By Ann Augherton
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 3/13/03)
"The packet is available for parishes to use in terms of prayer and educational resources," said Father Paul deLadurantaye, diocesan secretary for religious education. "It is what the Church teaches regarding war and peace, and the application of those teachings to the situation in Iraq."
The idea for the packet came out of a discussion at a recent Priests Council meeting. Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde addressed the topic in the HERALD (ACH 2/6/03) when he urged "ongoing prayer both for our national leaders, that they be given divine wisdom and insight in resolving these complex situations, and for our military personnel throughout the world, that they will be kept safe in their work to safeguard the peace."
The resource packet, being made available to parishes, schools or individuals interested in holding group discussions, contains everything from papal texts, to suggested prayers and even the "ABCs of non-violence."
Reprinted texts include the texts of Pope John Paul II’s messages from his World Day of Peace talk Jan. 1, 2003, his address to the diplomatic corps two weeks later on Jan. 13, and his address to the community of Saint’Egidio on Feb. 8, where he told the group "We must not be resigned as if war were inevitable."
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops President Bishop Wilton D. Gregory’s Feb. 26 statement on Iraq acknowledges the dangers posed by the Iraqi government and their need to make concrete commitments to meet the demands of the international community.
Statements from various religious leaders are included in this packet, such as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, which states, "Non-military action is always preferable to military action, and the U.S. must fully explore all options to resolve the situation through such means. If the effort to obtain international support through the United Nations fails, the U.S. must work with other nations to obtain cooperation in any military action."
The Mennonite Central Committee states, "…God wills the path of peace and will work alongside those who have the courage to take risks for peace."
"The freedoms we enjoy as citizens of the United States oblige us to attend not only to our own welfare, but to the well-being of the world around us," reads a statement from the presiding Episcopalian bishop.
"The value of the packet is to say to people, don’t let this be invisible, let’s talk about it, and here are some ways to do it," said Anne Murphy, Catholic Charities parish social ministry program director. "In the midst of the conflict in our hearts and our minds, and the physical conflict in the Middle East, we want to say that we care about each other.
"I feel very emotional about the whole thing, and long to reach out to others to offer comfort and consolation, to offer support, and real material help if needed," she said. The packet aims to confront the issue of war "through our prayer, our liturgies and our study and reflection," she said.
A four-page "Facilitation Model: Conducting Dialogue on Iraq" explains its purpose — "to facilitate a discussion among Catholics on the potential for war with Iraq in light of Catholic teaching." Its opening prayer is followed by "ground rules" for participation, and discussion points, such as the pros and cons of military action, Catholic teaching on war and peace, and citations from the pope’s and the bishops’ texts on peace.
Murphy emphasized the need to "have real respect for others and others’ opinions. That is front and center." She also touched on the challenge to oppose the demonization of Saddam Hussein, while acknowledging the evil things he has done, she reiterated the teaching in the Catholic faith that he is still a child of God.
Along those lines, one of the prayers in the packet is a Prayer for Fellow Combatants, which asks God to "banish the violence and evil within all combatants."
Other prayers included "A Prayer for Departing Troops," prepared by the USCCB Committee on the Liturgy, which prays for "…our brother and sisters as they go forth with courage and determination to face the forces of violence, weapons of destruction and hearts filled with hate." Prayers in Time of War, for Officers in Command and for Innocent Victims of War are included.
The ABCs of Nonviolence are a brief summary of Confronting a Culture of Violence, a USCCB publication that goes through the alphabet, with explanations, such as "C — Confront this growing culture of violence with a commitment to life, a vision of hope, and a call to action."
A rosary for peace, devotional prayers, suggested general intercessions, and sample Masses from the Sacramentary round out the packet.
According to Murphy, several parishes have utilized the packet already, and several more are planning group discussions. The permanent deacons, school principals and deans of the six diocesan deaneries were all to receive a copy as well.
For more information or a copy call Murphy at 703/841-3831.
Copyright ©2003 Arlington Catholic Herald. All rights reserved.
Return to back issues
Return to main
page