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.
Peacemaker Award Reception All are invited to Pax Christi Metro New York’s annual Peacemaker Award Reception on Saturday afternoon, June 6th, in Keenan Hall, Xavier High School, New York, NY. We are very pleased to announce this year’s honorees: Maria Stephan, the Co-lead & Chief Organizer at the Horizons Project and an award-winning author and organizer whose work has focused on the role of nonviolent movements advancing human rights, democracy, and peace; Sr. Kathleen Deignan, CND, the founder of The Iona Spirituality Center, The Thomas Berry Forum for Ecological Dialogue, and The Thomas Merton Contemplative Initiative at Iona University; and Hassan El Tayyab, Legislative Director for Middle East Policy for the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL). Also being honored as this year’s Maloof Family Young Peacebuilder is Celeste Perez from Notre Dame Academy in Staten Island. Plan to join us for a guaranteed good time with inspiring people and speeches, music, refreshments, a raffle, and simple fun. 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. This year’s theme for PCNYS will be 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. Please plan to join us for an informative, reflective, and restorative couple of days in a retreat-like setting. We’ll share more about where to stay, directions, and suggested donation (no set fee, so it’s whatever you can afford) closer to the dates.
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 $150 includes one overnight stay and three meals on Saturday.
Also check the Pax Christi USA events page (https://paxchristiusa.org/events/) for other events and keep checking back here for updates.