Dear Friends,
Early this Good Friday morning, beginning at 7:00AM as a beautiful sunrise unfolded, about 40 peacemakers from the DMV held a nonviolent witness at the Pentagon to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus and to call for an end to the crucifixion of people today. The witness, which was coordinated by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, included members from the Little Flower Catholic Worker, Norfolk Catholic Worker, Pax Christi, Franciscan Action Network, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Eighth Day Community, Holy Redeemer Church, Our Lady Queen of Peace (Arlington), and other faith communities. Our witness was yet another prayer of intercession at the center of warmaking on our planet. We carried in our hearts many from our extended communities who could not be with us physically but joined us in spirit for this witness.
As Pentagon police kept a watchful eye on us from a distance, Pentagon workers and soldiers walked by us in the designated protest area, located behind bicycle fences on the southeast side of the building. We hung on the fence a large banner with a quote from the late renowned peacemaker, Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen: “Nuclear Arms Are The Global Crucifixion Of Jesus.” Standing behind this huge banner, some people held signs while others held crosses remembering different victims and wore photos of Gaza victims.
The prayer service began with a Good Friday Plea reflection (see below). Preceding each part of the reflection was the prayer recited by all gathered: “We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!” Each section ended with everyone singing:
“O God, let me be an instrument of peace, let me be an instrument of peace.”
Readers for this section included: Kim Williams, Bob Cooke, Dan Moriarty and myself.
We then read accounts and prayers for crucified victims today. (see below: “Remembering Crucified Victims Today”). The readers included: Mary Grace, Kirstin and Merwyn DeMello, Paul Magno, MJ Park, Jack McHale, Scott Wright and Bill Frankel-Streit. After each account/prayer, we sang “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord.” Frank Panopoulos and Michele Dunne read a powerful reflection on the Lord’s Prayer written by Jonathan Kuttab, executive director of Friends of Sabeel, North America–A Christian Voice for Palestine (see: https://www.fosna.org/the-fosna-blog/give-us-this-day-our-daily-bread ) Sr. Carol Gilbert then offered a prayer “Jesus Our Tortured Brother Today,” that was written by the late Sr. Dianna Ortiz, who herself was a torture victim. This was followed by Ken Cooper reading an excerpt from Leonardo Boff’s book “The Way of the Cross, Way of Justice.”
Everyone then processed down to the nearby police checkpoint where workers enter the Pentagon. Holding signs that said: “War is a Sacrilege—Pope Francis,” “Stop Starving Gaza Children,” “Put Up the Sword” and “Stop Bombing Gaza’s Children,” Steve Baggarly, Bill Frankel-Streit, Kathy Boylan and Ollie blocked this entrance. The rest of the gathered community stood nearby in support singing, “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord” and “Seek Peace and Pursue It,” with special new verses about the U.S.-backed Israeli genocidal war in Gaza. As the four were placed under arrest we sang the song “Vine and Fig Tree.” The witness concluded with a closing circle and praying the Lord’s Prayer.
Those arrested were processed and released by Pentagon police. They were charged with “interfering with government agency functions and disobeying a lawful order,” and given a June 6th court date.
Please see this link for photos and video clips of the witness:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z9WhWD3SHTSLHnPu7. Special thanks to Dan Moriarty.
I extend a word of deep thanks for all who participated in this witness and for those offering support and solidarity from afar. Let us pray for each other during this Holy Season, and for all those in our world who are experiencing at this very moment the passion and death of Jesus. And let us be transformed by the cross and resurrection of Jesus as we seek to practice resurrection and be living signs of hope for our world.
In Resurrection Hope,
Art Laffin
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A Good Friday Plea 2024: Stop Crucifixion Today!
(Prepared by Art Laffin)
“We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!” (Everyone Repeat)
Good Morning and may God’s peace be with all who work here at the Pentagon. Today is Good Friday, the day Christians commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Today, vast numbers of God’s global family experience a modern form of crucifixion as they are crucified to a cross of war, militarism, racial hatred, discrimination and economic exploitation. In the crucified people of our world, we see the crucified face of Jesus.
We, members of the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, the Southern Life Community, Pax Christi and other faith communities, come to the Pentagon, the center of warmaking on our planet, as we seek to follow Jesus in nonviolent revolution as he made his way to Jerusalem. We remember the victims who have been and continue to be crucified and deemed expendable, and call for an immediate end to their crucifixion. We also pray for an end to the desecration of our sacred earth. We come here as people of faith who believe in God’s reign of justice, love, peace and nonviolence and reject empire, white supremacy and all systems of domination and structures of power that oppress and kill. Living under the brutal occupation of the Roman empire, Jesus declared: “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” Living in the U.S. empire, which is responsible for so much death and suffering in our world, we need to heed Jesus’ proclamation of repentance and conversion now more than ever.
Sing: Let me be an instrument of peace, let me be an instrument of peace.
“We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!” (Everyone Repeat)
In our prayer this morning we beckon Jesus, our crucified and Risen Savior, and summon the holy cloud of witnesses–past and present. We call out to the consciences of all who work at the Pentagon and people everywhere, especially those who lead the nations, including our own, to practice nonviolence and eradicate what Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called the “triple evils of poverty (economic exploitation), racism and militarism.” End all racial violence, torture and injustice! Welcome immigrants! Stop all torture and killing! Abolish war! Abolish all weapons, from guns and assault weapons to killer drones and nuclear weapons.
Sing: Let me be an instrument of peace, let me be an instrument of peace.
“We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!” (Everyone Repeat)
Jesus commands us “to take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.” We appeal to the U.S. government, which Dr. King called the greatest purveyor of violence in the world, to take the log out of its own eye and repent for the sins of violence it has committed against numerous nations, most recently in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for sending weapons and military aid to Israel that is being used to wage a genocidal war in Gaza. The U.S. cannot legitimately call into account the wrongdoing of others until it first repents for its own wrongdoing.
Sing: Let me be an instrument of peace, let me be an instrument of peace.
“We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!” (Everyone Repeat)
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist has set the Doomsday Clock at 90 seconds before midnight, the closest to global catastrophe it has ever been, due to the increasing dangers of nuclear war, the climate crisis, Artificial Intelligence and worsening world tensions, especially between the U.S. and Russia and China. At this perilous moment, tensions between the U.S. and Russia have been exacerbated by NATO expansion in eastern Europe, the deployment of U.S. nuclear weapons in 5 European countries, and the tragic Russian invasion of Ukraine. The U.S. refuses to renounce its first-strike policy. Russia has asserted it would use nuclear weapons if it feels endangered by increased U.S. and NATO intervention in the Ukraine war. We say loudly and clearly with Jesus: “Love one another,” “Love your enemies,” “Be merciful as God is merciful,” Proclaim Liberty to captives,” Put away the sword,” Thou shalt not kill!” We call on all soldiers everywhere: Lay down your arms! Refuse to Fight–Refuse to Kill!
Sing: Let me be an instrument of peace, let me be an instrument of peace.
“We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!” (Everyone Repeat)
Since the horrific October 7 Hamas attack in Israel that claimed 1,200 lives and the taking of hostages, the Israeli government has waged a genocidal war in Gaza. The U.S.-government-supported Israeli bombardment and siege of Gaza has claimed over 32,000, including over 13,000 children, over 74,000 injured, and 2 million people (85% of the population) are without homes and facing mass starvation and epidemics of disease. Gaza is virtually uninhabitable. Secretary of Defense/War Austin met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Tuesday of this week in WDC. Austin said the civilian death toll in Gaza has been “far too high,” but he vowed the U.S. would keep arming Israel. 69% of all arms imported by Israel come from the U.S. See:
With the imminent Israeli military invasion of Rafah looming, as Gazans are being denied essential humanitarian aid by Israel, and face famine and continued Israeli bombardment, and as settler and Israeli military violence against Palestinians increases in the West Bank, we must nonviolently act to avert further death and destruction in Gaza and Palestine and demand that the U.S. government call for an immediate permanent ceasefire.
Sing: Let me be an instrument of peace, let me be an instrument of peace.
“We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!” (Everyone Repeat)
No matter who the perpetrator is, whether if it’s the U.S., Russia, Israel or any other nation or group, the sin and crime of war, military intervention, occupation, abduction, indiscriminate killing, the use of weapons of mass murder, displacement, ethnic cleansing and genocide, violates God’s command: “Thou Shalt not kill” and must be condemned unreservedly. Those who are denied the status of persons, who are tortured, bombed and crushed under the rubble, cry out for peace, accountability and just reparations. Let us heed the words of the late peacemaking prophet, Daniel Berrigan: “There is no cause however noble that justifies the taking of a single life, much less millions of them! Let us heed the words of Pope Francis: “Abolish war now, before war erases humanity from history.” And let us heed the words of Dr. King who declared on the night before he was martyred: “It is no longer the choice between violence and nonviolence in this world…it’s nonviolence or nonexistence.”
Sing: Let me be an instrument of peace, let me be an instrument of peace.
“We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!” (Everyone Repeat)
As our banner on display here says: “Nuclear Arms Are The Global Crucifixion of Jesus.” This quote is taken from the late Archbishop Hunthausen of Seattle. To build, possess and threaten to use nuclear weapons by any nation is a sin which must be unequivocally condemned. Pope Francis has declared that the very possession of nuclear weapons is immoral. The UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons now makes nuclear weapons illegal under international law. We call on the U.S., the only country to have ever used nuclear weapons, and which has threatened on numerous occasions to use nuclear weapons against adversaries as nuclear blackmail, to repent for using and threatening to use these weapons of indiscriminate mass murder. We call on the U.S. and 8 other nuclear nations to ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which has already been ratified by 70 countries.
Sing: Let me be an instrument of peace, let me be an instrument of peace.
“We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world!” (Everyone Repeat)
We call on all people of faith, conscience and goodwill to create a political and economic order that rejects empire, upholds the dignity and human rights of every person, protects the earth and meets the human needs of all, especially the poor. Please join with us as we strive with people worldwide to work for nonviolent social transformation and create the Beloved Community and a disarmed world!
Sing: Let me be an instrument of peace, let me be an instrument of peace.
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Remembering Crucified Victims Today
Victim of Racial Violence
We pray for all those–past and present–who have been and continue to be crucified to a cross of racial hatred. We repent for and denounce the sin of white supremacy. We remember and pray for all those American Indians and African Americans who were slaughtered, enslaved, lynched and murdered simply because of their skin color. Today racial hatred and violence is pervasive throughout the land. A disproportionate number of African Americans are imprisoned and executed. African Americans are constantly profiled and are being killed in record numbers by white police officers. Too many have suffered and died because of White Supremacy and State violence! The knee of White Supremacy has been on the necks of Blacks for far too long! Black Lives Matter!
Islamophobia is pervasive. Muslims in the U.S. are demonized and targeted. Systemic violence and racism, inherent in oppressive economic and political structures and policies, crush the poor and people of color, denying so many of their dignity and human rights. We call into our presence all victims of racism.
Loving God, you have instructed us that every person is created in your image and that all life is sacred. We repent for the sin of racism. Deepen our commitment to work for justice and equality for all people of color as we strive to make the Beloved Community a reality here and now.
Sing: Were You There
Victim of Militarism and Nuclearism We pray for all people–past and present–who have been, and continue to be, crucified to the cross of militarism, nuclearism and warmaking. We remember and pray for all victims of U.S. warmaking and intervention, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has resulted in the death, displacement and trauma for millions of people. March 19th marked the 21st anniversary of the U.S. criminal invasion/occupation of Iraq. The U.S. must repent for the war crimes it has committed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and all nations it has intervened in, and make reparations to its victims.
As the U.S. is the #1 global arms dealer, we appeal for an end to all U.S. arms sales. We demand an end to weapons and aid to Israel which are used to support the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine and a genocidal war in Gaza; for an end to U.S. arms sales and military support to Saudi Arabia in its 9-year war against Yemen which has claimed untold lives and where there is now severe famine. We plead for an end to AFRICOM and U.S. arms sales to African countries, including Morocco, which are used to support the illegal occupation of Western Sahara. We call for the closing of the estimated 800 U.S. military bases worldwide.
We pray and are committed to working for the abolition of war; for the elimination of nuclear weapons, nuclear technology and all weapons; for an end to the militarization of space and all U.S. arms sales and military intervention worldwide; for the conversion of our war-based economy to one centered on serving the common good. This includes ending the nuclear modernization program now underway at an estimated cost of $1.7 trillion over the next two decades and redirecting the current $886 billion U.S. military budget to meet urgent human needs. We support the Pax Christi Bread Not Stones Campaign in this effort. We call for the Pentagon to be converted and transformed from a center of warmaking to a center that serves life! We pray in gratitude for all who have resisted and who have been imprisoned for decrying the sin of militarism and nuclearism.
Sing: Were You There
Drone Bombing Victim
We pray in repentance for all victims of U.S. drone strikes and call for an immediate end to the use of these immoral and illegal killer-drones that have been used in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere. We call for the U.S. to repent, apologize and make reparations to all victims’ families of drone strikes. We pray in gratitude for all who have resisted and who have been imprisoned for decrying this diabolical robotic warfare. We commit ourselves to abolishing these murderous drones, the American death squads of the skies.
Sing: Were You There
Imprisoned Victim We remember and pray for: –All whistle-blowers, truth-tellers and political prisoners who have been, and continue to be persecuted, including Mordechai Vanunu, Julian Assange, Daniel Hale and Edward Snowden;
–Leonard Peltier, Native American political prisoner serving a life sentence;
–the estimated 2 million prisoners in the U.S., for all who are condemned and awaiting execution, and for all prisoners worldwide;
We pray and work for a dismantling of the mass incarceration complex, and an end to torture and the death penalty. In the words of Jesus, let us “proclaim liberty to all captives.”
Sing: Were You There
Victim of Poverty and Economic Exploitation We remember all people who have been, and continue to be, sacrificed at the altar of greed, oppression and economic exploitation. Never before have so few rich people been allowed to hoard so much. Income inequality is a grave injustice. According to UNICEF, over 700 million people live in poverty worldwide and 333 million children live in extreme poverty. Globally, 1.4 billion children aged 0-15 lack any form of social protection, leaving them vulnerable to disease, poor nutrition and poverty, according to new data released last month by the International Labour Organization (ILO), Save the Children and UNICEF.
According to the Poor People’s Campaign, there are 140 million poor and low-income people in the U.S. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, over 11.6 million children in the U.S. live below the federal poverty line and nearly 1 in 5 children of color are poor. According to the Census Bureau, 27 million people are uninsured in the U.S. It is estimated that nearly half a million people are experiencing homelessness in the U.S. On any given night in the District of Columbia there are 3,705 single persons and 1,172 adults and children in 389 family households who are experiencing homelessness. In 2023, 90 people in D.C. died without the dignity of a home.
We remember all people who have died early deaths in the U.S. and worldwide from dire poverty, malnutrition, homelessness and inadequate health care. We pray and work for an end to structures and policies that dominate, exploit and crucify people to a cross of dehumanizing poverty, debt and neglect.
Sing: Were You There
Immigrant Victim
Mindful that Jesus was born as a migrant and exiled as a refugee, we remember today those immigrants and refugees who have been crucified to a cross of exploitation, racism, oppression and war. We remember all those who have fled their homelands in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine due to war. We remember, too, those who have been driven from their homes and the hundreds who have died in the Mediterranean Sea and crossing the Mexico-U.S. border. Loving God, help us to learn to love and welcome the immigrants in this land. Give us the courage to stand for justice for all immigrants instead of imprisoning them in dehumanizing detention facilities. Give us the courage to speak out and expose how our country’s policies of globalization and free trade are driving people to leave their countries and tearing families apart. Help us to take down the walls of division and fear that create physical walls of separation on our border. Teach us the words of love you would have us speak as we call for comprehensive immigration reform in this land.
Sing: Were You There
Desecrated Earth
Creator God, we confess that the way we live today is desecrating the earth, changing the climate, the seas and the balance of life, and dispossessing the poor and future generations. Almost the entire global population (99%) breathes air that exceeds World Health Organization air quality limits, and threatens their health. We repent for the way our environment and earth continue to be endangered by industrial pollution, toxic deadly chemicals, wasteful oil consumption, pipelines, nuclear radiation and the effects of preparing for and waging war. With some 800 military bases worldwide and a vast global war machine, the U.S. military is the world’s single biggest consumer of fossil fuels and has greatly contributed to destabilizing the earth’s climate. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated: “ We must act decisively. We must end the merciless, relentless and senseless war on nature. It is putting our world at immediate risk…” Creator God, help us to stop destroying your creation. Empower and sustain all those who are nonviolently resisting threats to land, water, air and sky throughout our world. Help us to divest in fossil fuels and invest in renewable energy. Empower us to safeguard the earth, our common home, and all of creation and choose life for all that is at risk.
Sing: Were You There
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Dorothy Day Catholic Worker Washington, D.C. 
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