Catholic Worker National Gathering
We had a blast attending the CW National Gathering in Las Vegas! It was a great opportunity to see old friends and meet Catholic Workers from over 30 states, Mexico and Canada. Thanks to our sister house the LVCW for being such great hosts!
Check out pictures of the Gathering and of the protests that followed, one at the Nevada test site and one at Creech Air Force Base where our very own Theo Kayser and Mike Wisniewski were arrested.
This is the short version of the Gathering statement. Read the long version here.
Final Statement of Las Vegas Catholic Worker Gathering
(On the 10th Anniversary of the U.S. Bombing and Invasion of Afghanistan)
We Catholic Workers from around North America gather in Las Vegas on this 10th anniversary of the U.S. bombing and invasion of Afghanistan with the theme: “From Empire to Servanthood.” We renounce all war-making as an affront to the God of Creation, and we reject the false gods and religion of empire that dominate our national spirit. We call on our church and nation to join us in repenting for the violence the U.S. has inflicted, and make reparations to all of its victims—at home and in Afghanistan as well as in Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere.
At this critical point in history, when we face unending wars, nuclear perils, occupations, and economic collapse; when human life and creation itself has become so devalued and killing has become the norm; when greed, exploitation, racism, and discrimination are at the heart of social injustice; when our earth and environment is endangered as never before; we recommit ourselves to the God of creation that calls us to revere all life as sacred, and resist empire and the way of violence and oppression.
As we hear the cry of the poor and suffering of our nation and world, we demand that all resources being squandered for weapons and war instead be spent to meet urgent human needs.
As the U.S. government continues its immoral and illegal occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq, and its murderous drone attacks—especially in Pakistan—we heed the monumental example of Jesus and Dorothy Day.
In the name of Jesus, who calls us to love unconditionally and be peacemakers, we call on all followers of Jesus to embrace and practice gospel nonviolence. We urge our church leadership to break their silence and prophetically proclaim Christ’s gospel by calling the entire nation to repent for the war crimes committed in our name.
Mindful of all political prisoners, including those Catholic Workers and other resisters imprisoned for acts of peacemaking, we commit ourselves to nonviolently resist all forms of state-sanctioned violence and oppression. In our efforts to come out of and resist U.S. empire, we concluded our weekend gathering by doing nonviolent direct actions at the Nevada National Test Site and at Creech AFB, center of U.S. drone warfare. In solidarity with sisters and brothers around the world calling for an end to political repression, corporate domination, and militarism, we seek to build a new society in the shell of the old. We commit ourselves to help create the Beloved Community, where all God’s people can live together in peace with justice.
