Brendan McKeague and Veronica Pelicaric facilitated seven Pace e Bene workshops and gatherings in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland throughout the month of January, including a four-day From Violence To Wholeness Facilitator Co-Lrearning Retreat hosted by Pax Christi UK and the International Fellowship of Reconciliation that was held at the Cold Ash Franciscan Retreat Centre in Berkshire. Twenty-eight organizers and members of the peace movement and religious justice and peace agencies in the UK and Italy took part in the Berkshire training.

One participant said after the four day training, The scope, range and depth of the subject was just right for us to feel confident in developing the process.” Others commented that the training was “just what I needed at this moment. A very good mix of information and the experiential” and that the event offered “Great ideas for facilitation and well structured content.” These workshops have deepened interest in organizing Pace e Bene trainings and study groups in the UK and in Italy.

All the Workshops

The presentations the United Kingdom began with Brendan McKeague returning to his homeland, Northern Ireland, to lead a one-day workshop on the “Christian Tradition of Nonviolence” in Belfast on Saturday January 7th. It was hosted by INNATE (the Irish Network for Nonviolent Action and Training Education) and local Quakers. There was a good turn-out on a crisp Saturday of sixteen people who traveled from as far away as County Kerry, Dublin and Glencree to meet in Belfast’s Friends Meeting House.

On Saturday, January 14th the Peace and Justice Centre in Wrexham, North Wales, hosted a workshop the same topic that attracted 48 lively and inspirational folks from surrounding area in the beautiful Capel Y Groes (Welsh Presbyterian) Church hall.

An evening session on Monday 16th at the Salford Peace and Justice Centre engaged 28 people, most of whom had completed a From Violence to Wholeness program previously.

Brendan spent the next day with staff-members of Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) North West in Preston and Lancaster, discussing how a spirituality of active nonviolence might be applied in their daily work.

Then he went on to London where he met with the Quaker Peace Team at Friends House in Euston Street before heading off to the Cold Ash Franciscan Retreat Centre in Berkshire for final planning with Veronica Pelicaric for the Jan 19-22 FVTW Facilitator Co-Learning Retreat. Twenty-eight extremely committed and passionate participants, described by one observer as the “movers and shakers” of the UK Justice and Peace scene, took part, as did an Italian peacemaker who had been responsible for the recent publication of an Italian translation of FVTW into Italian last year. The participants spent their time refining their understanding of violence, nonviolence, community, social movements and honing their facilitation skills. It was a very engaging four days and, judging by the energy levels, the evaluations and the atmosphere of excitement and anticipation, Brendan and Veronica experienced a general desire among the participants to see Pace e Bene’s nonviolence training program will continue to grow in the UK and Italy.

Afterward, Veronica facilitated a one-day workshop in London organized by Turning the Tide. Part of a Quaker network that operates from Quaker House in Euston, this project creates programming that highlights the lessons from contemporary and historic nonviolent campaigns and movements for those challenging injustice today. The fifteen people who attended the workshop found the material helpful for their work and lives. Some comments from the participants included: “The discussion on spirituality was thought provoking” and “I have enjoyed your workshop and was pleased to respond to the challenges you set.”

These seven events have planted and nourished seeds that will likely grow significantly in many diverse ways in the United Kingdom and Italy in the coming years.

Thanks go to Rob Fairmichael of INNATE, Owen Hardwicke at the Wrexham Justice and Peace Centre, Peter Richardson and Sarah Dumpleton at the Salford Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission, Peter Grimshaw at CAFOD North West, Sophie Reynolds at the Quaker Peace Service in London, Pat Gaffney of Pax Christi UK, Chris Cole at the Fellowship of Reconciliation UK, Giovanni Scuderi at the Italian Justice and Peace desk of Religious Congregations and Sr. Sylvia and staff at the Franciscan Cold Ash Centre.

To find out about upcoming workshops