PublicWitnessStatement

AsPeopleofFaithcommittedtoamorejustandpeacefulworldandas
participantsintodayspeacemakingevent,wemakeapublic,prayerfulwitnessto
affirmourcalltobepeacemakersandtopledgeourlivesinsupportofactive
nonviolenceandJustPeaceinourworld,country,communitiesandfamilies.
WeacknowledgeandappreciatetheworkdonebytheVaticanConferenceon
NonviolenceandJustPeaceinAprilof2016andstandwiththeirglobalassembly
inaskingfortheCatholicChurchandotherfaithtraditionstorecommittothe
CentralityofGospelNonviolence.WestandwithourU.S.CatholicBishops
whosePastoralLetterConfrontingaCultureofViolence:ACatholicFramework
forActionasksustorecommitresourcestoaddressviolenceineveryform.
HereinWesternWashingtonweaskourfaithandcivicleaderstostandwithusas
peacemakerscommittedtoandworkingforactivenonviolenceandjustpeace.We
urgethemandallourfellowcitizenstoinvestgreaterresourcestopromote
nonviolenceandtoformandtraintheircommunitiesandneighborhoodsin
peacemakingstrategies.
Finallywededicateourselvestothepromotionoflifeandpeace:Inourfamilies,
churches,neighborhoodsandcivicengagements;Throughnonviolentaction
includingpromotionoflifefrom
conceptiontonaturaldeath,restorativejustice,conflictresolution
andcontemplativedialogue;Byprovidingopportunitiesforcivilcivicdiscourse
WemakethiswitnessbyaffirmationaswestandtogetherandrecitetheSt.
FrancisPeaceprayeratSt.FrancisofAssisiParishinBurienWashington
September24,2016.

GroupResponse
Lord,makemeaninstrumentofYourpeace.Wherethereishatred,letmesow
love;wherethereisinjury,pardon;wherethereisdoubt,faith;wherethereis
despair,hope;wherethereisdarkness,light;wherethereissadness,joy.
O,DivineMaster,grantthatImaynotsomuchseektobeconsoledastoconsole;
tobeunderstoodastounderstand;tobelovedastolove;Foritisingivingthatwe
receive;itisinpardoningthatwearepardoned;itisindyingthatweareborn
againtoeternallife.