2020 was the first year for the Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action (21 September-2 October). Thank you to everyone who organised or participated in an event.

Please send us your feedback and comments on your experience during the Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action.

The Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action support the Season of Creation, celebrated 1 September-4 October.

  • 20 Aug-17 September: Nonviolence study sessions, offered by Pax Christi England & Wales: This one hour programme was offered every Thursday, 11 AM (London; 6 AM Eastern U.S.) for five weeks (20-27 August, 3-10-17 September).
  • Campaign Nonviolence action week, 19-27 September: Every year, Campaign Nonviolence organizes a national week of action near September 21, International Peace Day. Since 2014, Campaign Nonviolence has organized grassroots movements with actions across the U.S. where people connect the dots between the issues of injustice and violence, including war, poverty, racism and environmental destruction, and hold public events, actions and marches demanding immediate positive social change.
  • 21 September: Webinar on Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, hosted by Pax Christi USA, 3 PM (Eastern U.S.)
  • 21 September: Jubilee for the Earth is a podcast mini-series about biodiversity and our sacred story produced by the Missionary Society of St. Columban. Over the course of six episodes, the podcast explored the beauty of biodiversity and the threats it faces. Grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, this podcast helps us to see how caring for our common home is fundamental to our lives as people of faith and as global citizens.
  • 21 September: The Sisters of St. Francis of Clinton, Iowa (USA) released a special video, Walking for peace across the USA, in honor of the International Day of Peace. Individuals from each state across the country were recruited and asked to record themselves walking and talking about a wish for peace in their state. The individual videos were edited together into a 13-minute project.
  • 21 September: In celebration of the International Day of Peace, Westside Ultraviolet, the City of Beaverton, and Rotary International dedicated a Peace Pole in a new Habitat for Humanity neighborhood in Beaverton, Oregon.
  • 21 September AND 2 October: Between the coronavirus and the new normal: Youth for Peace Network Days for Building Peace and Nonviolence 2020 (in Spanish). More information here (in Spanish).
  • 24 September: “Working for peace with justice: Elections 2020 Teach-In”. 6 PM (Eastern U.S.) Webinar hosted by Pax Christi USA. Explore four key issues for the 2020 elections: racial justice, (im)migration, the climate crisis, and militarism/ nuclear disarmament. Panelists examined each issue and address their importance within the context of the 2020 elections.
  • 25 September: Pax Christi Austria held a discussion on Islam and nonviolence in the course of their board meeting, St. Gallenkirsch. The board meeting took place during a weeklong dialogue between Christian and Muslim theologians that has been going on for several years and is mainly organized by the Focolare movement and its center for interreligious dialogue.
  • 26 September: Interfaith prayer service (via Zoom) co-sponsored by Pax Christi Metro New York in observance of the UN International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. 11 AM-1 PM (Eastern U.S.)
  • 26 September-2 October: Our Lady Immaculate and St. Andrew parish (Hitchin, Hertfordshire UK) held several events to commemorate the Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action, including a short peace pilgrimage to pray for peace using interfaith prayers and to remember Hitchin’s conscientious objectors, a silent vigil to demonstrate a commitment to acts of nonviolence by drawing attention to injustices, and a peace crane workshop.
  • Building bridges bike tour in Bruges, 27 September and 1 October: Pax Christi Flanders and other partners offered a 30-kilometer bike tour in Bruges, Belgium: “We [will] cycle over and under a number of (historic) bridges. We [will] stop now and then in places of peace and discontent, connection and isolation, violence and reconciliation … We build bridges from the past to the present and the stories along the way offer food for thought and discussion. And we enjoy a beautiful piece of Bruges countryside!” One of several activities offered for Peace Week in Bruges. More information [in Dutch] here.
  • 28 September: “Confronting institutionalized violence with Gospel nonviolence.” 4 PM (Eastern U.S.) Webinar hosted by Pax Christi USA on confronting racism, militarism and nuclear weapons through Gospel nonviolence with Pax Christi USA Teachers of Peace Art Laffin, Msgr. Ray East, and Marie Dennis.
  • 2 October: “Active nonviolence: Theories, methods and pax christi practice” (working title). Online video course (in German) offered by Pax Christi Germany: “Lean back and relax – we bring pax christi into your own home! pax christi – why such an ‘old fashioned’ name? Why does nonviolence work? Why does pax christi participate in which campaigns? … Videos and voices of members, representatives from commissions and campaigns offered a vivid insight into the pax christi movement.” Contact: Rebecca Burkert, Project Officer for “Active Nonviolence”.

  • Cultivating a life of respect and nonviolence within creation, our common home, from the JPIC Commission of USG and UISG Rome (3-page resource for reflection and action)
    Cultiver une Vie de Respect et de Nonviolence au sein de la Création, notre Maison commune (ressource de 3 pages pour la réflexion et l’action)
    Cultivar una vida de respeto y de no violencia dentro de la Creación, nuestra casa común (recurso de 3 páginas para la reflexión y la acción)

Pax Christi Philippines chose the theme “Making nonviolence a way of life” and planned a number of activities:

  • 19 September: Episode on emotional wellness for students, “The Peaceable Classroom”, to air on internet Channel E
  • 21 September: Distribution of prayer for peace; webinar on “peaceful parenting”; and integration of peace and nonviolence in appropriate lessons during the week
  • 23 September: Session on “Cultivating Inner Peace through Self-Care”
  • 28 September: Deadline for the submission of entries to the virtual exhibit on “Heroes of Nonviolence”*
  • 2 October: Launch of virtual exhibit on “Heroes of Nonviolence”
  • 3 October, 2 pm: Webinar: “Nuclear disarmament towards sustainable security”
  • 3 October, 3-5 pm: Interfaith harmony prayer and meditation activity
  • 5 October, 2-:30 pm: Session on “Marine conservation as active nonviolence”

And after the Catholic Nonviolence Days of Action:

28 October: Pax Christi Aotearoa/New Zealand will participate in the commemoration of the signing of He Whakaputanga o nga Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni, the declaration of independence of the Maori of Aotearoa/New Zealand. These commemorations confront the ongoing consequences of the violence of colonisation imposed by European settlers.