Month: October 2006

Another year, another prayer breakfast

This morning was the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast in Worcester.

Like last year’s, it happened to fall during Ramadan. The speaker was Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America, and a convert from Catholicism to Islam. She talked about Islamic ethics and the potential for peaceful coexistence between people of different faiths.

(In this, she seemed to differ from a Muslim-turned-Christian who Mike Schorsch heard speak recently.)

Hermis Yanis taped her talk, and the following discussion, for his TV show. I hope we can post some clips soon.

In the aftermath of the pope’s Regensburg lecture, it would have been nice had there been a Catholic clergyman at the podium at some point, but no such luck. (The bishop was there, of course.)

Tom Lewis, Harry Duchesne, Michael Boover at the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast

Worcester’s Catholic Workers were remarkably well-represented at the breakfast. Above, Tom Lewis, Harry Duchesne, and Mike Boover ruminate. Below, Bruce glows after drinking way too much coffee.

Tom Lewis & Bruce Russell

A day against war in Worcester

There was a day-long protest against the Iraq War in Worcester’s Elm Park yesterday, in association with events nationwide organized by World Can’t Wait.

Folks were at the park from 9AM to 8PM. One guy was there the whole time!

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Harry (left) said that a guy was complaining to him about the boring demonstrations nowadays. “We need more folks like the Chicago Seven and the Catonsville Nine!” Harry told him that Tom Lewis (right), of the Catonsville Nine, would be there shortly, and the guy was thrilled.

Worcester also sent three people to a protest at the corporate offices of Textron that morning. Textron makes cluster bombs. One former Textron employee was at the Elm Park vigil.

More photos

Photographing Tim Murray

Kevin Ksen made another court appearance yesterday.

You’ll remember he was arrested for trespassing (the police say) or photographing the crew of the TV show COPS (he says).

Now some time back, Kevin was taking pictures of a less-controversial Worcester event, and was pleased with how the pix of Tim Murray, our mayor and lieutenant governor candidate, turned out. Kevin passed the pix on to Murray, telling him to use them as he liked.

Looks like one of the pix, suitably trimmed, is the header to Murray’s website!

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Perotto, O’Brien, Murray, Chandler, et. al. Photo by Kevin Ksen.

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From Chandler Street to the State House: http://www.timmurray.org. Sadly, it runs on Mambo.

All this by way of a shout-out to Kevin. When your photography is playing a role in the Lieutenant Governor’s race, and getting you arrested, you know you’re a real photojournalist.

Demo against cluster bombs at Textron

Rides are available from Worcester to a demonstration at Textron in Wilmington, MA, a manufacturer of cluster bombs.

If you would like a ride to this demonstration, please call the Catholic Worker at 508.753.3588.

We will be leaving Worcester at 10AM, and getting back into town around 2:30pm.

Cluster bombs are deliberately indiscriminate, designed to kill over the widest possible area. Even the newer designs leave behind unexploded bomblets, which can maim and kill for years after a war is over. Protest this horrendous weapon at its source, right here in Massachusetts.

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Worcester cops Nobel action: Congrats, Craig C. Mello.

Villani cops Slate action: Slate notes Adam Neil Villani’s post about his middle namesake, Neil Armstrong.

Scott in the news: 800 people gathered for an anti-war rally in Concord, New Hampshire, last week. One of the speakers was Worcester’s Scott Schaeffer-Duffy, who had a good quote in the AP article:

“We’re made to think that nonviolence is some sentimental gift,” said keynote speaker Scott Schaefer-Duffy [sic], co-director of the St. Francis and St. Theresa [sic] Catholic Worker House in Worcester, Mass. “Being nonviolent is strong not weak,” he said.

Continue reading “Items”

Warcast #4: Conscientious objection, Marinus, and the sword

Another installment of the Catholic Peace Fellowship’s Warcast.

[download the mp3 of “Warcast for Catholics #4]

  • Patrick McGowan talks about Matthew 10:34. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword.”
  • Mike Griffin and conscientious objector Joshua Casteel discuss some of the issues to consider when applying for CO status.
  • Mike Schorsch talks about the soldier-martyr Marinus.

A letter from Darfur

Dear Brenna
Greetings to you!
I would like to thank you for the money ($325) which you sent to us trhough Mr Ezibon. I have received the money and it was immediately used to buy exercises books for children in Comboni Taiba School which is a traning centre for the displaced teenagers boys. We have now 146 boys in that school…They are receiving a basic literacy course…We would like also to give them a Vocational Training in Welding, electricity and Arts if possible…

Our Women Promotion Group is also going well… Now we have a Women Literacy Programm going on with about 150 Women in three different centres within Nyala town. There is also a progamm of in-come generating project… If you could help us to help these women, it will be great!

Thank you very much and best wishes!
Fr. Denima

“Tout est bien qui fini bien!”
P. DENIMA DARAMA EMMANUEL

If you’re interested in making a donation to Fr Denima, contact Brenna Cussen.

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Me and Fr. Denima, who helped start a women’s economic
cooperative at the church. December, 2004.

Saint Kermit #41: Healthy Activism

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Netcasting from my friends’ home office

Another week, another amazing episode of Saint Kermit.

[download the mp3 of “Saint Kermit #41:Healthy Activism”]

Rant topics:

Guest: Maine governor candidate Pat LaMarche.

Music: Rod Murphy.

Sports: Sports.

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Pat LaMarche accepts the Green Party nomination for Vice President, 2004. Photo by Mike Benedetti.