'THE FUTURE OF THE CATHOLIC PEACE MOVEMENT':An Exchange of Views
an exchange of views `The Future of the Catholic Peace Movement' Worcester, Mass. a person trying to apply what...
...But unless "Bishop" Zahn in- complished if "loyal" Catholics like H. siderations deserve more weight than stitutes some kind of excommunication A. Reinhold, Paul Hanly Furfey, John Mike seems willing to allow...
...How can one not question the Atlantan, and still regard their values, we go from here...
...and (2) because I am part that sound like orders to toe the mark, of elitism, too, one that defines the term of a constituency, I think, that ack- on matters that he regards as both psy- Catholic too narrowly and waits impanowledged leaders of the Catholic peace chologically and theologically unsound...
...tiently for others to "come back" to movement, such as Zahn, wish to reach How can one not try to encourage al- the fold before they can be regarded and teach...
...yet they have however, about Zahn's remarks, trying no qualms about calling themselves hard not to misunderstand what he their top-down management in almost Catholic, as one might call himself said, but nonetheless challenging sev- all matters of government and struc- American, or a Minneapolitan, or an eral of his conclusions about "where ture...
...In the face of that accom- admittedly sensitive issues I raised in values...
...ternatives to the establishment in re- as full citizens or as "symbols or Speaking frankly, I think Zahn wants ligion, as elsewhere, and why should spokesmen for a movement that idento have it both ways, that is (1) to one have to give up these concerns in tifies itself as Catholic...
...Why should one accept among "liberated" Catholics, that Zahn because I would like to be as concrete "special obligations of self-discipline" speaks about...
...How does one peace movement that is more "catholic" that Zahn's remarks will serve as a remain "loyal" to an institution that is than the Church, a movement that is basis for further thought and action so frequently and blatantly sexist, mon- sensitive to a larger constituency than through seminars, teach-ins, and dis- archial, and capitalist in policy...
...encourage and build "a viable Catholic order to be a "good" member of some- The goal of the Catholic peace movepeace movement" and at the same thing called "the Catholic peace move- ment is nothing less than an end to war...
...Thus, if the des- they were loose as mud...
...ploy that will fool no one who has are some who reject even that as too You remember their names, don't you...
...obligation to perfect its witness so that is presumptuous, to say the least...
...lievers who have enough love and re- diate future with which my article was One is conscious always of Dorothy spect for "the Church" to abide by oner- concerned, but I would hope that failDay's words (to mention another per- ous rules and practices even as they ure will not be due to a too hasty acson who wouldn't agree with a word work to effect the necessary changes...
...How Zahn wishes to recognize...
...cussions on American college campuses does one speak of nonviolence and not For young people, particularly, the and in churches throughout the com- confront the implicit violence of the traditional definitions of what is "good" ing year...
...mentioned, our fellow Catholic Chris-as to make the past of little value Certainly its promise will not be ful- tians who are not yet ready to accept as a guide to the future...
...filled unless those failings are corrected...
...In his article, he spoke to these con- pitiful beginnings all, perhaps, but still All that is needed-certainly all I incerns with characteristic clarity and di- beginnings) would not have been ac- tended-is the reminder that these conrectness...
...of undesirable elements, he will have LaFarge, Dorothy Day, Thomas Mer- GORDON C. ZAHN to work within a wider range of possi- ton, and others too numerous to menbilities in membership and probably in tion had cut themselves loose from "the leadership than he has allowed for institutional Church" and its oppressive 000 000 000 thus far...
...a person trying to apply what Zahn, urgy, and religious vocations, has been To the Editors: Having taken many of Merton, and others have taught me just as strong as the movement for us to school on matters relating to war, about the violence of the status quo, peace, among Catholics...
...Whatever our feelings on this mat- ing instead to make their own rules and ter, 1974-the tenth anniversary of the live according to their own private ACCIDENT founding of the Catholic Peace Fel- standards of "proper" Catholic belowship-is a good year to rededicate havior...
...Let there be no talk some consideration, some clarification...
...The matter may be, "personal morality," as Zahn implies...
...the acceptance of a personal plishment, my speaking on this matter my article...
...but there is another kind as possible...
...a side road, up an embankment but I, for one, am not yet resigned to a situation which equates "Catholic" into the oak...
...an exchange of views `The Future of the Catholic Peace Movement' Worcester, Mass...
...I participated in the highly successful re- narrow and confining a designation as agree that the goal of moving the gional gatherings of the Catholic Peace well...
...ignation, Catholic peace movement, is Mike True puts me at a disadvantage at all meaningful, there should be some- So sober they walked out by exaggerating my contributions to thing to distinguish it from the more like the three young men the Catholic peace movement while generalized designation, Christian peace playing down his own, a fine rhetorical movement (not forgetting that there from the fiery furnace...
...or alienate those we should be Zahn says, the matter may be worth even the too hesitant search for an trying to reach...
...The situ- Catholic Church as the vehicle of sal- tained in the Gospel teachings...
...many cities harbor similar "unpeace movement to fulfill its responsi- feel as Gordon Zahn does: that mem- orthodox" congregations, with predombilities toward resisters, exiles, and po- bers of the Catholic peace movement inantly Catholic memberships...
...and, as Greeley has shown, increasingly How...
...God help us...
...an awakened we presumably wish to maintain (else good of the movement, even at the concern for the poor...
...will hamper itself unnecessarily...
...and to ation in the Church and society is dif- vation it has claimed to be throughout recognize a direct and prior obligation ferent now, so different-in part be- its long centuries of existence...
...our interpretations of what "the To anyone deeply involved, day in I insist, however, that those corrections Church" should be and should be doand day out, in non-violent resistance must come principally from within and ing...
...at least the following: a professed idenwork, no one has been more successful Still I am pleased that he has responded tification with a particular spiritual and than Gordon Zahn, by his life and to my invitation to discuss some of the sociological entity, its history, and its writings...
...sometimes regional worker, I have to accepts the best in what Catholicism I understand the dangers of elitism speak personally to his argument (1) taught him...
...ceptance of "new modes of behavior" I've said): "We talk so much and do Such changes we have already wit- which undercut the religious identity so little...
...The car was like this: ourselves to the important work of Mike's description of the situation a crushed corn flake box...
...to war and oppression, this whole dis- through the efforts of individual be- We may not succeed in that immecussion may seem patently irrelevant...
...Church (or the university or the state), Catholic practice have simply disapAs a somewhat erratic, dues-paying peared: they do not marry in the Cathfellow traveler of the Catholic peace olic Church...
...As pacifist and sociologist, of the Catholic peace movement (Tom familiar with survives into its seventh he issues a challenge to the Catholic Cornell, I think, among them) who year...
...in that Fellowship he organizes every year...
...they-and increasing nummovement, whose "profile as symbol bers of their elders, according to Anand spokesman" could hardly be lower, drew Greeley's recent study-do not I would like to raise several questions, attend Mass on Sunday...
...So drunk Reply with "Minneapolitan...
...Catholic peace movement, with both as he suggests, a generational one, al- (One local liturgical experiment, interauthority and experience on his side though there are "younger" members faith and intercommunion, that I am [Dec...
...entirely new attitude" toward war- of "excommunications" even in jest...
...peacemaking that Gordon Zahn has today as respects the young people outlined and to carry it on...
...Any litical prisoners of the Indochina war should "present themselves as loyal and Catholic peace movement that does not now and toward peace and justice in committed members of the institutional recognize such new modes of behavior the future...
...Commonweal: 15...
...I am hensive as to deserve a lengthier re- But how does one honestly do that arguing, in other words, for a Catholic sponse than I can make here, hoping in the present situation...
...On the basis of my stupid divisions and expose the ridicu- their resistance to war and oppression, occasional experience as a local and lous parochialism of the Church, if he as peculiarly Catholic...
...For me the distinction implies Church is extremely important...
...The article is so compre- Church...
...They swung off the beltway, MICHAEL TRUE the older people as well) is accurate...
...time (2) to set up guidelines as to ment...
...all...
...I agree to "convert" that target audience I cause of the successes of the last decade it has all the failings he lists, and more...
...As toward new models for ministry, lit- me, that any success on the part of 8 March 1974: 14 the movement must be measured...
...and confining authoritarianism, choos- SISTER MAURA, S.S.N.D...
...It cannot be conscience, and church doctrine, Gor- I question his present recommendations dismissed as simply an expression of don Zahn discusses the future of the on several counts...
...I confess that I am traditionalist it may become a suitable vehicle for But I question his using the post- enough to view the structured (or, if the truth it claims to possess (in our World War II era as an historical basis he prefers, "institutionalized") religious special case, to make it an effective for the posture of the Catholic peace community we know as the Roman vehicle for the pacifist message conmovement at the present time...
...But "for the nessed (liturgical reforms...
...the public repu- why a Catholic peace movement at price of division and dissension," as diations of racism and anti-Semitism...
...It is against that goal, rather than what who does or does not qualify as a In the past ten years, the movement effect it has on the Church, it seems to legitimate "Catholic" peace activist...
Vol. 100 • March 1974 • No. 1
