"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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Pax Christi Michigan Winter 2009 PeaceMaking News Brief Announcements...Updates...Action Alerts
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Ron Dale, Direct Action & Civil Disobedience Veteran to Receive PCM’s 2009 Purple Ribbon for Peace Awardby Sigrid Dale, Beloved Spouse of Ron DaleThis year’s purple Ribbon Award recipient, Ron Dale, an almost two decade’s member of St. Leo (now Bishop Gumbleton) Pax Christi, is a firm believer in Direct Action and Civil Disobedience. He has participated in many marches and protests locally in the Detroit area and in major national actions, primarily in New York and Washington D.C.; also at the SOA in Fort Benning Georgia, the Air Force Base in Omaha NE and the Nevada Test Site. While on visits to Germany in the 80’s his peace work has included protesting the U.S. Pershing II and Cruise missiles that were then deployed there. During Christmas 2001 he was in the West Bank with the Michigan Peace Team engaging in symbolic resistance such as removing Israeli roadblocks and participating in a die-in action in front of an Israeli tank in Ramalla and then being invited to the PLO compound for lunch with President Arafat His first arrest came on December 28, 1999, Holy Innocents Day, when he “crossed the line” at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, NE to protest the nuclear weapons there. He was doing that while on the way to Las Vegas for the gathering called ‘Millenium 2000, Walking the Ways of Peace,’ which included an arrest for entering the Nevada Test Site at midnight 1999/2000 in the company of several hundred including Bishop Gumbleton, Fr. Dan Berrigan, Fr. John Dear, and Martin Sheen Together with other local peacemakers he risked arrest at the McNamara Building in Detroit during Oct. 2002, while Congress was voting to authorize war on Iraq. When no arrests were made, he participated in a 2-night sleepover in front of that building, while a vigil was held until the vote results were announced. Before the war, while trying to put an end to the awful sanctions on Iraq, he was arrested at the White House. Then in March 2003, just before the war began, he was one of those who did a die-in at the entrance of the Detroit Federal Court building and all were arrested. His opposition to the continued work on Nuclear Weapons has often taken him to Oak Ridge, TN, where major work on refurbishing nuclear warheads is done. He has been arrested there 3 times, the first time with Bishop Gumbleton and other PAX CHRISTI leaders in 2001. The third time got him a 5 day jail sentence. In the fall of 2005, to symbolically close the Pentagon, he was among a group of about 100 activists arrested for lying on the ground blocking the main entrance After release, there was enough time that afternoon for a second anti-war demonstration - joining 370 others in the largest ever arrest to date at the White House. Besides these more exciting things, Ron works on house duty Thursdays at the Catholic Worker Day House in Detroit and its Manna Meal Soup Kitchen on Fridays. He also drives people to doctors and other errands when needed. ☼ Editor’s note: Pax Christi Michigan holds both Ron and Sigrid Dale in highest esteem as peace mentors, activists and dedicated members of Pax Christi. Introducing PCM's 6th Annual Young Adult Peacemaker Award Winners Kim Laba & Arun D’SouzaBy Joan Tirak, PCM Coordinator Many would say, “It’s about time!” Yes, this year Pax Christi Michigan is honored to hold up Kim Laba and Arun D’Souza for their years of selfless, faith-filled work in building our PCM Young Adult Movement (YAM). Their vision was inspired by their participation in the 1998 PCUSA Young Adult Retreat and National Assembly. Since then they have been the force behind keeping the dream of increasing involvement of young adults in PCM and PCUSA alive. This is no small task, given the high mobility of most young folks. But their personal journeys with Pax Christi Michigan actually started when they were small children, who year after year participated with their siblings in the kid’s programs at our Annual PCM Conferences. The Laba and D’Souza parents made Pax Christi so much a part of their family lives that Kim and Arun caught the fire of peace and never let it get extinguished. As young adults they have each served two 3-yr terms on our PCM St. Council, dedicating themselves to the growth of our Young Adult Movement through planning and coordinating annual picnics, managing a Yahoo Group, facilitating a YAM Lunch Caucus and hosting workshops designed for young adults at our annual St. Conferences, participating in ceremonies honoring our previous five Young Adult Peacemaker Award winners, and pilgrimaging to Ft. Bennings, GA for the annual School of the Americas Watch Vigil and Teach-In. Their PERSONAL PEACE-BIOS are long and uplifting. Here are some of their accomplishments and involvements. KIM► Gesu parish - Peace and Justice Committee, worked with the prayer committee and helped with children's activities for Generations of Faith; volunteered for 2 years with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps where she learned and still lives out JVC’s core values of social justice, spirituality, simple living, and community; worked with St Joseph's Shelter for families; served as coordinator and tutor for Our Next Generation Kid's Club; while at University of Detroit Mercy actively participated in the service and community focus of Four West, the Peace and Social Justice Floor; helped with blessings to celebrate marriages, births, baptisms for the former JVC Volunteer Community and helped with planning the annual JVC Advent retreat in Detroit. ARUN► Co-founder and member of Pax Christi Ann Arbor, formed initially from young adults who attended our 2006 YAM picnic and has now grown to include others from Ann Arbor; St. Mary Student Parish Peace and Justice Ministry 1999-2004 – served on the Environmental Justice taskforce, Chairperson 2003-04, hosted speakers on Hunger, Sprawl, Water issues, SOA, Affordable Housing, Segregation, Israel/Palestine; St. Mary Social Justice Ministry (formerly St. Mary Student Parish P&J Ministry) – Steering Committee 2004-present, helped plan education, service and advocacy events around the themes of Immigration, Ecology, Prisoner Dignity, Faithful Citizenship, Racism; led “Days of Service” sites for parishioners; participated in Crop Walks to raise money and awareness regarding hunger; member of Michigan Students for Peace while a student at University of Michigan. Announcement for Bulletins & Newsletters Pax Christi Michigan 28th Annual State Conference
Racism, Materialism, Militarism: The Fierce Urgency of NOW! With keynoters Bishop Tom Gumbleton Peace Prophet & Past President of PCUSA
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Elena Herrada Teacher & Grass Roots Community Activist
Saturday, April 25th, 2009 Marygrove College, Detroit For conference and ticket information, Help! PCM Conference needs you! We’ve seen the growth in Pax Christi Michigan. Many have kept it alive through hard work, and we grateful. Daily news and budget priorities that are targeted for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq remind us that Peace work is ongoing. Your help with publicizing the 28th PCM Annual Conference is needed. First, mark your calendar, and Send in your enclosed brochure registration TODAY. Second, publicize the Conference in your area. Begin with your church, and neighboring parishes, then move on to other groups that you may belong to. Be creative – make a poster for your church or school bulletin boards. Personally talk to your friends and family members about this event. Begin today, and do this throughout the next few months. The PCM conference is always a celebration of hope – DON’T MISS IT! Thank you very much. We appreciate your support. **Copy bulletin announcement above** “Offer your hand…” Offer your hand to one new person this year! Have them join you in Pax Christi and spread the peace of Christ. If everyone adds just one person each year, we will have over 6,400 members in Michigan in 3 years! CONTACT ObamaPresident Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history. To send questions, comments, concerns, or well-wishes to the President or his staff, go to http://www.whitehouse.gov/Contact/ Comments: 202-456-1111; Switchboard: 202-456-1414; FAX: 202-456-2461
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