May 15, 2002

Dear Friends in Peace,

Greetings in the Spirit of Pentecost. We are a group of Catholic religious people -- leaders of various organizations, members of religious congregations, concerned individuals -- who have been meeting since last fall to seek a response out of our own Catholic community to the terrible events of September 11. We seek to understand and respond in faith to the terrible violence that has overwhelmed so many parts of our world. As the United States government has responded to the events of that tragic day with war and threats of greater war, we have searched deeply within our own religious tradition and our Gospel faith for an appropriate way to witness another path, a path towards a peaceful end to the violence of terrorism and war.

We invite you to join us in a period of reflection and action between Pentecost Sunday, May 19, and the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks, a time set aside within our congregations, parishes and communities to probe the causes of the violence that we have witnessed in these past months, and to respond with a witness for peace.

We believe the task is urgent. Thousands of innocent lives were taken on September 11. Thousands more were killed and injured in the war on Afghanistan. We have watched with horror as violence once again engulfed the Middle East. We have seen the US military widen the scope of the new "war on terrorism" by sending troops into the Philippines. And we know that preparations are underway for a war in Iraq whose death toll could well overwhelm even the terrible loss of lives of these past several months.

What do we do? What do we witness to this world, as people rooted in a Gospel faith? What can we do to stop the spiral of violence? Despite widespread public perception that the military response has been effective in reducing the threats of terrorism, we see evidence that escalated violence has only sown the seeds of more hatred and deeper resentment, posing a continued threat to the dignity and security of all of us. Our Pentecost statement is a call to engage in a profound reflection leading to actions that witness a way other than war to heal the wounds of our broken world.

We invite you to join us in this effort. You can participate in many ways: by carrying out educational events and discussions within your communities about the recent events and their historical and political causes; by reflecting on these realities in the light of faith; by taking action, such as holding religious services or peace events in public places or writing letters to your Congressional representatives and to administration officials; through media work, such as writing letters to the editors, sending out press releases about your events, or calling in to TV and radio talk shows; by contacting our web site to share your reflections and to inform us about your events, at: www.orbita.starmedia.com/statement

We thank you for joining us in this effort as we seek a way out of the violence, a way that leads not to greater fear, insecurity, and conflict, but to peace based on justice and the dignity of each human being, made as they are in the image of God.

In peace,

(Organizational affiliation of signers listed for identification purposes)

Kathleen Pruitt, CSJP President, Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Canice Connors, OFM Conv. President, Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Judy Cannon, RSM Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Stan De Boe, OSST Justice & Peace Director, Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Joseph Nangle, OFM Co-Director, Franciscan Mission Service Board chairperson, US Catholic Mission Association

Marie Dennis Director, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns Vice President, Pax Christi International

Rosanne Rustemeyer, SSND Executive Director, US Catholic Mission Association

Kathy Thornton, RSM National Coordinator, NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

Mary Ann Buckley, SHCJ Program Director, Religious Formation Conference

Carroll Houle, MM Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, NGO Representative at the UN

Dave Robinson National Coordinator, Pax Christi USA

Tony Vento Program Director, Pax Christi USA

Jean Stokan Washington DC Rep., Pax Christi USA

Margaret Swedish Director, Religious Task Force on Central America & Mexico

William Callahan Quixote Center

Russell M. Testa Director, Holy Name Province Franciscan JPIC Office and Center for Ministry and Public Life at Washington Theological Union

Carol L. Ries, SNJM Sisters of the Holy Names Justice & Peace Committee

Ellen Lynch, CSC Sisters of the Holy Cross, Justice Committee

Tina Geiger, RSM Marilee Howard, RSM Susan Severin, RSM Sisters of Mercy Institute Justice Office Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

Maura Browne, SND Justice & Peace Coordinator, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur

Carol Ann Kemp, SNJM Sisters of the Holy Names

Janet Gottschalk, MMS Medical Mission Sisters