[Announce] Fw: "Franz Jagerstatter People To Break the Silence" campaign - a public Lenten presence and fast at Catholic Cathedrals

[Robert Waldrop]

----- Original Message ----- 
> Catholic Workers;
>
> Below is a statement and invite to join Catholic 
> all over the US in
> the  "Franz Jagerstatter People To Break the 
> Silence"  campaign and
> start public presences and fasts at Catholic 
> Cathedral during Lent
> (see statement below and go to 
> www.FranzPrayForUs.org ). We are
> considering joining this effort in Des Moines. I 
> highly recommend you
> consider doing so in your diocese.
>
>
> Peace
> Frank Cordaro, Des Moines Catholic Worker
> Phil Berrigan CW House
> 713 Indiana Avenue, Des Moines, IA  50314
> (515) 282-4781   www.DesMoinesCatholicWorker.org
>
>
> "Because we want peace with half a heart, half a 
> life and will, the
> war making continues. Realize that the making of 
> war is total because
> the making of peace by our cowardice is 
> partial." -- Daniel Berrigan,
> S.J.
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
> Cathedral Lenten Fast and Prayer
> A Statement and Invitation by the Franz 
> Jagerstatter Committee
> www.FranzPrayForUs.org
>
>
> Christmas 2007 -- Towards Breaking the Silence
>
>
> The Background:
> Inspired by the witness of Blessed Franz 
> Jagerstatter; angered by the
> invasion and occupation of Iraq by the U.S. 
> government and the
> subsequent acts of terror and atrocities 
> committed against the Iraqi
> people; mourning U.S. casualties, both loss of 
> life and physical and
> mental injuries; we admit our own complicity by 
> our failure to raise
> our voices more forcefully.
>
>
> We are reminded of the words of Blessed Franz 
> Jagerstatter, " If the
> Church stays silent in the face of what is 
> happening, what difference
> would it make if no church were ever opened 
> again?"   Holding his
> life, words and witness before us, as a church 
> alive in action and in
> word, beginning another holy season of 
> Lent/Easter we are challenged
> by the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Would that 
> today you might fast
> so as to make your voice heard on high."
>
>
> Prayer and fasting has a prominent place in 
> Christianity. Jesus
> overcame the powers of temptation by his 40 days 
> of prayer and
> fasting.  Our faith tradition teaches us that 
> the grace of prayer and
> fasting can conquer greed and the lust for power 
> that lead to war.
>
>
> In the Spirit of Christ, we have been moved to 
> take the suffering
> caused by the present war unto ourselves. 
> Therefore, we intend to
> fast and pray without ceasing throughout the 
> entire season of Lent. In
> purifying ourselves of this suffering caused by 
> war, we hope to extend
> this mercy to the mother church of the Diocese.
>
>
> Our Purpose is fourfold:
>
> +   First, to purify our own hearts,
>
> +   Second, to ask for forgiveness for 
> participating in the violence
> of war by our silence;
>
> +  Third, to educate Catholics, especially our 
> young, on the
> nonviolent teachings and life of Jesus Himself 
> to enable everyone to
> form a conscience founded on Holy Scripture and 
> Church tradition,
>
> +  Fourth, we hope to engage the faithful in all 
> United States and
> United Kingdom Cathedrals to fast and pray for 
> the duration of the
> Lenten season.
>
>
>
> An Invitation: Moved by faith and conscience, we 
> struggle to respond
> to the gospel of Jesus, which challenges the 
> church to answer this
> call to conversion:
>
> * To change our hearts of hardness, 
> indifference, and complicity to
> hearts of compassion, solidarity and justice,
>
> * To fast and pray, in our Cathedral Church, in 
> a spirit of REPENTANCE
> of the sins of war, terrorism and torture,
>
> * To fast and pray, in our Cathedral Church, in 
> a spirit of MOURNING
> for all the dead, wounded and the millions of 
> displaced peoples of
> Iraq, as we take up alms to assist them.
>
> * To fast and pray, in our Cathedral Church, in 
> a spirit that MOVES us
> from silence in our pulpits to be heralds of the 
> Easter Gospel of
> Nonviolence and Peace,
>
> * To fast and pray, in our Cathedral Church, in 
> a spirit of HOPE to be
> a people of faith alive in the Risen Christ with 
> New Life and a New
> Vision.
>
>
> We petition our Bishops in all Dioceses to 
> enable us to pray at our
> Cathedrals, the centers of our church; and we 
> further petition our
> Bishops to support, pray and fast with us to 
> help us cleanse our souls
> of the immorality of war, the immorality of 
> torture, and the
> immorality of occupation.   We invite and 
> welcome the participation of
> all peoples of conscience in our efforts for 
> peace in our world.
> Together we can fulfill our responsibility to 
> our youth to educate
> them about forming a conscience consistent with 
> the way and teaching
> of Jesus.
>
>
> In Memory of Franz:   Lord Jesus Christ, You 
> filled your servant Franz
> Jagerstatter with a deep love for you, his 
> family, and all people.
> During a time of contempt for God and humankind, 
> you bestowed on him
> unerring discernment and integrity.
>
>
> In Faith he followed his conscience and said a 
> decisive NO to National
> Socialism (Nazism) and unjust war. Thus he 
> sacrificed his life.  We
> pray that you may glorify your servant Franz, so 
> that many people may
> be encouraged by him and grow in love for you 
> and all people. May his
> example shine out in our time and may you grant 
> all people the
> strength to stand up for justice, peace and 
> human dignity.
>
>
> For yours is the glory and honor with the Father 
> and the Holy Spirit,
> now and forever.  Amen.
>
>
> (Prayer courtesy of the Diocese of Linz, 
> Austria)
>
> For More Information Contact:
>
> Franz Jagerstatter - People Breaking the Silence
> Greensburg, PA 15601
> Tel:  (724) 850-1616
> Internet: Bernard at franzprayforus.org
>
> or
>
> (Fr) Bernard Survil
> Tel: 724-850-1616
> bsurvil at dioceseofgreensburg.org
>