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SCRANTON — Citing Pope Francis’ World Day of Peace message — “Nonviolence: a style of politics for peace” — the Diocese of Scranton has made nonviolence the focus of its Fall Convocation for Service and Social Concerns this Saturday.
The convocation runs 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, 330 Wyoming Ave., Scranton.
The keynote speech, set for 10 a.m., will be given by Marie Dennis of Pax Chrsti International, which bills itself as “the international Catholic peace movement.” Pax Christi includes 120 organizations around the world that promote peace and respect for human rights, according to its website.
Dennis has been co-president of Pax Christi since 2007, and previously worked with the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, working to help the global experiences of Maryknoll missionaries shape public opinion and policy in the United States.
With a master’s degree in moral theology from Washington Theological Union, Dennis has co-authored seven books, serves on the steering committee of the Catholic Peacebuilding Network, and is a contributing editor to Sojourners magazine.
Her topic at the convocation will be the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, a project launched last year by Pax Christi and co-sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, plus eight other organizations.
Other speakers will be from Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Social Services, and the Ignatian Volunteer Corps. Local parish leaders will be encouraging parishioners to get involved in prison ministry, environmental ministry and combating human trafficking.
Gifts of rosaries, statues (large and small), creches and other items– made of olive wood – will be available for purchase.
A special prayer service will honor the life of Father Stanley Rother, the first U.S.-born martyr of the Catholic Church who will be beatified in Oklahoma City at the same time as Saturday’s gathering in Scranton.
For more information and to register, visit www.dioceseofscranton.org (Office for Parish Life, Fall Convocations), or contact Richard DeBona, Director for Service and Social Concerns, at 570-207-2213, ext. 1130, or at [email protected]. Walk-ins are also welcome.