A message of hope in turbulent times

By Barb Arland-Fye
The Catholic Messenger

CLINTON — Marie Dennis, an internationally recognized advocate of nonviolence, remains convinced that “humanity is on the threshold of a new way of being … and that embracing nonviolence will help us move in that direction.” Dennis shared her insights on how to move forward during an event honoring her as recipient of the Clare Award of the Sisters of St. Francis of Clinton on July 25.

The award’s namesake, St. Clare of Assisi, was born into turbulent times that were fueled by political and military conflict in 13th century Italy. She responded by following Jesus’ example of active nonviolence, fostering community and healing, living simply and putting the needs of others first. In this present time of conflict and divisiveness, Dennis exemplifies the qualities of St. Clare, said Sister Jan Cebula, president of the Clinton Franciscans, who presented the award to Dennis.

“Marie has dedicated her life to active nonviolence. She’s continuing to learn about it and teaches us about it,” Sister Cebula told the audience in the Tuscany Special Events Center at Rastrelli’s. “Clare was known for healing people … Marie, your work in nonviolence is healing the whole world. Clare’s name meant light. Marie, you have been a light for people who are wanting to live and practice and promote active nonviolence.”

Dennis, who served as co-president of Pax Christi International from 2007-2019 and co-founded the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, accepted the Clare Award with gratitude. St. Clare’s “way of being offers such inspiration and interesting insights into the nature of nonviolence, helping us to see dimensions of nonviolence we often miss.”

Violence saturates the culture today — war, shootings, physical assaults and what Dennis described as the violence of an opioid epidemic, inadequate health care, poverty, racism and environmental destruction. The antidote, nonviolence, is a slow process that requires time, patience and a willingness to consider points of view different from one’s own, she believes.

She quoted from Pope Francis’ encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” (“On Fraternity and Social Friendship”): “…What is important is to create processes of encounter, processes that build a people that can accept differences. Let us arm our children with the weapons of dialogue! Let us teach them to fight the good fight of the culture of encounter!” Dialogue that is “rooted in truth and respect,” Dennis noted.

She cited an observation that Michael Nagler of the Metta Center for Nonviolence made in his book, “The Third Harmony.” He said, “If we could reach every young person suffering from low self-esteem, low in hope for a meaningful future — not to mention every humiliated youth before he or she falls into the clutches of radicalization — we’d be living in a different world.”

Dennis sees hope in people’s greater awareness of systemic racism in society, of the effects of a proliferation of plastics, of the beauty and challenges of diversity, and of the need to treat everyone with dignity.

“Deep transformation is hard for all of us — it rattles the ground we were standing on, especially if we have to rearrange our fundamental worldview and step into the unknown! But all over the world, people are working for transformation,” she said, encouraging her audience to read “Nonviolence News” (nonviolencenews.org) on a regular basis, for inspiration.

Nonviolence “is not always — or not yet — up to the monumental task of stopping a brutal military onslaught” because, she believes, nonviolence initiatives are underfunded, “especially in comparison to the world’s investment in weapons, in military training and other preparations for war.”

Still, she is hopeful because of the “brilliant work to root out systemic racism; to end the death penalty and mass incarceration; to redress centuries of oppression against Indigenous communities; to break habits of exploitation that are destroying the earth.” She is hopeful because of efforts to “learn and promote restorative justice practices; to welcome migrants and refugees; to rid the world of nuclear weapons.”

This hopeful shift to nonviolence is happening now for four reasons, she said:

1. Humans are tired of violence.
2. Nonviolence is at the heart of the Gospel in the Sermon on the Mount and deeply embedded in the beliefs and practices of many other faith traditions and cultures.
3. Nonviolence works, but increased investment and training are essential “to increase our capacity to apply effective nonviolent approaches even in extremely dangerous circumstances.”
4. Everything is connected. As Pope Francis says often, security and dignity will be realized for everyone or for no one, she said.

To build on the hopeful shift to nonviolence, Pax Christi International’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative will be in Rome in September to announce the establishment of the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence, Dennis said. “The Catholic Church, with its tremendous capacity for training, formation and education, has a unique opportunity to counter the global crisis of violence by recommitting to the centrality of Gospel nonviolence.”

Jeff Mason of St. Anthony Parish in Davenport said he felt profound joy listening to Dennis “talk about Gospel nonviolence, Gospel agape, and it’s exceedingly practical.”

The Catholic Institute for Nonviolence

Pax Christi Inter­national’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative (CNI) is establishing the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence in September. The institute’s mission is “to make nonviolence research, resources and experience more accessible to Catholic Church leaders, communities and institutions in order to deepen Catholic understanding of and commitment to the practice of Gospel nonviolence.”

Marie Dennis, a co-founder and program chair of CNI, spoke briefly about the institute during a July 25 event in Clinton during which she received the Clare Award from the Sisters of St. Francis of Clinton. The institute will bring “experiences of nonviolence from the peripheries around the world into dialogue with researchers, theologians and Church leaders,” according to a CNI statement. “CNI understands nonviolence as a spirituality, a way of life, a spectrum of methods for social transformation, and potentially, a universal ethic.”

CNI representatives will be in Rome to deliver the message to participants in the Catholic Church’s Synodal Assembly, Dennis said.