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Here are some of the projects Pax Christi has planned for 2006-2007:
September 21 International Day of Peace Vigil "…to devote a specific time to concentrate the efforts of the United Nations and its Member States, as well as of the whole of mankind, to promoting the ideals of peace and to giving positive evidence of their commitment to peace in all viable ways…" Imagine what would happen if millions of people from every country and every tradition came together on a single day to celebrate their commitment to peace and simultaneously call on all people of the world by all creative means to end violence and embrace each other as brothers and sisters of one global community. And if this could be possible for one single day… The U.N. sponsored International Day of Peace is sometimes called humanity’s first global holiday. It is a day for “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace.” Each year since its introduction in 2001 participation has grown in number and this year thousands of organized events in over 190 countries are expected to observe this day of nonviolence. Here in West Lafayette, IN, we have chosen to celebrate in the following way: We will begin at 5:30pm at the large fountain in Founders Park next to Beering Hall on campus. Participants will stand in witness while presenters offer short reflections and poems on peace and nonviolence. Our public demonstration will culminate with a powerful, silent march past Purdue Memorial Mall, across State Street and into the chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Participants will bear banners and signs of peace while the bells of St. Tom’s toll as a symbol of solidarity. At 6:00pm we will enter the chapel for a very simple interfaith prayer service. As a gesture of peace to all faiths, we will have prominent members of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities read a passage from each of their sacred scriptures. Meditative music will be provided. Finally at 6:30pm, everyone will be welcomed to stay for a brief guided meditation for peace graciously offered by members of the Art of Living Foundation at Purdue. Download an informational flyer HERE (PDF).
For Whom the Bells Toll “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” The Death Penalty in the United States degrades all of us as human beings. It is neither just nor necessary. For Whom the Bells Toll is a national campaign to have religious institutions of all faiths toll their bells and hold vigil whenever a prisoner is put to death in the United States. Sadly, there is a scheduled execution nearly every week. Therefore we have chosen to hold our vigils every Wednesday at 5:30pm on the corner of State St. and Marsteller in front of St. Tom’s. All are welcomed to join us as we pray for victims of violence and their families, for the prisoner set to be executed and his/her family, and for the total abolition of state sanctioned death.
Way of the Cross Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” The Stations of the Cross meditation is a very old tradition (possibly 4th century) that began as a way of remembering the Passion of Christ when a pilgrimage to the Holy Land was not possible. Believers attempt to “walk” the journey of Christ from trial through crucifixion and burial while reflecting on each act of pure love that Jesus portrays with every step. Our Way of the Cross, celebrated every year on Good Friday, allows participants the deeply spiritual opportunity to move about the university campus in a large, peaceful procession lead by the cross. We stop to remember each station and reflect on how its message is relevant to us in our search for justice in a world that suffers so much pain. Our annual Way of the Cross will typically draw as many as a hundred people, many of whom have called it the most powerful event offered by Pax Christi.
Dorothy Day Lecture “We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.” The Dorothy Day Lecture was established in honor of the life of Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement. Each year St. Tom's hosts an individual whose life reflects the gentle balance of faith, activism, and nonviolence of Dorothy Day, who at one inspiring occasion spoke at St. Tom’s. The event is sponsored by the whole of St. Tom’s while Pax Christi provides much of the planning and promotional support. The next Dorothy Day Lecture will take place sometime in January, 2007 with a speaker yet to be announced.
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