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A Letter to Religious Communities This letter was sent to the religious communities in the Philadelphia area. Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, We of CPF seem to hear the Lord saying to all our people: “Shout from the housetops: ‘stop this war in Iraq!’” In our pain we sense a providential opportunity beckoning the entire American Church: “Make Peace Now!” Prayer, fasting, witness, and even resistance are the tools for removing the mountain of our collective national hubris. And so, this appeal to you, members of communities of religious men and women: “Join in solidarity with our Christian Community and let us all do what we must to be faithful to Gospel values and to call our nation to repentance and redemption.” ► Bishops, each of you alone and all together, critique the Iraq invasion against the criterion of our traditional just war teaching. ► Theologians and scripture scholars, ponder anew Jesus’ word to Peter on the night before Calvary: “Put down your sword; he who lives by the sword will die by it.” ► Priests, preach peace in season and out of season. ► Teachers—elementary, secondary and college—instruct your students with the ethic of non-violent love and apply it to this war. ► Military personnel and civil servants, reexamine your lives and options. Follow an enlightened conscience. Renounce violence. ► Media people, dig for the truth about this war and its consequences. ► Parents, may your love for your children well up into a voice that says: “Let no child be harmed by this war.” Such then, our urgent cries, and we urge you, members of communities of religious, to incarnate Jesus the peacemaker into your apostolic mission. CPF welcomes your individual and community responses to this letter. In peace and justice, Mary Ellen and Joe Bradley |