Grand Rapids Dominicans Recognized for Work
on Nuclear Disarmament

CHICAGO, IL – April 28, 2008.  Three Grand Rapids Dominicans, Srs. Ardeth Platte, OP, Jackie Hudson, OP and Carol Gilbert, OP, who have advocated for a halt to nuclear arms for many years, to the point of going to prison, were honored at the Third Convocation of Dominican Sisters, USA.

“We are excited that so many Dominican women in the Federation join this public commitment. We feel our work together empowers everyone to act together in whatever way possible to speak the truth about nuclear arms. The nuclear arms industry is a devastation of our economy, our planet and our people,” said Ardeth Platte, OP.

The audience was clearly thrilled to witness the event and offered a long and thunderous standing ovation when the three came to the poduim. Bernadette Karge, OP (Sinsinawa) introducted them to the audience.

The three sisters served multi-year federal prison sentences for defacing a US Air Force missile silo northeast of Denver. In addition to the prison sentences, the sisters were placed on probation and ordered to pay $3,082 in restitution for damage. They have since been released from prison and raised money to feed the poor instead of paying restitution to the government. Since then, they have continued to speak publicly all across the US, calling for the abolition of nuclear arms.

About half of the member congregations of the Federation have made public corporate stands calling for the abolition of nuclear arms.  The Federation is working toward a corporate stance for its own organization.

Here is an excerpt from the Statement on the Abolition of Nuclear Arms:

Together the Dominicans stand professing a corporate stance: ‘Humanity has lived in the shadow of nuclear weapons for too long… We believe that our country cannot rightly seek to halt the spread of nuclear and other weapons of  mass destruction while at the same time maintaining our current stockpile of weapons and developing new weapons capabilities… therefore, we call upon the Unites States government to lead the way for global abolition of nuclear and all weapons of mass destruction … We call for immediate development, adoption and implementation of a plan that will ensure that there will be no new nuclear weapons…’