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The Giant Walk supporters gathered at the University of Kentucky.


Young supporters joined in the fun.

Recent Events

Following in the Footsteps of Francis and Clare
April 8 - 9, 2011

 

Gandhi & Jesus: The saving power of nonviolence

A talk and discussion by Dr. Terry Rynne

April 26, 2011

Gandhi heavily influenced by Sermon on the Mount

By Linda Harvey
Correspondent

A powerful message of “Gandhi and Jesus: The Saving Power of Nonviolence” was given by Dr. Terrence Rynne at the Lexington Theological Seminary on April 26 to a packed audience in Fellowship Hall.

The lecture was sponsored by the Franciscan Peace Center and the Hindu community of Bharatitya Temple & Cultural Center.

“Gandhi spent his whole life demonstrating that the Sermon on the Mount could be eminently practical politics,” said Rynne, the author of a book with the same title as his presentation. He is founder of Marquette University Center for Peacemaking in Milwaukee, WI, and a teacher in peace studies.

“Gandhi came to call nonviolence as ‘satyagraha’ meaning firmness of truth; applying principles of nonviolence and self-suffering to the struggle of masses against the forces of oppression and violence. Civil disobedience is a part of this. Not only is it a commitment to nonviolence but it also is a desire to win over the opponent and transform the situation,” he explained.

“A term associated with satyagraha is ‘ahimsa’ which is the refusal to do harm and is a force pitted against violence. It is a way to be strong and brave. It is not passive but assertive,” emphasized Rynne.

Gandhi said, “Ahimsa involves trust in the goodness of the opponent, and love toward those who hate you, and is the means to resolve the conflict. It is the greatest force because it appeals to the heart of the opponent, not merely the intellect.”

“Gandhi appreciated the teachings of Jesus, especially about the Kingdom of God and the Sermon on the Mount. Nonviolence was shown when Jesus walked in the middle of the stoning mob and said,'if there is one among you without sin than cast the first stone,’” said Rynne.

“Jesus dying on the cross was an important symbol to Gandhi of nonviolence and self-suffering. Jesus was the prince of ‘satyagraha’ and a man of action,” said Rynne. “Love of enemy is perhaps the most distinctive message of Christianity offered to humankind, reversing centuries of tit-for tat notions of retributive justice.”

The best way to get nonviolence into the mainstream is to tell the real life success stories.

One story Rynne gave at his presentation happened in the Philippines, when President Marcos Ferdinand abdicated power. The people placed a rosary around the military tanks and formed a cross on the ground for airplanes to see from overhead.

“In 1986, Cardinal Jaime Sin, the Catholic archbishop of Manila, invited three long-time students of Gandhain nonviolence—Richard Deats and Hilda and Jean Goss-Mayr to the Philippines to train people in nonviolence. They trained thousands who in turn trained many others,” Rynne describes in his book. “When the decisive election was held, half a million poll watchers were ready for action. When Marcos called on the army to kill Defense Minister Jean Ponce Enrile and General Fidel Ramos for formulating a revolt, one million people responded to Cardinal Sin’s call to nonviolently defend them and their followers."

On February 25, he requested safe passage for his family to leave the Philippines.

“To do violence with anyone is to do violence with self. Truth is not through thinking but action, “ concluded Rynne. “Nonviolence is a way of salvation and can be redemptive.”

(This article was originally published in CrossRoads, the newspaper of the Diocese of Lexington.)

October 4, 2010

Today we celebrate Francis of Assisi, the saint who made "peace" with the wolf of Gubbio. His joyous spirit and love of animals was evident yesterday as we experienced FrancisFest with Paws for Peace.
 
First of all, thank you to the 95 participants (humans) and their lovely variety of dogs who braved the coldest, wettest, windiest day of autumn to participate in Paws for Peace. Despite the weather, everyone's spirits were high, and our furry friends managed very well (the littlest ones safely wrapped in warm blankets and held against their owner's chest).
 
Below is a list of more thank yous -- to our vendors, donors of goods and services, door prize contributors, and the many volunteers who helped with sign posting and removal, shelter set up, parking, picture taking, clean up, staffing water stations, and much, much more.
 
From the farmer who supplied tobacco sticks to stake our walk path signs, to the people at Unitarian Universalist Church who made the purple and green dog bandanas stamped with peace symbols and Paws for Peace, we say THANK YOU!

VENDORS

AA Small Animal Emergency Service
Lexington KY
839.361.1865
aasaes@smallanimalemergency.com
smallanimalemergency.com
 

Grr Midwest
Midway KY
502.545.1324
grrmidwest@hotmail.com
 

Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge
Nicholasville KY
859.276.3955
 

DOOR PRIZES

Digital photo frame—from AA Small Animal Emergency Service
Matted “Peace” print
(paw of wolf in Francis’ hand); Peace Dog car magnet; My Rescue Dog Rescued Me car magnet—from Franciscan Peace Center
Dog Mom magnet and Dog Dad magnet—from Grr Midwest
3 Gourmet treats baskets—from Just Dogs Gourmet
T-shirt—from Wolf Run Wildlife Refuge
Dog and peace symbol silly bandz)—from Noe Design, Inc.
 

Franciscan Peace Center wishes to thank the following people and businesses for donating their time and materials to Paws for Peace 2010

Brian and Joann Aylward
Teddy Bailey
Shelby Bush
Janet Carter
Lucy Clare
Karyn, Caroline & Lucas Combs
Frances Figart
Glencrest Farm
Joseph Griffin
Debi Hardin
John’s Run Walk Shop
Agnes Johnson
Steve Johnson
Kandace Kanzler
John Kim
Lexington
Humane Society
LFUCG
Parks & Recreation
McDonald’s
Robert Noe
Trish Noe
Kendall
Peaks
Robbie Pentecost
Lisa Perry
Stacey Stone
Megan Toole
Nancy Turner, Jennifer Turner Kernan & Cailin
Unitarian
Universalist Church of Lexington

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO
Noe Design, Inc. (Paws for Peace design)
noe@noedesigninc.com  859.277.6986

Earth Day at McConnell Springs

Saturday, April 24, 2010

http://www.mcconnellsprings.org/

A tour of McConnell Springs set in motion the Earth Day celebration. The tour included McConnell Spring’s new Storm Wetland Pond that covers many facets of water quality education.

Moving into the Educational Center , Margie Stelzer and family members introduced their sustainable community via PowerPoint slide show. Curtis Pike Intentional Community is located in rural Richmond , Kentucky and is currently host to two families and one single person.

Ann Quinn, OSF, an Oldenburg , Indiana Sister of St. Francis, presented an oral picture of their 300 acre community farm that has been in existence since 1854. Michaela Farm serves as a center for natural farming practices, environmental education and spiritual renewal.

Sister Ann led participants in hands-on activities that teach ways to get beyond ecophobia (fear of ecological problems and natural world).  

If we want children to flourish, we need to give them time to connect with nature and love the Earth before we ask them to save it.

David Sobel, educator, Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the Heart in Nature Education

 

 

FrancisFest 2009: Pathways to Peace – A Review

The Lexington-based Franciscan Peace Center, in conjunction with Clinton Franciscans (Iowa), CKCPJ "Voices for Peace and Justice", One World Films, UK Newman Foundation, and The Interfaith Alliance of the Bluegrass, celebrated its 5th annual FrancisFest with a 5-event Pathways to Peace series that embodied a variety of genres: live theatre, documentary film, dance, live presentations and discussions.

On October 1 a production of Still Point Theatre Collective in Chicago , Illinois was held at the Newman Center in Lexington . Strong Women is a dramatization of the experiences of women who have been incarcerated in Cook County Illinois Jail. The perspectives presented are the creative and poetic expression of these women...how they felt about being in jail, missing their children, and expectations of what would happen upon their release.

October 2 featured a film documentary at the Lexington Public Library Theatre entitled Pray the Devil Back to Hell. While conflict and disagreement among people of different faiths often dominate world headlines, this 60 min. film documentary details the success of an unlikely interfaith alliance between Muslim and Christian women in resolving the Liberian conflict via nonviolent and peaceful protest. Their work led to the election of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as Africa 's first elected female head of state.

(NOTE: this documentary film is available for checkout at the Lexington Public Library).

At the Unitarian Universalist Church on October 3, people gathered for an afternoon of Dances of Universal Peace facilitated by Fran Belvin and accompanied by guitarist Nathan Wilson and drummer Jerry Moody. Building on the work begun by Samuel L. Lewis in the 1960s, the Dances promote peace and integration within individuals and understanding and connection within groups worldwide. The Dances are simple, joyous, multi-cultural circle dances for all ages. Samuel Lewis believed that when people "eat, dance and pray together", the world finds peace.

In the evening of October 3 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, a film was shown on the life of Francis of Assisi entitled Reluctant Saint. Here is a Francis who transcends the cherished image of the peaceful lover of nature, the legend of a man who lived in a world much like our own, filled with violence and upheaval. Filmed entirely on location in Italy , this 60 min. production offers new insights into a life that has engaged the hearts and minds of millions over the centuries.

The culminating event held on October 4, the Feast of St. Francis, began with a PBS documentary entitled Beyond Our Differences. The film shows how people of different faiths can work together to solve critical global problems.

(NOTE: this documentary film is available for checkout at the Lexington Public Library).

Creating Spiritual Paths to Peace, a presentation by Rev. Bob Silvanik, followed the film and explored ideas and plans for peace-action via Interfaith Spiritual Communities. The core premise of his presentation is that peace is far too important an undertaking to be left to worldly institutions.

Finally, the Charter for Compassion, a project by Karen Armstrong, was introduced and a follow-up gathering for its unveiling scheduled for Sunday, November 15, 2:00 PM at the Lexington Public Library, Conference Room A.


Dances of Universal Peace

 

"Revolution of the Heart:

The Spiritual Journey of Dorothy Day"

Catholic Action Center :

A Lexington House of Hospitality

Thursday, September 10, 2009 , 7:00 pm .

UK Newman Center , 320 Rose Lane , Lexington

The Lexington-based Franciscan Peace Center and UK Newman Center Student Ministry are offering an opportunity to learn more about Dorothy Day, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement, and our local Catholic Action Center , based on the Catholic Worker movement, on September 10 at the UK Newman Center.

"Revolution of the Heart: The Spiritual Journey of Dorothy Day" is a monologue performed by Mary Alice Pratt, Coordinator of Social Justice Ministry at Newman Center . It traces the spiritual journey of Day by means of Day's own writings.

As a Donovan scholar, Mary Alice Pratt attended Lexington Theological Seminary, graduating in 2004. She had always been interested in drama and, looking for lighter study after several years of intense study of theology, she began Donovan classes as an acting student. A long time admirer of Dorothy Day, she began developing a monologue telling the story of Dorothy's journey to the Catholic Worker. She first performed the monologue at Lexington Theological Seminary and later at several churches. The monologue, Mary Alice says, is always a work in progress.

Ginny Ramsey, Co-Director of the Catholic Action Center (CAC), a service organization based on the Catholic Worker movement, will present the plethora of service-related opportunities that abound at CAC -- from feeding the hungry to growing God's Garden and tending to God’s worms!

Founded in June, 2000, CAC is a house of hospitality that welcomes all who are in need. It is a faith based outreach of volunteers who strive to provide all guests a welcoming place to receive their basic needs with dignity. Three meals a day, shower and restroom facilities, mail receipt, a telephone, clean clothing and a place to gather are all a part of the hospitality offered. Daily prayer services are held for those who hunger spiritually.  

Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Catholic Action Center . If you would like to get involved in any way, Ginny will gladly take your name on September 10.

Here is an opportunity to put your faith into action by helping our brothers and sisters in need. 



A Giant Thank You!

Flaget Nally and the Giant Steps Team wish to thank all who participated, donated or helped in any way to make the Lexington fundraiser GIANT STEPS for African Girls a huge success! 

On April 26th, 2009 over 160 walkers/runners completed the 3K course around the UK football stadium and Greg Page apartments on a sunny 80 degree day!  Strollers and four-legged pets of all sizes mixed with the group of people making it a community affair! 

Total amount raised: $15,003.39

Our total amount raised now nears $100,000 
of our $800,000 goal!
 

Phase 1 (of an 8 phase project) to build a girls' boarding school in Bukoba, Tanzania EAST AFRICA is well on its way to being completed!  This includes the purchase of 7 acres of land and a facility that will act as home for the 1st nursery school.

If you or someone you know wishes to make a tax-deductible contribution to this project, please visit the website at www.EducateAfricanGirls.org and click on the "support" link.

THANK YOU!  

Most women of this generation in Tanzania have not learned to read or write:


With your help, this generation of girls will read, write, and much more!

 

 

Flaget S. Nally
U.S.A. Liaison
Giant Steps for African Girls
www.educateafricangirls.org
P.O. Box 21813
Lexington , KY    40522-1813

502-510-6440

Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary use words.   Francis of Assisi

 

 

 

FrancisFest 2008: making peace, mending seams

The Lexington, Kentucky-based Franciscan Peace Center , in conjunction with Open Ground and other activist groups, hosted its fourth annual October event on Sunday, October 5, 2008 .  FrancisFest 2008: making peace, mending seams was held in the Performance Hall of ArtsPlace and was free and open to all.

FrancisFest, an active, peace education event for all ages, demonstrated that even when things are broken, it is possible to create something new from the broken pieces. Components of the day included:

1) Storytelling: on being aware of the mending seam between people, communities, towns, countries.  S. Hilary Mullany (a.k.a. Hilary Clinton – as she was introduced by Pat Griffin) made the trip from Clinton , Iowa to Lexington to share her adaptation of Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio story. A drummer was on hand to set the mood, and two volunteer actors mimed Lady Jacobi and Francis. The “stage” was surrounded by artificial trees representing the woods surrounding the town of Gubio . 

Don Boklage of Open Ground shared a Native American learning story called “Who Speaks for Wolf” that tells of Wolf as being sacred and a great teacher of truth in action. The ancestors of Oneida once chose a new place to live that housed a great community of Wolf but the people did not wish to leave. So they devised a way of limiting their impact: in all of their decisions, they would ask, “Who speaks for Wolf?” and the interests of the non-human world would be considered.

2) "Making peace thru piece-building art": an exhibition of 51 pieces from K-12 youth made entirely from broken pieces, framed the spacious Performance Hall.

3) Cooperative games for all ages: on learning how to have fun working and cooperating with one another in order to succeed was facilitated by Don Boklage of Open Ground and apprentices. One participant (and our face-painter), a mother with her three children, was delighted to play the games from her native country in South America, where people aren’t afraid to touch one another and work together for the good of all.

This day of cooperative games, storytelling and visual arts was born within a growing network of people consciously working for peace in their own lives, those of their families, and the world as a whole. Its impact planted seeds of meaningful relationships, conflict resolution, peacemaking and the joy of Francis!

The Franciscan Peace Center is a nonprofit Kentucky corporation established in 2005 by its “Keepers of the Flame” and members of the Clinton Franciscan Family: Jeanette Watkins, Mary Anne Enoch, Pat Fogle, Eileen Golby, Pat Griffin.  

View Slide Show

HUMAN RIGHTS TORCH RELAY
April 11, 2008
Triangle Park, Lexington, Kentucky
4:00 p.m.

Haiyan Yan, Andy, Mary Alice Pratt

First torch bearer Hai Dong leads the way

The route is 1.2 miles from Triangle Park to Woodland Park; t hose who are not carrying the torch walk with, but slightly behind, the torch carrier

The torch is passed to a Tibetan Student . . .

Then to three other supports, among many others.

Woodland Park

5:00

the torch arrives

 

 

 

 

Earth Day Celebration
McConnell Springs, Lexington KY
April 20, 2008
 
Presenter: Christine Cunha Missik
 
Touring McConnell Springs