Peace Week at the Motherhouse

As we began the celebration of International Peace Week at the Motherhouse Sept. 15-21, on behalf of the Loretto Community, outgoing president Barbara Nicholas and incoming president Buffy Boesen signed the Declaration of Peace from World BEYOND War:

We understand that wars and militarism make us less safe rather than protect us, that they kill, injure and traumatize adults, children and infants, severely damage the natural environment, erode civil liberties, and drain our economies, siphoning resources from life-affirming activities. We commit to engage in and support nonviolent efforts to end all war and preparations for war and to create a sustainable and just peace.

It is the hope of the Motherhouse Peace Committee that all members of Loretto will use the link below to sign the Declaration of Peace and invite friends and family to join them:
https://worldbeyondwar.org/individual

Other activities sponsored by the Motherhouse Peace Committee emphasized both personal and Community involvement. On Sept. 18, Motherhouse residents and invited guests viewed ”Origin,” a film that shares the life story of Isabelle Wilkerson, author of “Caste: The Origins of our Discontents” and “The Warmth of Other Suns.” Coordinators of the Louisville-based program Listen, Learn, Act provided the film and led the discussion.

At noon on Sept. 21, International Day of Peace, the Motherhouse Community participated in coordinated prayerful silence and bell ringing, united with others throughout the world who are working for a World BEYOND War, a world at Peace.

In addition to providing material for local library displays, the Peace Committee sent posters, peace flags and pages of peace activities to St. Dominic’s and St. Augustine’s elementary schools. Also, the New Pioneers for a Sustainable Future received materials for peacemaking. The Peace Museum in Albuquerque, N.M., received paper peace cranes made by Loretto high school students while visiting the Motherhouse. Sue Charmley taught those students and folks at the August AgBash to make peace cranes. (See the September issue of Interchange.) During AgBash, a number of lucky young participants received copies of “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes” by Eleanor Coerr, paid for by the Loretto Peace Committee.

Third graders at Loretto Academy in El Paso and students at Nerinx Hall High in St. Louis and St. Mary’s Academy in Denver sent paper windmills with the theme Weapons to Windmills to the Motherhouse. The windmills are displayed around the Loretto Extension Library in Loretto, Ky., and at the Motherhouse. Residents of the Loretto Living Center at Loretto Motherhouse used time during Peace Week to stamp letters going out for Vote Forward, overseen and organized by Activity Director Stacy Ballard and Pat McCormick.

These several activities and actions by the Loretto Community have provided an essential emphasis on peacemaking at this critical time.