On Saturday 14 October, Pax Christi Ireland and Loyola Institute of Trinity College Dublin, will host a ‘Conversation’ to deepen Catholic understanding of, and commitment to, Gospel nonviolence. The main speakers will include Marie Dennis and Pat Gaffney, of Pax Christi’s international’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative. The speakers will be followed by a panel to reflect on the practice of nonviolence, with representatives of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel; the National Centre for Survivors of Torture in Ireland; and, the Irish Network for Nonviolent Action Training & Education.
According to Pax Christi Ireland executive, Sylvia Thompson (pictured), “in his 50th World Day of Peace message, Pope Francis reminds us that, ‘Violence is not the cure for our broken world‘, yet here at home we find violence a reality throughout society in: domestic situations, our community, human trafficking and exploitation, our attitude to war and also the sale of arms. We need to have an open heart, and a listening ear, to the guidance of Pope Francis who, in April of this year during his 60th anniversary address to mark Pacem in Terris, called on us is to make nonviolence – both in our daily life and in international relations – a guide for our actions.”
Ms Dennis, who will join by Zoom, is senior programme director of Pax Christi International’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative. She was co-president of Pax Christi International from 2007 to 2019 and, in 2022, was named as a Pax Christi USA ‘Teacher of Peace’.
Ms Gaffney is a member of the CNI executive, has been an active peacemaker for more than forty years, and was General Secretary of Pax Christi England & Wales for thirty years.
Pax Christi International’s CNI was initiated at the Vatican in 2016, see https://nonviolencejustpeace.net/ This event will be held in the Loyola Institute of Trinity, with registration from 10.00am and concluding at 2.00pm. Booking is available via Eventbrite, see https://bit.ly/PaxChristiDublin
For further information please contact contact Tony D’Costa on [email protected] and Sylvia Thompson on [email protected].
ENDS
