Here's What Happened in Clinton, IA, During CNV Action Days!
During the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days, Sept 21-Oct 2, 2022, the Sisters of St. Francis at the Franciscan Peace Center in Clinton, IA, held three actions.
On September 21, 2022, the International Day of Peace, 40 people participated in a Day of Prayer for Peace in The Canticle (the Franciscan Sisters’ residence). The Franciscan Peace Center also encouraged the Clinton Franciscan family to take a #PeaceDayChallenge. Some of these responses were integrated into a short video that reflects on how they felt called to embody and act for peace. Watch this short video to see what some members of their community came up with for their #PeaceDayChallenge!
On September 26, 2022, the group organized a postcard campaign in connection with the Divest From Violence Day of Action and the International Day for Elimination of Nukes. A total of 285 postcards were sent out. Around 95 Sisters, Sojourners, and Associates participated in the postcard-writing campaign to encourage their Senators and Representatives to support:
H.R. 2603: A bill to establish the policy of the United States regarding the no-first-use of nuclear weapons
H.R. 669: Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2021 A bill that prohibits the President from launching a first-use nuclear strike without a Congressional declaration of war
S. 1148: Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act of 2021 A bill that prohibits the President from launching a first-use nuclear strike without a Congressional declaration of war.
This postcard-writing campaign aligned with the Sisters’ Laudato Si’ Action Platform Goal 6.1. They encourage others to join in as well. Anyone can contact the staff persons of U.S. Senators and Representatives regarding no-first-use policy and limiting presidential power to launch a nuclear attack.
For their third action with the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days, the Clinton Franciscan Sisters held an event with 25 people on October 2, 2022, International Day of Nonviolence. This was a “Just Food” event that explored how food choices can bring justice to humanity and the environment in a nonviolent way. They offered Fair Trade chocolate and locally produced cheese to sample. They also organized education on trafficking, migrant labor, local food production, and the “Theology of Cheese” to those in attendance. The Just Food event was sponsored by the Franciscan Peace Center, Clinton Public Library, and The Felix Adler Children’s Discovery Center.
These actions support the long-term vision of a culture of peace and nonviolence. A member of the group, Jennifer Kryszak writes, “As the Clinton Franciscan mission is one of continual conversion to active nonviolence and peacemaking, we recognize that a culture of nonviolence is necessarily nurtured in diverse ways to reach different individuals and groups. These three events enabled the Clinton Franciscan community to impact the broader effort to build a culture of nonviolence through prayer and personal reflection, political action, and community education. Through prayer and personal reflection, individuals can assess their present commitment to nonviolence and invite others into this way of life.
“Our short video on the #PeaceDayChallenge shared personal reflections with a broader audience to encourage others to reflect on their own understanding of and commitment to peace. In society, political action for nonviolence can compel change within our political systems as well as social structures. Our postcard campaign thus urged members of the Clinton Franciscan family to further reflect on nonviolence and nuclear weapons and encouraged them to take action to influence their political representatives to vote for nonviolence. In local communities, opportunities for social interaction offer places for meaningful conversations and interactions that can educate people about and invite people into nonviolent practices. Our Just Food event invited the local community to consider how our food practices have the potential to eliminate (or at least lessen) violence present in the food industry. In our personal, political, and communal lives, we have the power to contribute to a culture of nonviolence. Participating in events such as these encourages us to reflect on our power and commit to nonviolent ways of living as individuals in community.”
Photo Credits: International Day of Peace photos and video by Marsha Thrall. Just Food action photos by Amanda Eberhart.
This story is one of the 4622+ actions and events that happened during the Campaign Nonviolence Action Days, Sept 21-Oct 2nd, to build a culture of peace and active nonviolence, free from war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction. Find more stories, reports, and videos here>>