"Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people" - Dr. M. L. King, Jr.
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"Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people" - Dr. M. L. King, Jr.
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Below is a letter written by the group "Franz Jagerstatter People for Breaking the Silence", sent to the U.S. Bishops in response to the escalation of the war in Afghanistan, and increasing economic crises here in the United States. Please read their letter and, if you agree, download your own copy of the letter HERE, in Microsoft Word. Please personalize it as you see fit, and send it to your bishop. To find the mailing address of your bishop, please follow this link: http://www.usccb.org/directory.shtml =========================================================================================================
Franz Jagerstatter People for Breaking the Silence P. O. Box 283, Corfu, NY 14036
Feb. 17, 2010, On Ash Wednesday To the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Your Excellencies, Does loving one another “as I have loved you” mean assembling and maintaining thousands of nuclear weapons with the capacity of incinerating millions and millions of people while spending billions and billions on “development and upgrades” as the world has done in the past decade? American Catholics helped produce the “Fat Man” that killed thousands of their fellow Catholics in Nagasaki. Could we possibly do that again to other baptized Catholics, loving one another as he has loved us? We are a stiff-necked generation! Our generation refuses to heed your 1983 exhortation from “The Challenge of Peace, God’s Promise and Our Response”: "Deterrence is not an adequate strategy as a long-term basis for peace; it is a transitional strategy justifiable only in conjunction with resolute determination to pursue arms control and disarmament." That was nearly 30 years ago and the U.S. still spent some $52.4 billion in 2008 according to the LA Times, $145 million per day, to maintain its nuclear arsenal. Nor has our generation heeded your 1993 call, from “The Harvest of Justice is Sown in Peace”, for a comprehensive test-ban treaty, effective action to halt nuclear proliferation and greater progress toward nuclear disarmament.” You reminded this generation, “Part of the legacy of The Challenge of Peace is the call to strengthen peacemaking as an essential dimension of our faith, reminding us that Jesus called us to be peacemakers.” And you have told us, “Nonviolent strategies need greater attention in international affairs.” Nevertheless, since your warning in 1983, we have further blurred the distinction between nuclear and conventional weaponry with “bunker busters”, depleted uranium, “dirty nuclear devices”, “low yield nuclear devices”, and the like. And proliferation now extends to as many as 9-10 countries with others working toward that end. The US has continued nuclear weapons threats which have been well documented. The oft-repeated “All options are on the table”, means just that. Archbishop Edwin O’Brien was direct in his speech to the Strategic Air Command in July 2009, “Nuclear war-fighting is rejected in Church teaching because it cannot ensure noncombatant immunity and the likely destruction and lingering radiation would violate the principle of proportionality. Even the limited use of so-called ‘mini-nukes’ would likely lower the barrier to future uses and could lead to indiscriminate and disproportionate harm. And there is the danger of escalation to nuclear exchanges of cataclysmic proportions.” All this - in contrast to the nonviolent teaching of Jesus, “Lay down your weapon” - and his very life example. And all this - in contrast to Blessed Franz Jagerstatter who sacrificed his very life as a martyr rather than participate in a sinful unjust war, which you have declared nuclear war to be. How many millions are to die by a single error of human judgment? In the name of Jesus, could we do other than loudly declare the assembly and maintenance of nuclear weapons anything but SIN? Congressional voting for nuclear budgets, taxpayer cooperation without protest, military people accepting assignments to keep nuclear weapons on alert…should we not proclaim this all SIN? Some of you have recently condemned these weapons, e.g., Cardinal George in July 2009; and Bishop Matthiesen in his book, Wise and Otherwise, said about contamination, “Now the pits that are the cores of the thousand of nuclear bombs we assembled during the Cold War are turning on us.” Yet we stand at A New Moment for Nuclear Disarmament. President Obama in his Prague speech gave us hope for a new future, a new road toward the nuclear disarmament you have called for, especially when he said that “moral leadership is more powerful than any weapon”. Pope Benedict in his World Peace Day Message 2010, encouraged “the efforts of the international community to ensure progressive disarmament and a world free of nuclear weapons, whose presence alone threatens the life of the planet and the ongoing integral development of the present generation and of generations yet to come.” Following your prophetic pastoral statements in 1983 and 1993, with the same determination and skill you are employing in your health care reform advocacy and your call for Immigration Reform, bringing your moral leadership to the process, we call upon you to: a) engage all Catholics to refuse to participate in any way in maintaining nuclear weapon systems; and b) in a new demand that the scourge of nuclear weapons be removed from the face of this shrinking planet. c) We further ask you to provide an education program for all Catholics, both young people and adults, on the nonviolent teachings and life example of Christ himself - helping Catholics to understand the immorality of these weapons, and all weapons of mass destruction; and helping them to join your call for eliminating this curse; and d) encourage active engagement with the actions now planned that are consistent with your prophetic calls, e.g., the “Spring 2010 Walk for a Nuclear-free World”, or your own creative non-violent action. We pray for God’s grace and blessing on your leadership Franz Jagerstatter People for Breaking the Silence Cc: Stephen Colecchi, Director, USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace
Franz Jagerstatter People for Breaking the Silence Richard Keough, Pax Christi CNY, Diocese of Syracuse, NY
(rkeough@twcny.rr.com)
Fr. Bernard Survil, Diocese of Greensburg, PA (Fr.Survil@EmbraceAllOfLife.us) Fr. Tim Taugher, St. Catherine Parish, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (taughertim@hotmail.com) Sister Rose Margaret Noonan, CSJ, Pastoral Asst., St. James Parish, Johnson City, NY, Diocese of Syracuse NY Ruth Giammichele, St. James Parish, Johnson City, NY, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (rgiammichele@stny.rr.com) Deacon Jim Rauner, Immaculate Conception Parish,Diocese of Kalamazoo (jrauner@hughes.net) Christian L. Privett, Durham, NC (privettricker@nc.rr.com) Fr. John P. Donovan, St James Parish, Johnson City, Diocese of Syracuse, NY Jack Gilroy, Chair, Peace/Justice Committee, St. James Parish, Johnson City, NY, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (jgilroy1@stny.rr.com ) Fr. Kevin Bunger, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (bunger@frontiernet.net) Rev. Fred Daley, Pastor, All Saints Parish, Syracuse, NY, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (parish@allsaintssyracuse.org) Victoria B. Ross, QCSW, MSW, MALD, Peaceful Conflict Resolution Coordinator, WNY Peace Tim Musser, Pax Christi, Cleveland, OH (timbevmusser@hotmail.com) William H. Privett, Regional Coordinator, Pax Christi WNY (wprivett.paxchristi@gmail.com) Sr. Rosemary Riggie, Sisters of St. Mary, Diocese of Buffalo, NY, rosebudssmn@yahoo.com Candis Hamilton, (candihamilton@earthlink.net) Fr. William Michatek, Diocese of Rochester, NY, (fmichate@dor.org) Pete & Judy Yuslum, Pax Christi New Orleans (yanktonjan@eatel.net) John Honeck, Pax Christi Rochester (jhoneck@aol.com) Frank Woolever, Pax Christi CNY, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (fhwooly@aol.com) Gabriele Wohlauer, Pittsford, New York, (wohlauer@rochester.rr.com) Paul Frazier, Slocum House, Syracuse, New York, (pauljfrazier@yahoo.com) Kathryn A. Wood, Pax Christi WNY, Buffalo, NY, (ka1wood@yahoo.com) Rosemarie Pace, Pax Christi , Pax Christi Metro New York (nypaxchristi@igc.org) Thomas J. Rowan, St. Martin of Tours Parish, Bronx, NY, (tomad_51@earthlink.net). Normal McLaughlin, St. Joseph University Church, Buffalo, NY (normglor@verizon.net) Dr. Susan B. Draper, Associate Professor, School of
Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) Mary Anne Muller, Brooklyn, NY (brooklynbluebird@gmail.com) Deacon William Coffey, Diocese of Rochester, NY, (wcoffey2@rochester.rr.com.) Jonathan Granoff, President Global Security Institute. (Jgg786@aol.com) Margaret O'Donnell,Sisters of Mercy, (margrsm@yahoo.com) Pauline Petruzzella,R.S.M. (pspetruzz1@verizon.net) Consolacion Briones, R.S.M. (1conse@live.com) Mary Eugenia Vastola, R.S.M, Diocese of Buffalo, NY Joan Sherry, RSM, Diocese of Buffalo, NY Deacon William A Van Dril., Diocese of Kalamazoo, (wavandril@gmail.com) Regina Hawkey, Parishioner, St. Francis Xavier Church, Brooklyn, NY (Regie5754@aol.com) Stephen M Senesi, Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War, Diocese of Kalamazoo (steve.senesi@gmail.com) Phyllis Townley, Pax Christi, Metro NY, Church of the Ascension (TBoadicea@aol.com) Matthew A. Privett, Brockport, NY, Diocese of Rochester, NY (mprivett@rochester.rr.com) William Slavick, Pax Christi Maine (billslavick@myfairpoint.net) Margaret A. Flanagan, 177 East 3rd St. #4A, New York, NY
10009, (margaflan@verizon.net) Judy Rich, Pax Christi MA, (judithrich@hotmail.com) Marietta Miller, OSF. Pax Christi, St. Lawrence. ( mmillerosf@gmail.com) S. Christina Pecoraro, OSF, Sisters of St. Francis, Stella Niagara, NY (14144cpeco620@gmail.com) Jeanette Benson (Jeanette.Benson@providence.org) Fr. Nelson Belizario (frnelson@stsimonstockschool.org) Joseph Cunneen, Pax Christi, Nyack NY (SCunn24219@aol.com) John M. Villaume, St. Andrew Catholic Parish, Portland OR (jmvillaume@yahoo.com) John Ghormley, St. Andrew Catholic Church, Portland Ore. (ghormley.john@yahoo.com) Mary Lyn Villaume, cradleCatholic, St. Andrew Parish, Portland OR (mlrvillaume@yahoo.com) Rev. Kevin C. Mullins, O.S.A., Pastor, Our Lady of Grace Church, Diocese of Oakland (kcmosa@sbcglobal.net) Mary Beevers, Pax Christi, Natick,MA , (mwbeevers@yahoo.com) Len Leritz, Board Member and Director Of Training, Bridges of Wellness Foundation (leritz@bellsouth.ne) Jeanne Allen, Pax Christi (Massachusetts region, Western Mass. local group) (jeanne.allen@hhcinc.org) Sr. Francis Joseph, R.A., Saint Joseph's University (fjoseph@sju.edu) Rachel M Scrpello, r.a., Saint Joseph's University (fjoseph@sju.edu) Br. William C. Harkin, O.S.A., Director of Living Waters Catholic Reflection Center Maggie Valley, NC, ((lwcrc@bellsouth.net)) John J. Lydon, (jjlydon@gmail.com) Joseph Bradley, Catholic Peace Fellowship, Philadelphia, PA (sheribrad@aol.com) Br. John J DelCasale, OSA St Augustine Parish Andover Massachusetts, (brojohn@staugustineparish.org) Fran & Frank McGinty, Jenkintown Pa 19046 (frankmcginty@verizon.net) Robert Steinman Villanova University, (villanova.edu) Gerald M. Bitz, St. Andrew Catholic Church - Portland, Oregon (gmbitz@aol.com) (Rev.) Richard M. Nahman, OSA, The Augustinians, Province of St Thomas of Villanova, Barbara J. George, Chief of Staff, The Healing of the Nations Foundation, The Interchurch Center (bjghon@gmail.com) Bernadette Cronin-Geller, St Vincent de Paul Peace and Justice Ministry Philadelphia PA (bernlawr2729@verizon.net ) Catherine H. Pfeiffer, Pax Christi MetroWest, (walnatkt@verizon.net) Rev. Dr. Joseph Oechsle, Malvern Preparatory School 418 S Warren Ave Malvern, PA (joechsle@malvernprep.org) Joan and Joy (jmmjkw@rcn.com) December 9, 2009, On the Feast Day of St. Juan Diego To the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Your Excellencies, We are writing to you mindful of our call to solidarity with the poor and the powerful connection between your two prophetic Pastoral Statements of 1986 and 1983. Your 1986 Pastoral Letter, “Economic Justice for All” reminded us that “Economic decisions have human consequences and moral content. They help or hurt people, strengthen or weaken family life, advance or diminish the quality of justice in our land.” And you placed this in the context of Jesus awakening our spirits in his sermon, “Blessed are the Poor in Sprit…Blessed are the meek…Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” Furthermore, your 1983 Pastoral Letter, “The Challenge of Peace, God’s Promise and Our Response”, stated, “Peacemaking is not an optional commitment. It is a requirement of our faith. We are called to be peacemakers, not by some movement of the moment, but by our Lord Jesus.” From these two perspectives today, we see the horrifying death and mayhem from war in Iraq and Afghanistan, at the same time we see the predicament of the people in your Dioceses who are hurt by unemployment at 10.2%, 46 million who are without health insurance, a September decrease in domestic personal income, and 1.3 million bankruptcy fillings in one year, as of June 2009 (many from medical costs), a 35% increase over the same period reported in 2008. (See Sept. 2009 US Census Bureau data below.) Beyond this, as you are so fully aware, state governments like New York and California are facing severe economic stress, with deficits in the billions. But these states have a critical role in serving the poor with Medicaid, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, housing assistance, HEAP, etc., programs which are threatened by the economic calamity which places an enormous burden on nonprofits such as Catholic Charities. The recent upswing in the stock market, as you know, is no prescription for care of poor people. In the light of these economic problems in the US, magnified in poorer nations, we ask, “How can we continue to spend on war at a rate of $11 billion per month, when nearly 50 million Americans suffer insecurity concerning food on the table, and nearly 3 billion people in this world live on less than $2 per day?” As you said in 1986, “Followers of Christ must avoid a tragic separation between faith and every day life.” We remember Blessed Franz Jagerstatter (beatified two years ago) and his “Solitary Witness” against enormous injustice, because war-making inevitably generates breathtaking economic opportunities for some, and extreme economic hardship for others such as Franz’ poor family who suffered from his lonely but principled stand. Franz, of course said, “If the Church stays silent in the face of what is happening, what difference would it make if no church were ever opened again?” In this light we are somewhat encouraged by Bishop Howard Hubbard’s October 6, 2009 letter to Ret. General James Jones, National Security Advisor, perhaps as a redirection of the USCCB stance on Afghanistan. Bishop Hubbard urged renewed focus on diplomacy in Afghanistan and greater attention to humanitarian assistance and long-term development, particularly agricultural programs; and supports efforts aimed at strengthening local governance and local participation in planning development. Perhaps the letter by Bishop Hubbard, Chair of the USCCB International Justice and Peace Committee, can begin to redirect the USCCB position away from justifying death and destruction, and offer a beginning of a new teaching of all American Catholics that this war must be brought to a swift end. 77 Methodist Bishops issued just such a call to end the war in November. We are at an historic moment in the US with a matchless opportunity to extend health care to more than 46 million currently uninsured. With this opportunity and the difficulties your people face at this very minute, we urge you to convey to your people the direct effect of currently spending $11 billion/month for Iraq and Afghanistan ($1 million/ soldier/year deployed to Afghanistan alone); and how instead that might be used in your Diocese to protect human life and human dignity, promote compassion and the common good. We continue to hold you in our prayers. Peace, Franz Jagerstatter People for Breaking the Silence And... Richard Keough, Pax Christi CNY,
Diocese of Syracuse, NY (rkeough@twcny.rr.com)
Fr. Bill Pickard, Diocese of Scranton, PA (wpickard@stjosephscenter.org) Fr. Bernard Survil, Diocese of Greensburg, PA (Fr.Survil@EmbraceAllOfLife.us) Fr. Tim Taugher, St. Catherine Parish, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (taughertim@hotmail.com) Fr. Fred Daley, St. Therese Parish, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (ffddaley@aol.com) Robert H. Cooke, Regional Coord., Pax Christi MetroDC/Baltimore, (CookeR@ppnpf.com) Fr. Kevin Bunger, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (bunger@frontiernet.net) Sister Rose Margaret Noonan, CSJ, Pastoral Asst., St. James Parish, Johnson City, NY, Diocese of Syracuse NY Ruth Giammichele, St. James Parish, Johnson City, NY, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (rgiammichele@stny.rr.com) Deacon Jim Rauner,Immaculate Conception Parish,Diocese of Kalamazoo(jrauner@hughes.net) Christian L. Privett, Durham, NC (privettricker@nc.rr.com) James Clune, Binghamton, NY, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (jimclune@yahoo.com) Fr. John P. Donovan, St James Parish, Johnson City, Diocese of Syracuse, NY Jack Gilroy, Chair, Peace/Justice Committee, St. James Parish, Johnson City, NY, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (jgilroy1@stny.rr.com ) Matthew A. Privett, Brockport, NY, Diocese of Rochester, NY (mattcoll@frontiernet.net) Frank Woolever, Pax Christi CNY, Diocese of Syracuse, NY (fhwooly@aol.com) Victoria B. Ross, QCSW, MSW, MALD, Peaceful Conflict Resolution Coordinator, WNY Peace Center, and Interfaith Peace Network of WNY, (victoryross@verizon.net) Tim Musser, Pax Christi, Cleveland, OH (timbevmusser@hotmail.com) William H. Privett, Regional Coordinator, Pax Christi WNY (wprivett.paxchristi@gmail.com) Joan L. Tirak, Regional Coordinator, Pax Christi Michigan (tirakpaxmi@gmail.com)
Cc: Stephen Colecchi, Director, USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- September 10, 2009, US Census Bureau: The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that real median household income in the United States fell 3.6 percent between 2007 and 2008, from $52,163 to $50,303. This breaks a string of three years of annual income increases and coincides with the recession that started in December 2007. The nation’s official poverty rate in 2008 was 13.2 percent, up from 12.5 percent in 2007. There were 39.8 million people in poverty in 2008, up from 37.3 million in 2007. Meanwhile, the number of people without health insurance coverage rose from 45.7 million in 2007 to 46.3 million in 2008, while the percentage remained unchanged at 15.4 percent. These findings are contained in the report Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008. The following results for the nation were compiled from information collected in the 2009 Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) |
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