Pax Christi San Antonio
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  • Peace and Justice: Suggested Reading List
  • Compilation of writings by Pax Christi San Antonio members: Testimony.Volume-1
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Our Condolences To The Pax Christi Community
In sorrow, we honor the life of Dianna Ortiz, OSU, Deputy Director, Pax Christi USA. An example of compassion and commitment, she gave her life for the 
poor. May she rest in peace. Amen.

New York Times: 
reference: 
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/20/us/dianna-ortiz-dead.html?searchResultPosition=1

Concerns about our health

As we journey into the new year and experience many unforeseen challenges we extend our prayers, meditations and thoughts to those suffering from Covid and from the severe weather.  In the spirit of compassion we are moved by the many stories of our sisters and brothers challenged by ill health and lack of utilities.
In particular the homeless, the elderly, the infirm and immigrants, we ask the Almighty for comfort and action though those able to respond.

We seek to clarify our positions and to challenge ourselves to act as peacemakers.
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Pax Christi San Antonio Meeting Notice
Saturday March 6, 2021 2pm by Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82820478273

Preview information about Gardopia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMUN66gsBHc&feature=youtu.be​


​Gardening, Nutrition, Care for Our Mother Earth, Social Justice

As we  approach the season which includes Earth Day, we welcome Stephen Loucke, MA,  of Gardopia,  gardopia.org, an Education Based Nonprofit Organization in San Antonio.  Mr. Loucke is a graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word, has a Master's degree in Nutrition and a BA in Biochemistry. He also has a certificate in organic farming from Palo Alto College.

Join us for this event, which will include the experience of Stephen and
how Gardopia has developed and how Pax Christi San Antonio might participate. 

Thanks to Sr. Martha Ann Kirk, CCVI,  who at a recent social justice education event, included Stephen, who has agreed to be our presenter for March 6, 2021.

We are a spiritually based, study group which seeks to support and collaborate with others concerned with individual rights, just distribution,
and peace. 




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PaxChristi Study circles for new book on nonviolence, "Advancing nonviolence and Just Peace,"
​ starting this month; registration now open!
 February 12, 2021, reference PaxChristiUSA.

February 24 7:00-8:30 pm, online panel " A Conversation on Race, Equality, and Equity," with Jonathon Butler, Esq (City of san Antonio) Christopher Whitt (Creighton University) and Tiffany Galvin Green (John Carroll University). For information about registering, contact Susan Elias selias@stmaryte.edu.

Saturday February 27, 9 am -2 pm, online state conference, Texas Coalition for the Abolition of the death Penalty, $50, information and registration at tcadp.org

National Conference of Catholic Bishops' Implementation of Laudato Si
at multiple levels of the Catholic Church:
​
https://www.ncronline.org/news/earthbeat/laudato-si-platform-rollout-diocesan-farm-poor-highlighted-social-justice-conference

A zoom meeting will be held on February 23 to address youth and this issue
From the announcement: "We are creating a future that is livable, a future where more people can readily experience the fruits of creation. And that's joyful work," Robertson said.
To do that will require telling compelling stories that people can't resist, she added. One such story told during the conference came from the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, which was the first in the country to create a position charged with implementing Laudato Si'.


Saturday April 3, 1:45pm-4:15pm, Pax Christi"    Texas State Conference.
Keynote Speakers: Daniel Castillo, Loyola University of Maryland: "Ecological Theology of Liberation", and Jeremy Locke , Texas Drought Project: "Urgency of Climate Change and Consequences if Our Response Is Inadequate." for more information, check PaxChristiTexas Newsletter.

​​Pax Christi is an international peace action which grounds in the gospel and Catholic Social Teaching. We welcome all advocates of peace and invite issues and presentations by those who are not Catholic and share our concerns. We hope to extend our hospitality. 
(Although we have a standard dues of $40.00 per year, a lesser amount is acceptable.)
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Grounded in the Gospel and Catholic social teaching, Pax Christi San Antonio is a membership organization that rejects war, preparation for war, every form of violence and domination, and personal and systemic racism. As a section of Pax Christi International, we are a Catholic peace and justice movement that seeks to model the Peace of Christ in our witness to the mandate of the nonviolence of the Cross 
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TCADP San Antonio, TX
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Check the notices for details.
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STUDENT IN SOCIAL JUSTICE
In January, we were honored to have, as our guest speaker, Victoria Velazquez, student at UIW, to address her journey as a social justice advocate. She shared that she is involved as a catechist at St. Ann's Parish and that she seeks to communicate Catholic social teachings to youth. She is a journalist for the university newspaper, the LOGOS and a staff writer.

Since that presentation, which was well received, we have discussed cultivating youth leadership as related to social justice and other study centers in San Antonio. Maria Tobin has reminded us of the need to cultivate youth committed to social justice, and Victoria gives us hope. Also with Victoria has been discussed simplifying the many profound principles in Catholic social teaching to reach youth
​and adults. 

 
UIW Collaborates with PaxChristiSA
Sr. Martha Ann Kirk, member of Pax Christi, invited collaboration  and spoke of the collaboration with Pax Christi during this conference.

This  conference was held at UIW on January 21, 2021 addressing the contributions of Minority Alumni of UIW, Racism and the environment were addressed, as well as "getting in trouble for talking", Uncomfortable Conversations, How to Acknowledge the Problem, Art to Combat Oppression, and 
Racial Competency. A student, Stephen Lucke, spoke about Gardotopia, for which he wrote and received a large grant to create a large garden on the Eastside of San Antonio.

PAX CHRISTI and UTSA
In February, we hosted Professor Carla Broadus and student Benjamin White to address Black perspectives of history. We learned that a major grant has been awarded UTSA by the Mellon Foundation to provide for the training of educators on African and Latino cultures in Texas. 
We were informed that information would be shared with us for use in better understanding cultures and for understanding what will be taught in our schools.

In the interest of collaborating, Pax Christi has presence at  the Poor Peoples Campaign and the San Antonio Coalition for Police Accountability. 

You are invited to engage in this process, help us identify leaders and engage in collaboration. 

Arthur Dawes, MA, MSW
​Coordinator
Pax Christi San Antonio
arthurdawes@att.net
​210-213-5919


Notices
 Anti-Nuclear Weapons Banners: Please take a look at the picture of the banner in the attachment. It refers to an international treaty that the Holy See has ratified.  Pax Christi Dallas is working with the Nuclear Free World committee for the Dallas Peace and Justice Center to find good places in Texas to put them for the month of January--high traffic areas near a traffic light or stop sign where cars have to stop so then the drivers will have a chance to read them.  In the bottom corners you will see the website link to ICAN (www.icanw.org) so that folks can go there and finds lots of information. ICAN is the International Coalition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and won the Nobel Peace Prize about a year ago. For a banner, contact Joyce Hall: hallmj@sbcglobal.net
​

 What really happens to the used clothing you donate? Read this revelatory article by Anna deSouza: https://www.rd.com/article/what-happens-used-clothing-donations/
 
Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Antonio was the first local organization to endorse this bill, which has also been endorsed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. See https://mail.yahoo.com/d/folders/1/messages/AL3K2mRHejHBX9ewnwO9CKEAaFY
 
Texas Death Penalty Developments in 2020: The Year in Review, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Access the report at: https://tcadp.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Texas-Death-Penalty-Developments-in-2020-FINAL.pdf
 
Watch Pax Christi USA’s Michelle Sherman, interviewed in the “Young Peacebuilders” series of Pax Christi International:  https://paxchristiusa.org/2020/12/16/watch-pax-christi-usas-michelle-sherman-featured-on-young-peacebuilders-series/

 Executive Director, Hope Border Institute
Sr. Norma Pimentel, Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley
Access the webinar at: https://justiceforimmigrants.org/webinars/border-realities-and-migrant-protection-webinar/
​
  Video, Immigration Nation - An Inside View of ICE & How it Operates: https://www.netflix.com/title/80994107
 
Online Resource for families or small groups:
If you’re needing some social interaction with depth, more than just listening to zoom webinars, longing for the social time that used to happen before and after Mass, consider using the Maryknoll Weekly Reflection Guides. Gather as family or small group and use these guides in Facetime, Skype, Zoom etc. This an easy online structure with prayer, an introductory theme, a link to the Sunday Readings and some reflection questions to guide group conversation. Using the SeeJudgeAct methodology, you will be led as a group to consider where, in light of the shared reflection, the Spirit is calling you this week. The Global Solidarity charism of the Maryknoll family will feed you spiritually for these challenging times. Find the Guides in both Spanish and English at: 
https://www.maryknoll.us/home/resources/mission-spirituality/ordinary-time-2020  

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Pax Christi International

http://www.paxchristi.net/ ​
Pax Christi U.S.A.
http://www.paxchristiusa.org 
Pax Christi Texas
http://www.paxchristitexas.org 
Pax Christi San Antonio
http://www.paxchristisa.org
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​COPS / Metro Alliance
www.copsmetro.com/  
Marianist Social Justice Collaborative
www.msjc.net
Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, International JPIC Committee
http://saccvi.blogspot.com/
San Antonio Peace Center
http://www.sanantoniopeace.center
Interfaith Radio, (Interfaith Voices)
http://www.interfaithradio.org/ 
Texas Catholic Campaign to End the Death Penalty
www.txccedp.org   
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