Guantanamo Vigils
Guantanamo vigils continue outside the main branch of the New York (City) Public Library on Fifth Avenue at 41stStreet the first Wednesday of each month at 4 PM EST and 5 PM EDT. As we are drawn to other critical issues, we must not forget the men still being held at the Guantanamo Detention Center despite either not being tried or not being found guilty of any crime and being designated eligible for release. These men have been tortured. Their lives have been stolen from them for over 20 years. Promises of closing the Detention Center since President Barak Obama have never been kept. And now the Center is being used to detain undocumented migrants, as well. Stand with us to shut this torture camp down!
Ceasefire Vigils
Ceasefires in Gaza are but a hope and a promise while the violence continues; hence, ceasefire vigils continue across the state in multiple locations. You can find out what’s happening near you from groups like Jewish Voice for Peace or, if you’re in or near New York City, join a regular vigil outside the U.S. Mission to the United Nations on First Avenue at 45th Street in New York City every Thursday from noon to 2:00 PM.
40-Day Fast for Gospel Nonviolence
In a world plagued by all kinds of violence, please join in this annual 40-Day Fast begun by the Agape Community in Massachusetts several years ago and now practiced by individuals and communities from all over the country. The Fast begins on July 1st and ends on August 9th, the triple anniversary of St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein) who was killed at Auschwitz in 1942; Blessed Franz Jaegerstatter who was beheaded for refusing to serve in Hitler’s army (the army of a “Christian” nation) in 1943; and the United States atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, the largest and oldest Christian community in that country which killed 140,000 people in 1945. You can pick a day or several days any time during the 40 days to fast, whether from food, social media, TV, or whatever will be a sacrifice for you. Contact nypaxchristi@gmail.com to register your fast day(s) and to receive opening and closing prayer services.
Hiroshima/Nagasaki Memorial
If you are in NYC, bring the fast to a close by attending a Memorial on Sunday afternoon, August 9th in Tompkins Square Park. More details to come.
PCNYS Gathering and Kateri Peace Conference
Also save the dates of August 14th and 15th, 2026. We’ll be returning to the St. Kateri Tekakwitha National Shrine in pastoral Fonda, NY for what is becoming an annual double feature. We begin with the PCNYS Gathering on August 14th. This year’s theme is “Living Nonviolence in a Violent World,” and we are excited to announce that our presenters will be Marie Dennis, Director of the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence and Senior Director of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative of Pax Christi International, and Tom Cordaro, former director of Justice and Outreach Ministry at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Naperville, IL, former chair of the Pax Christi USA National Council, writer, organizer, and activist. We’re asking a donation to PCNYS of $25 in advance or $30 at the door to help cover expenses.
Then stay for the Kateri Peace Conference on August 15th. This year’s theme for the Conference is “Weaving A Tapestry of Renewal, Resilience, and Transformation.” It will be a day of community and healing, coming together to share grief, anger, and confusion, yet also our strength, joy, and cohesion, realizing our communal connections, ability to transform and grow, using frameworks established by Joanna Macy and our shared learning and experience. The suggested donation for the Conference is between $20 and $40, but no one will be turned away. Conference donations go to Veterans for Peace. Please plan to join us for an informative, reflective, and restorative couple of days in a retreat-like setting. Contact us for directions, places to stay, and how to donate.
PCNYS Retreat, Journey into Inner Peace
It’s been years since we’ve offered a retreat, but we’re back! And with the world in crisis, why not take some time away from it all to “Journey into Inner Peace” with Maryknoll Sister Maureen Hanahoe, who’ll be leading us on the way? This will be a 24-hour retreat from 7 PM, Friday, September 18th to Saturday, September 19th at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll (Ossining), NY. Sr. Maureen will emphasize reflection, using what is known as the Mandala Prayer process. it is a chance to slow down, to be quiet, and to call on God’s creative energy. We will also share a reflective process on Inner Listening, which invites each one to choose a particular situation, get in touch with the feelings that surface, and discover what triggers the inner reaction. For example, we might reflect on how we listen deeply to the movements within ourselves that can be triggered by outside events? How do we listen to God’s call to be persons of peace?
Registration will open closer to the date, so stay tuned. Cost of $125 includes one overnight stay and three meals on Saturday. If you’d like to add dinner on Friday night starting at 5:15 PM for an extra $15 that can be arranged.
Also check the Pax Christi USA events page (https://paxchristiusa.org/events/) for other events and keep checking back here for updates.