ICC Calls for Diplomatic and Political
Solutions
Dominicans
Mark Start to Fifth Year of War
Sisters from Great Bend signed and sent post cards to Condoleezza
Rice and Ellen Sauerbrey, plus our Congressmen: US Rep. Jerry
Moran, US Sen. Pat Roberts and US Sen. Sam Brownback. They
also signed letters of support for the Dominican Sisters of
St. Catherine, Dominican Sister of the Presentations, and Province
of Dominican men in Iraq.
photos: Rebecca Peak
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RIVER FOREST, IL - March 19, 2007---With growing public
calls for a withdrawal of military troops, US citizens marked
the end of four years of war in Iraq. Dominicans around the US
stood in prayer, held vigils, wrote letters and joined the growing
clamor for peace.
At the same time, the North
American Dominican Coordinating Committee on Iraq has called
for a new direction of diplomatic and political will to bring peace
to the region. In making their statement, the committee said, "
It is more than evident that military strategies and continued
escalation will not bring peace to the region. We continue
to call for a responsible withdrawal of military troops, but we
believe that withdrawal alone will not adequately assure peace
in Iraq." Read their Statement
Dominicans in Springfield IL, offered a photo
exhibit of images from Baghdad and held a vigil outside the offices
of Senators Dick Durbin and Barak Obama, and Congressmen John Shimkus
and Ray LaHood. The vigil was kept by volunteers March 16-19. It
was meant to remind the elected officials that a majority of Springfield
residents voted during the general election for a resolution that
calls for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq.
In San Rafael, CA, just like many other congregations, sisters
held prayer vigils and gathered around a peace pole to pray and
join others in their effort to remember the dead. They rang a peace
bell 48 times in hono of the 48 months of war
St. Louis, MO, tombstones represent
the dead during a 24-hour vigi (photo: Ann Marie Santen,
OP)
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In Blauvelt, NY, people placed candles in the their windows as
a sign of peace. At the United Nation's
Church Center, in New York, a prayer service was held remembering
all the victims, Iraqis, US and other armed troops, Iraqi Dominicans.
In St. Louis, MO, a vigil was held with a display of tombstones
representing the dead.
Dominicans at Purdue University, students and residential parishioners
attended the Washington Peace Vigil at the National Cathedral on
the 16th and the March on the Pentagon on March17. For those
who could not attend, there was a Peace vigil at Purdue on
the 17th, where they named the Purdue students serving
in Iraq, prayed for the dead from both sides, and held a candlelight
procession.
The war still kills, people still bury their dead.