Dear Fellow Peacemaker -

 

"Fear not."

 

The first time we read that in the Bible is in Genesis, with God talking to Adam.  It is said that "Fear not", paraphrased one way or another, is recorded 365 times in the Bible....One for each day of the year.

 

If we were to look at our world today only through the eyes of our mainstream media, we would find ourselves truly afraid.  We'd see violence, discrimination, pollution, poverty, human trafficking, and the dissolution of public safety nets.  It would be easy for us to shrink back from the world and abandon hope. 

 

As Christians, we're not allowed to abandon hope.

 

Yes, we mourn the pain and turmoil all around us - - have our own glimpses of "the agony in the garden" - - but then, like Jesus, we are commissioned to get up, dust ourselves off, and get on about the work

of redemption.  And as members of Pax Christi, we are called to be leaders in that hope-filled movement for change.

Pax Christi people are determined to be prayerful and centered, to look deeper into the causes of these social evils, and to do our part in changing them....to co-create the true vision of God's kin-dom.  The world - and Pax Christi Michigan - needs us.  Needs YOU.

 

We are asking you to continue working together with us.  Together,
we will continue our commitment to fully living the Gospel: disarming our world of weapons, transforming racism & bigotry, ameliorating economic injustices, fostering good environmental stewardship, and embracing Jesus' call to nonviolence in all that we do.

 

Pax Christi Michigan has continued to be our agent for change,

fortifying the foundations of Prayer, Study, and Action.  Today, we ask for your prayers of encouragement, your re-commitment to hope, and your indispensable financial support.

Only with your collaboration and partnership will we persevere.  Together, we can weather all storms as we chart our path to a world that epitomizes the words "on earth as it is in heaven".

 

With your support, we will never give up.  And as the Bible reminds us, we will "Fear not, for the kin-dom of God is at hand". 


 

Thank you so much!


 


 


 

Mary L. Hanna, State Coordinator

on behalf of ALL of us with Pax Christi Michigan


 

To make a donation by debit/credit card, Click Here. 

Or you may send a check/money order to:

Pax Christi Michigan

201 W. Miller Rd.

Lansing, MI  48911


 
NINE REASONS TO SUPPORT THE IRAN DEAL
 
In December 2014, the Holy See issued a ground-breaking paper entitled Nuclear Disarmament: Time for Abolition, which said, "Now is the time to affirm not only the immorality of the use of nuclear weapons, but the immorality of their possession, thereby clearing the road to nuclear abolition."  This year marks the 70th anniversary of the first use of nuclear weapons in war - in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

A week ago, July 14, 2015, a significant agreement between Iran, the P5+1 (the 5 permanent UN Security Council Members - China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States - plus Germany) and the European Union was reached.    This is an important diplomatic accomplishment and is a critical step toward nuclear non-proliferation and, ultimately, nuclear abolition.

It is imperative that the Iran deal enter into force without obstacles created by the U.S. Congress.  We must clearly express our support for the agreement as an important diplomatic accomplishment that will make all of us safer. Congress has until mid-September to reject the deal, otherwise it will go into force.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT, FOLLOW THIS LINK TO THE ARTICLE  "NINE REASONS TO SUPPORT THE IRAN DEAL"
PLEASE!
TAKE ACTION TO SUPPORT
THE IRAN AGREEMENT

1.       Make an appointment to meet  before Labor Day ( September 7)  with your Catholic senators and your Congressional representative to express your opinion about the Iran deal with a group of Pax Christi members, supporters/members of religious orders, JustFaith graduates, etc. It may be possible to meet the senators/representative in person, or with their senior staff, when they are home for the August recess. Use the talking points listed below to shape your message. This is not an appointment to discuss the merits of the agreement, but ask the Congresspersons/staff if they are able to support the deal.
   
2.      Make an appointment with your bishop if you have not already done so. Assume that he has seen the letter from Bishop Cantú on the Iran deal and the Holy See's statement on nuclear abolition, but in case he has not studied them, bring him a copy and ask him to encourage every parish in his diocese to highlight these important statements from Catholic leadership. Also give him a copy of Pax Christi International's statement on the Iran deal and  a brochure from Pax Christi USA . Urge him to become a member of PCUSA and to contact his Members of Congress himself.
 
3.      Send a letter to the editor of your local and/or diocesan paper urging your senators and representative to support the Iran deal. 

4.  We ask that ANY action that you take to meet with your Congressional Representatives and/or your local Bishops be reported with the results to Sr. Anne-Louise Nadeau (Program Director) at [email protected] and PCM Organizer Mary Hanna ([email protected]) by September 7, 2015.

To assist you in your Congressional/Bishop meetings or dropping off of information, PCUSA offers the following resources:
  1. Listing of those Catholic Members of Congress (Click here)
  2. Letter by Bishop Cantu, chair of USCCB Committee on International Justice and Peace (Click here)
  3. Pax Christi International statement of support for the treaty (Click here)
  4. The Holy See's paper on the immorality of possessing nuclear weapons, Click here .
This collaborative effort is sponsored by the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Sisters of Mercy, Colombian Center for Advocacy and Outreach and Pax Christi USA and Pax Christi International.

We thank you for your willingness to participate in this important effort toward nuclear disarmament.
Pax Christi Michigan's 
Summer Newsletter is Here
  • Our New PCM Coordinator 
  • Pax Christi partnering with Campaign Nonviolence 
  • Review of our 34th Annual State Conference 
  • Take ACTION for Immigrant Rights
  • Peace Leadership Class Travels 
  • Local Group Updates
  • Announcing our 2015 Retreat 
  • 2016 Annual Conference set to focus on ending racism