed twelve years as the pastor of St. Boniface Catholic Church in a low-income neighborhood in San Francisco, California. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Louie finished serving a six month sentence for his nonviolent action in trying to draw attention to and to close the School of the Americas/Whinsec at Ft. Benning, GA in 2006. He is currently the “Action Advocate” for Pace e Bene and is involved in trying to raise awareness about issues of torture and US involvement in it. To that end, he was arrested at Ft. Huachuca in Nov 2006 and served five months in prison from October 2007 to March 2008.

About Pace e Bene
Founded in 1989 by the Franciscan Friars of California, Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service is an independent, nondenominational 501(c)3 organization with offices in Oakland, Chicago, Montreal, and Las Vegas. Its mission is to foster a just and peaceful world through nonviolence education, community-building, and action.

Hence the name. St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi greeted the people of the thirteenth century with the expression “Pace e bene!” or “Peace and all good!” So much was expressed by this little phrase: May you have the fullness of well-being, may you be secure and happy; may you not want; may your dignity be respected; may the goodness in your inmost being flourish; may the world in which we live know this deep peace. It was a blessing, a hope, and a way of acknowledging the sacredness of those whom they encountered.

It is in this spirit that Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service works to mainstream peacemaking that will empower people from all walks of life to prayerfully and relentlessly engage in nonviolent efforts for the well-being of all.

Peacemaking: Piece by Piece

According to Dorothy Day, "the greatest challenge of the day is how to bring about a revolution of the heart." This revolution begins with each one of us in our own hearts and in our own lives.

This year get a little extra help keeping your New Year’s resolution to live a more just and peaceful life by joining us at the annual Pax Christi NJ Retreat. This program will help you to deepen your relationship with yourself and others and teach you how to unleash nonviolent power in your own life and in the world. Strengthen your resolve to do justice as we nurture our community of peacemakers.

Peacemaking Piece by Piece

Saturday, January 24, 2009

St. Mary’s Parish Center

Colts Neck, NJ

Facilitators-Carol Fay & Eileen McGuire

For a flyer and registration form click here.

Domincan Nuns Added to Terrorist Watch List

Sister Carol Gilbert and Sister Ardeth Platte were among 53 peace activists whose names were added to the national terrorist watch list after being targeted by a Maryland State Police surveillance program. Each previously served nearly three years in federal prison for a non-violent protest at a missile silo in Colorado in 2002. The story of their 2002 arrest and prosecution is the subject of a documentary entitled Conviction.