#54 Charlene Howard, Executive Director of Pax Christi USA: "Don't be fooled into thinking that w...

Описание: In this episode I speak with Charlene Howard, the executive director of the national Catholic peace movement Pax Christi USA, and I ask her about Pax Christi’s ongoing work for justice, disarmament and peace:


Charlene describes herself as a "5th generation African American Catholic":


She is also a catechist, and a longtime teacher in the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools. She holds a master’s degree in Catechesis and Religious Education from Catholic University and is a graduate and former faculty member of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies Imani Catechetical Program at Xavier University of Louisiana.


We discuss organizing Pax Christi groups and actions, getting connected with other like-minded peace and justice church activists, taking on a variety of issues, and how we can practice and teach the nonviolence of Jesus.


“One light can dispel the darkness,” Charlene says. “That’s what we’re trying to do—be a light in the darkness. There's a lot of hard things happening in this country, but there's a lot of light too. Don't be fooled into thinking that we are not gaining ground for the good and for peace, because we are.”


She encourages us to get involved and stay involved, and take to heart Pope Leo’s January 1, 2026, World Day of Peace message, “Peace Be With You All: Toward an Unarmed and Disarming Peace.”


Pope Leo writes: “The peace of the risen Jesus is unarmed, because his was an unarmed struggle in the midst of concrete historical, political and social circumstances,” and “Christians must together bear prophetic witness to this novelty.”


Charlene says, “and let’s speak truth to power!”


Listen in and be inspired to pursue the peace of Christ.


God bless you!—Fr. John


https://paxchristiusa.org/2024/07/09/...


www.paxchristiusa.org (http://www.paxchristiusa.org)


beatitudescenter.org (http://beatitudescenter.org)


Pope Leo’s World Day of Peace message here (https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xi...) .


https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xi...