During the episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert aired on CBS on January 22nd, Maria J. Stephan, member of the Advisory Council of Pax Christi International’s Catholic Institute for Nonviolence, was also featured. She delivered a speech about nonviolent ways in which citizens can respond to the use of violence by the military and government.

Her speech came at a particularly delicate historical moment, in which many communities are witnessing increasing instances of excessive force by authorities, repressive interventions against civilians, and control measures that generate fear and distrust in institutions. In several U.S. cities, federal enforcement operations have been accompanied by reports of harsh actions, injuries, and even civilian casualties, sparking widespread protests, criticism from local leaders, and demands for accountability and transparency from the public and human rights organisations.

Maria focused especially on recent events in Minneapolis, highlighting how, even amid general discouragement, many citizens have shown a strong determination to protect their neighbours, responding to brute force without perpetuating violence. “Active Nonviolence,” Maria said, “is a different way of being with each other. It is love in action. It’s about being human in the face of inhumanity.” In this, faith communities play a truly important role, able to use their authority to peacefully counter abuses of power. Loving one’s neighbours is an active expression of the Word of Jesus, who reminded us that, “What you do unto the least of these, you do unto me.”

Nonviolent Resistance is here defined as “a powerful form of collective action, where ordinary people coordinate a range of different tactics: protests, boycotts, strikes, walkouts, mutual aid, to disrupt injustice and liberate themselves from oppression.” Maria then held up a whistle, explaining that people can blow it to alert their neighbours to the arrival of ICE agents, a symbol of community awareness and mutual protection even in the face of fear and heavy-handed enforcement.

Maria’s words reflect the overall message of the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence, a project of Pax Christi International, and remind us that even in the face of injustice and violence, there is always the possibility to respond with courage, compassion, and responsibility. Active Nonviolence is not just a strategy, but a way of living and relating to others, putting into practice the love and justice that the Gospel calls us to embody every day.

Below is the video of Maria J. Stephan’s interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert:

Another excerpt from the interview can be viewed here: