Click here to sign the statement.Dominican Justice Promoters Meeting & Statement Denver—
The North American Dominican Promoters of Justice, Peace and Care of creation wrapped their annual meeting in Denver June 28-July 3. During four days of discussions, representatives from the four provinces of Dominican men and sisters representing women’s congregations from throughout the U.S. reviewed critical issues of justice, including the death penalty, racism, immigration, the trafficking of women and children, and conditions in Iraq, Columbia and Africa. By early fall the group will publish its annual Call to Action, a document referred to by Dominicans throughout North America as a guide to study, reflection and action.In addition the promoters drafted a statement addressed to the President of the United States, members of Congress and the American people, decrying what they called "a fundamental shift in U.S. policy that contradicts basic values of respect for life, commitment to peace and the norms of the conduct of war" and calling upon "the people and the leadership of the United States to turn from a culture of war and violence to a culture of peace and reconciliation."
"This was our first meeting since September 11. We felt it was important to draft a forceful statement to respond to the current situation. We invite and encourage even more study and action as the U.S. and the world reacts to terrorist threats," said Philippe LeBlanc, OP of Toronto, Canada who co-chaired the meeting with Judith Hilbing, OP of Springfield, Illinois.
To: President Bush, members of Congress and the citizens of the United States From: North American Dominican Promoters of Justice, Peace and Care of Creation, meeting in Denver, Colorado on June 28 to July 2, 2002 Subject: A fundamental shift in U.S. policy: By what right and by what justice? Date: July 4, 2002 As responsible citizens and as members of an international religious community, the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), we speak from our Gospel conviction and from our Dominican tradition of searching for truth and working for justice.
We are deeply concerned about a fundamental shift in U.S. policy that contradicts basic values of respect for life, commitment to peace and the norms of the conduct of war. We believe that this shift in U.S. policy results in a massive loss of life, untold human suffering and irreparable damage to the environment. We also believe that this shift is increasing violence and warfare in the world.
We therefore strongly urge the U.S. government to reject the use of pre-emptive military strikes, cease the development and the use of chemical and biological warfare, and end the deployment of nuclear weapons.
We strongly urge the U.S. government to observe and implement the Geneva Conventions, especially regarding military prisoners and civilians.
We strongly urge the U.S. government to ratify existing environmental treaties and to take seriously the protection of the environment from the destructive effects of warfare.
We strongly urge the U.S. government to end its obstruction of the purposes and functions of the new International Criminal Court.
We call upon the people and the leadership of the United States to turn from a culture of war and violence to a culture of peace and reconciliation.
Signed by:
Judith Hilbing, OP Co-Promoter for North America Philippe LeBlanc, OP Co-Promoter for North America Jane Abell, OP Southern U.S. Justice Promoter Marta Ines Toro , OP Eastern U.S. Justice Promoter Mary Sean Hodges, OP Western U.S. Justice Promoter John Morris, OP Western U.S. Justice Promoter Durstyne Farnan, OP Central U.S. Justice Promoter Dennis Woerter, OP Central U.S. Justice Promoter Eileen Gannon, OP DLC/NGO at the UN Ann Scanlan, OP Preaching Promoter Marion Irvine, OP Justice Promoter Ursula McGovern, OP Preaching Promoter
Christina Gringeri University of Utah, College of Social Work Christina Gringeri University of Utah, College of Social Work dennis hart just me... Maricelia Paz Dominican Promoter of Justice Peace - Cone Sur Francis Goode O.P. Western Dominican Justice Promotor Rev. C.David Zollars Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. Scott Farris, OP Promoter for Peace, Justice and Care of Creation, US Southern Dominican Laity Sister Mary Pat Murphy, OP Dominicans of Tacoma Patricia Farrell, OP Dominican Sisters of San Rafael Christine Wilcox, OP Dominican Sisters of San Rafael Jude Siciliano, OP Preaching Promoter, Southern Prov. Rebecca Ann Gemma, OP Springfield Sr. Elyse Marie Ramirez O.P. Springfield Linda Kirschbaum Homemaker Ronald Kramer Daco Incorporated Leela Ramdeen Catholic Attorney-at-Law, Trinidad & Tobago Sharon Einloth, OPL San Martin de Porres Chapter, Western Province John R. Crockford Immigration Enforcement Accountability Project Daniel Stupka, S.M. Marianist Province of the United States Fr. Ferdinand Warner, O.P. Trinidad & Tobago Maureen Geary OP Justice Promoter, Grand Rapids Dominicans Anthony Petrarca Patricia Bruno, O.P. Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, CA Stella M. Goodpasture, OP Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, CA Victoria Commins, OP Dominican Sisters of San Rafael Ramona Krisha, OP Dominican Sisters of San Rafael Mary Dunning OP Justice Promoter, Sparkill Dominicans JoAnn Niehaus, OP Communicator, Dominican Sisters of Houston Mariana Wood, OP Dominican Sisters - Houston, Texas Sally Brady, OP Dominican Sisters of San Rafael Raya Hanlon, OP Dominican Sisters of San Rafael Ricardo Wonderbutt Wonderbutt Society of America Wanda Ruth Zimmerman Aquinas Newman Center, Albuquerque, NM Gloria Escalona, OPL St Albert the Great Chapter Br. Garry Cappleman, O.P. Western Dominican Province Jennifer O'Neill Sr. Mary Clare Fichtner, OP Springfield Dominican Justice Committee Daniel Syverstad, OP Western Dominican Province Michael Fones, O.P. Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Oregon Ceil Lavan Blauvelt Dominican Justice Promoter Robert A. Marzullo Riverside, CA. Patrick L. LaBelle, O.P. Director, Catholic Chaplaincy, Stanford University Duc Duc Nguyen, FSC St. Mary's College, California Dominic De Lay, O.P. Western Dominican Province Linda Hayes, OP Springfield Dominicans Cassian Lewinski, O.P. Western Dominican Province Beth Murphy, OP Dominicans of Springfield Sister Bernice Juip, OP Dominican Sisters of Springfield, IL dominik ivan celic OP Dominican from Croatia Mildred Schleeper Dominican Sisters Patricia Stark, OP Springfield Dominicans Elizabeth Wrenn, O.P. Lori Kirchman,OP Springfield op Paul Johnson, OP Central Province Dominicans Vincent Benoit, O.P. Chaplain, UC Riverside Christine Hines Saint Dominic Denver CO Raymond Finerty, OP Catholic Chaplain, Occidental College Paul Scanlon, O.P. Prior, St. Albert's College, Oakland, Ca. Joyce Calagos, OPL U.S. Western Dominican Laity Justice Promoter