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Dear Pax Christi friend, As you know, two major letters have recently been sent to our religious
leaders : the first, from the Interfaith Alliance asks
them, as religious leaders, to sign a petition to the President and Congress to end the
war in Afghanistan . the second, from the World
Peace March asks the religious leaders to publicize the NPT ( Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) petition in their
place of worship . Pax Christi has been an
active partner in these important endeavors and we hope you can follow up by bringing the petitions ( see attachments)
to the rectory . A personal visit can bring excellent results. For example, the Kellys spoke with the pastor
of St. Rose of Lima and as a result they will be collecting signatures on the NPT petition after all the Masses on
March 7! Actually, they could use some help. If you can, please email agnesckelly@aol.com "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." So please venture out, if
you can. ***************************************************************
NUCLEAR PETITION
End Afghan War Now!
--- On Tue, 2/2/10, Fr.
Roy Bourgeois, SOA Watch <info@soaw.org> wrote:
From: Fr. Roy Bourgeois, SOA Watch <info@soaw.org>
Subject: March 19-26,
Romero Legacy Delegation to El Salvador
To: marabard@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 3:09 PM
 Dear Maria, March 24, 2010 marks the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Monseñor Oscar Romero, Archbishop
of El Salvador, on the orders of a graduate of the School of the Americas. The life and words of Monseñor
Romero have been among the greatest inspirations of my life. His commitment to the poor and his ability to speak truth to
power helped me commit my own life to peace. That decision has not always been easy, nor has the path always been clear. But,
time and again I find myself returning to the words and inspiration of Monseñor Romero to give me strength on this
sacred journey of peacemaking. It is with great joy that I will be traveling to El Salvador to participate
in the commemorative activities of this 30th anniversary of "San Romero de las Americas."
I
would like to invite you to consider joining me in El Salvador, as part of the SOA Watch Romero Legacy Delegation, from March 19-26, 2010 (to download the delegation information flyer, click here). Together, we will walk in the footsteps of many of the martyrs of this tiny and prophetic land, and reflect on how many
lives have influenced us, and continue to call us in new directions. We will also visit Salvadoran communities
and learn how lives continue to be lost in the struggle for justice, such as the case of the recent assassinations of anti-mining
activists. Together with Lisa Sullivan, Coordinator of SOA Watch Partnership Latin America, we will meet with government leaders of El Salvador to ask that they
consider joining other countries in withdrawing their troops from the School of the Americas (SOA/ WHINSEC). This
is a special benefit delegation. All proceeds will go to facilitating the participation of our Latin American partners at
the "South-North Encuentro", scheduled to take place in Venezuela this June. This special SOA Watch gathering will
bring together peace activists from South, Central and North America to work together to close the School of the Americas
and open new doors of just relationships. In order to facilitate quality sharing, this delegation will be limited
to a small size. If you are interested, I invite you to fill out an application, and return it by February 15 to Lisa Sullivan at LSullivan@soaw.org. Click here to download the application form. Lisa is also available to answer any questions you may have about the delegation. Thank you for all that you
do to work for a world of peace and justice. In Solidarity,  Father Roy Bourgeois SOA Watch******************************************************************8 
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SafeTALK: Suicide Alertness for Everyone
“In September of this year I attended a Suicide Prevention
workshop run by Dr. Max Banilivy of Pedersen-Krag. Though I have been a pastor for over thirty years and worked with people
around issues of attempted suicide and the loss of family members to suicide, this workshop taught me to develop antennae
for those contemplating suicide. When someone shares a deep personal discouragement with us, you and I become frontline helpers.
Though the situation is obviously awkward, Suicide Prevention encourages us to engage a person in sensitive conversation and
direct them to seek help. Through this workshop, I became a better informed and more skillful listener.”
Rev. Jimmy
Hulsey, First Presbyterian Church, Smithtown
SafeTALK: Suicide Alertness for Everyone
Tuesday January 19, 2010
9:30
– 12:30
First Presbyterian Church, 175 East Main Street, Smithtown, led by Dr. Max. Banilivy, Ph.D., Director
of Family Wellness Center, Administrator, Pederson-Krag Center
SafeTALK is a training course that prepares anyone to
identify persons with thoughts of suicide and connect them to suicide first aid resources. Most people with thoughts of suicide
invite help to stay safe. Alert helpers know how to use these opportunities to support that desire for safety. As a safeTALK-
trained suicide alert helper, you will be better able to:
Move beyond common tendencies to miss, dismiss or avoid suicide;
Identify people who have thoughts of suicide
Apply the TALK steps (Tell, Ask, Listen and KeepSafe)
Fee, $10 Prior
Registration is required; this workshop has a minimum of 15 registrants
To Register
Call 631-821-2255
or
e-mail info@prcli.org
Kimwenza,
8th December 2009. Dear Friends,
These days with Christmas and New Year approaching you may wonder where on earth your friend
missionary is faring. Yes, I am back to my old Congo again! A full year I stayed in Belgium for the convalescence of my
left knee. I had been planning also not to return to the Congo but then I would be screwed down in a Jesuit residence without
any priestly work. In Flanders the Jesuits have no direction any more of colleges (there were 7) or parishes. Most of the
Jesuits are seniors as my self. There are even two houses for special care of them. The last years the Flemish Province
(I had belonged to) had just one candidate every year. They enter the novitiate in England where Ireland, England, Holland
and Flanders send their ‘boys’, most of them older then 25. As you can see, the encyclical “Spe salvi”
about Hope was very much to the point!
Whatever, the Congolese Provincial who saw me in Belgium wanted me back and gave me the choice
of six possible places somewhere in this country. Finally it was Kimwenza (where our Fathers started in 1893) where I had
been before from 1985 to 1996. I am quite happy to be here again, this time as the assistant priest and the parish and community
(6 of us) accountant. Maybe I will be able to go out to the bush occasionally. There I will meet many of the Christians
I cared for quite a few years ago. In the meantime Kimwenza
has been changing a lot. As it is only 20 km from the heart of Kinshasa, becoming a mega town of
6 to 7 million, all sorts of people settled down in our place. The local language Kikongo is shifting to Lingala, the more
popular language of the capital and the whole of the Congo, where there are about 250 languages. (though 4 main languages)
Another difference is also the problems of ownership. Twenty years ago one could not acquire a property because the land
belonged to the ancestors. This has changed very much, which is disastrous for the originally local people who are rather
poor.
There
is nearly no industry, even not much in Kinshasa. Mining of gold, diamonds, copper, cobalt, coltan , tin etc. is of course
mainly in the East of the Congo (1500- 2000 km from where we live). This “geological scandal”,
as it was called, is also the cause of a lot of trouble and strife among the different tribes and international companies.
There was a billion contract, in fact a sort of a barter of raw material with structural works and buildings as roads, rail,
school, hospitals etc. two years ago between China and the Congo. America and Europe are jealous; the Congolese are afraid
of their own local trade and negligence of their social laws. They are informed by earlier experience in Cameroon and Zambia.
Though
there were lawful democratic elections two years ago, It is disheartening to see how
the country is regressing in many ways e.g. average life expectation is down to 45 years, primary education
is only accessible to 50% ( It was 80% in 1960, the highest in Africa !) Teachers earn only about 50 dollars a month. The
rest is to be paid by the parents or Family. I have a dream! I am looking for an opportunity to create
a possibility for some older children who missed school putting them together into
some class with a special teacher who teaches them “the 3 R s:” Read, wRite, Reckon”, a
goal of the Millennium Goals ( 2015)
Dear Friends, this rusty scribbling is meant to keep contact with you and to tell you that I am
still thinking of you in America. Therefore I also wish you a Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year.
God
bless, Father Anthony Ploem s.j.
c.o. Procure des Missions s.j. Avenue de la Reine
141 1030 Brussel Belgium.
ploemtony@yahoo.fr ( if it works !)
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