The view from the futon

Breaking bread, the crust of companionship

I was grateful to be asked by the Dorothy Day Guild to write this reflection on how Dorothy Day has affected my work. It was published in the June 2023 issue of the Guild’s newsletter. Breaking bread, the crust of companionship Communications director for Pax Christi USA Judy Coode reflects on the persistent presence of Dorothy Day in her life. From her Facebook page after college where she immediately placed a signature quote to her office now in Washington D.C. 20 years later, Dorothy is a staple in her efforts to fight “this filthy, rotten system.” It’s 2007. I’m creating an account on Facebook, the social media platform that recently opened itself to people who are not active university students. (At this point, it has been almost 20 years since I graduated from college.) I fill in the contact information—not everything, but some basics—and add a profile photo. My personal page offers a space to include a favorite quote. I know exactly which one I will use. I do n...

Pax Christi USA, 1972–2022: The evolving Catholic peace movement in the United States

Written for the American Catholic Studies Journal, vol. 133, no. 4 (Winter 2022). Pax Christi USA, 1972–2022: The evolving Catholic peace movement in the United States Judy Coode Judy Coode is the incoming communications director for Pax Christi USA. Since 2016, she served as the project coordinator of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, a project of Pax Christi International; she previously worked 20 years with the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns. For further comment please contact the author: jlcoode@gmail.com. In early August 2022, more than 300 people gathered at a hotel in Northern Virginia to celebrate 50 years of Pax Christi USA and Catholic peacemaking in the United States. The weekend included workshops on the Doctrine of Discovery, the U.S. military budget, justice for Palestinians, the nuclear weapons treaty, and Thomas Merton, to name only a few. The conference space was decorated with peace cranes, doz...

A look back at 2003, a time of war and protest

I wrote this. It's posted on the Pax Christi USA website here. My life in late 2002/early 2003 was full-on anti-war demonstrating. Constantly. Every weekend. It was exhausting. Not sure if it made an iota of difference, and I'm not sure anti-war activities will look like this again. Twenty years ago, March 2003, the United States attacked Iraq, an offensive military action based on fraudulent information, fomented by a need for revenge and grievance, and cheered by those who made themselves wealthy in the arms trade. March 19, 2003 prayer service in Lafayette Park, which began with about 100 and grew to 200 during a demonstration in front of the White House. After the service 26 people climbed over police barricades and offered themselves for arrest in witness against what they considered an unjust, immoral and illegal war. Photos are Iraqis taken by Voices in the Wilderness. Scott Wright is on left, Judith Kelly on the right. (c) Rick Reinhard / Impact Digitals 2003 Throughou...

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