Franciscan priest and Pace e Bene staff member Friar Louis Vitale, 78, served a six-month prison sentence from January through July, 2010 for nonviolent, prayerful protest calling for closure of the School of the Americas at Ft. Benning, Georgia. This stint including imprisonment in Crisp County Jail in Cordele, Georgia,  the US Penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, a brief stay in the prison at the airport in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and finally  FCI Lompoc, north of Santa Barbar, California.  Below is a letter Louie reccently wrote reflecting on what he has been up to since being released.  To see many of the letters he wrote doing this prison stay, click here.

A MONTH HAS PASSED SINCE MY RELEASE DATE.  I had a nice departure from Lompoc. The Chapel crew (Orderlies) gave me a small farewell party, and others found little ways to say farewell, or maybe, “Until we meet again!”

It became obvious to many (both prisoners and officers) that I engage the government through activities at nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base. This time I was in Lompoc for my actions at the School of the Americas in Columbus, Georgia. However, a trial for my previous activities protesting the launching of ICBM missiles from Vandenberg to the Marshall Islands has been scheduled  in Santa Barbara, CA, on September 15^th (It was delayed until after my incarceration).

I was glad to be released in time to visit Vandenberg on the 65^th anniversary of the atomic bomb attack on Nagasaki on August 9^th, 1945. You may remember that I visited Nagasaki last year and my trial in September stems from trying to deliver a letter from the Japanese people to the Commander of Vandenberg regarding their Constitutional Article 19: “No more nuclear bombs.” This visit in August might lead to yet another trial, and even the possibility of a return to “Lompoc F.C.I. Low.”

In addition to the activities at Vandenberg and the School of the Americas, some of us have a trial in Las Vegas on September 14th for an action last fall at Creech Air Force Base outside of Las Vegas. This is the control center for the DRONES (unmanned, remotely controlled aircraft) that are currently bombing in Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere, with heavy civilian casualties. They are also being deployed by Immigration Services along the US borders.

On a more joyful note, I have been visiting my family; I just attended my sister Marie and her husband, Ted’s, 60th wedding anniversary. I’ve also been catching up with friends and associates, and some monastery retreat time (most nourishing) kept alive the sense of retreat I experienced at Lompoc.  There are still some receptions with various groups where I will do more re-connecting.

I do miss the companions at the prison via the chapel, dorm, dining room, track walks, etc. It was nostalgic to visit the area and drive by the prison two weeks ago.  I keep praying for all of those incarcerated there and for the reform of the criminal system, sentencing, and imprisonment.

I also am still grateful for all the prayers, good thoughts and letters. I regret that the conditions caused me to fail to respond to many, but you are still in my heart and prayers.  May we all continue to work together for a better and more peaceful world.    

Pace e Bene,

Louie