Benedictines For Peace

Mission Statement

The Benedictine charism of peace challenges us to witness to gospel values. Recognizing this call to be peacemakers, Benedictines for Peace (BFP) gives a common voice to a vision of peace as we confront the violence of our day with the love of Christ that it might be transformed by our prayer and actions.

National Benedictines for Peace has endorsed the following:
"Torture Is a Moral Issue" released by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture.

Prayer to St. Joseph for Peace

Benedictines for Peace invites you to join with them to pray for peace and compassion in our world:

Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica,
you were people of peace,
you walked the paths of peace your whole life
and led all who came to you into the ways of peace.

Help us to seek peace and pursue it,
to be the first to hold out our hands
in friendship and forgiveness.

Help us to achieve peace in our hearts, in our homes,
in our neighborhoods, and in our troubled world.

Let peace fill our lives
so that we may live in God's grace and love.
Amen.

peace dove National Benedictines for Peace (BFP) was organized in 1980 in response to the threat of nuclear war. BFP was revitalized in 1995 to network the Benedictine nonviolent response to countless areas of violence that threaten the world today. The solidarity of Benedictines standing for peace is strengthened by a Newsletter, prayer services, petitions, and special projects like the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the U.N. Document on Human Rights.

A steering committee shares leadership and planning through scheduled conference calls. Members serving on the BFP Steering Committee at this time include:

Carol Ann Wassmuth, OSB, Cottonwood, ID
Mary David Hydro, OSB, St. Leo, FL
Jacinta Fernandes, OSB, Emmanuel Monastery, Lutherville, MD
Rosalie Ruesewald, OSB, Fort Smith, AR

Members of Benedictines for Peace make the following commitment:

I commit myself to take up a nonviolent way of living in a violent world as an expression of my monastic calling.
I commit myself to keep one day each week as a day of fast and prayer for peace.
I commit myself to learn more about the spirituality and practice of nonviolence.

You are invited to take the above pledge, too, and join us in spirit, prayer, and action as you are able.

List of Member Monasteries

Some Ideas for Actions for Peacemaking

Pray for peace every day. Some possible suggestions are Psalm 91 and the World Peace Prayer. Both prayers are being used a s a part of a world-wide movement for peace.
Two possible scripture passages to meditate on are Isaiah 2:2-5 and Psalm 122.
Fast, in whatever way is possible and meaningful for you.
World Peace March -- Oct. 2, 2009 - Jan. 2, 2010 <http://www.theworldmarch.org/>
Catholics Confront Global Poverty--education/mobilization to "Fight Poverty & Build Peace"
A charter composed by religious leaders around the world seeing Compassion as unifier. <www.charterforcompassion.org>
"Torture Is a Moral Issue" released by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. <http://www.nrcat.org/>
The author, Fr. Emmanuel Charles McCarthy has given permission for unlimited duplication of the document entitled, "The Nonviolent Eucharist." (Download Adobe Acrobat to read this document) . Benedictines are also asked to pray for God’s guidance on the bishops as they speak out for peace and nonviolence in our world.
Note: "The Nonviolent Eucharist" is posted with permission of Father Emmanuel Charles McCarthy.

We hope these links provide you with some ideas for fostering peace:

Another site to check out is that of The Peace Alliance, a campaign to establish a U. S. Department of Peace. <http://www.thepeacealliance.org/>

Pax Christi International <http://www.paxchristi.net/>
Fellowship of Reconciliation <http://www.forusa.org>
Center for Christian Nonviolence <http://www.centerforchristiannonviolence.org>
Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center <http://www.ipjc.org>
American Friends Service Committee <http://www.afsc.org/>
Sojourners <http://www.sojo.net>
World Peace Prayer <http://www.mountosb.org/bfp/peaceprayer.html>

For further information about BFP, contact :Carol Ann Wassmuth, OSB (st_gertrude_justice@hotmail.com).

This site is maintained by Linda Herndon, OSB
A special thanks to Mount St. Scholastica, Atchison, Kansas, for hosting this web site.