Demonstration for Peace and
Justice in Milwaukee Today I got word that a well know Jesuit priest activist, John Dear, is leaving the Jesuits, Society of Jesus, and most likely the priesthood. John has been in the Jesuits for 32 years and what is disturbing about about his leaving is why: He claims that the Jesuits have abandoned the struggle for peace and justice they were know for and are making alliances with government and military institutions. (See Leaving the Jesuits after 32 years.)
It is disturbing because abandoning the poor and marginalized and making alliances with military is just what we are seeing here in Milwaukee in the two issues we are working with, The abandonment of Catholic Church in North Center Milwaukee and Marquette, a Catholic Jesuit University, teaching war and killing on campus.
The Catholic Church, not just Jesuits, abandoning the poor and marginalized and making alliances with military forces is not just happening here in Milwaukee or with Jesuits but everywhere. What makes Milwaukee unique in this abandonment of justice and peace by the Catholic Church is that Milwaukee is the most segregated city in the USA and North Central Milwaukee is the most segregated part of Milwaukee. Also Marquette University is the only Catholic Jesuit university in the USA to host three Department of Defense training programs, Army, Navy/Marines and Air Force and only one of two Catholic Universities in the county to do so, the other being Notre Dame.
Last week I wrote a letter to the Pope of the Catholic Church, Francis requesting his aide on dealing with these two issues in Milwaukee. He has spoken out strongly about both issues of peace and justice but Catholics are just watering down his words, like often is done with the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.
Recently a friend wrote a letter to the editor saying “When the pope attacks the excesses of capitalism, he is really attacking greed, one of the seven deadly sins. Greed is one of things that has not changed over the millennia.” I wrote back saying: “The pope like Jesus says what it means. He is attacking capitalism when he attacks capitalism, just like Jesus is saying “Blessed are the poor” when he says “Blessed are the poor.” Capitalism is based on a system with a poor
class. As the poor class increases capitalist, as we see these days, make more money. I do not like ‘rationalizing’ statements of Jesus or Pope. When Jesus says or tells a parable where poor are above the rich in the kingdom of God he means it. When Jesus said to the rich man who was obeying the Jewish law to go sell what he has and give it to the poor he meant it. When Jesus said “love your enemy” he meant it. Now we must not always live up to statements of Jesus or Pope but we should not water them down by saying things like he was really talking about ‘greed’ not attacking the ‘excesses of capitalism we are weakening the statement. The other day when the Pope said seminary training is created “little monsters” as priest he might have used a metaphor but he meant it.”
The struggle for peace and justice might take us into the Jesuits or, as with example of John Dear, out of the Jesuits. It might put us in favor with “powers that be” or, more likely, out of favor with Institutional Church, government or University. More and more persons I believe, at least hope, are not rationalizing their faith and conscience but acting out on them no matter the consequences. Our beliefs and conscience may be erroneous but as Dorothy Day and other leaders remind us, we need to act on them, no matter what. If wrong we can correct ourselves but if we do not act we are lost in the struggle for peace and justice. If we can do it, eliminate military training for war on Marquette campus and get Catholic Church to recognize and meet needs of poor and segregated, in Milwaukee we can do it anywhere.
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