Letter from Ellen Grady and tom joyce
April 2, 2016
Dear Friends,
It is time to begin thinking about the 7th annual Peter De Mott Peace Trot, which will be held on June 19th. This letter is an invitation for you to join us. We hold this event not only as a celebration of Peter’s life and work but also as a fundraiser for the work of the Ithaca Catholic Worker, of which Peter was a founding member.
In 2002, Peter wrote, “Nothing of good and lasting value comes without a price, and I have been privileged to be part of the world-wide struggle for peace and justice, along with so many others who have done so much. To the extent that we sit passively by during these challenging times-when the fate of the earth and all its life forms hang in the balance, to that very extent, we give our tacit approval to the forces amassed to destroy us”.
We live in challenging times in which racism, violence, environmental degradation, hate and fear mongering are the forces amassed to destroy us and our connections with each other. We don’t want to give our tacit approval to any of this and expect that you feel the same. Peter worked hard to withdraw his tacit approval from these forces and found particular inspiration from the Catholic Worker movement.
The Catholic Worker movement is made up of people dedicated to the nonviolent pursuit of peace and justice by bringing about a "new society within the shell of the old, a society in which it will be easier to be good." Catholic Worker communities globally also live and work in houses of hospitality where food, clothing, shelter and welcome is extended by unpaid volunteers to those in need according to the ability of each household. In Ithaca, the Peter De Mott Catholic Worker house is located in the south side of the city.
Peter used to say to the kids when they were slow to get up in the morning, “Move the feet and the body will follow!” As a fundraiser for the Ithaca Catholic Worker, the Peter De Mott Peace Trot is one way you can move your feet and join the struggle for justice, for everyone.
This year our goal is to raise $12,000. We think we can reach this goal with your help. Money raised by the Peace Trot supports the following activities of the Ithaca Catholic Worker:
Please check out our website (www.peterdemottpeacetrot.org) for a schedule of practice runs for all ages and abilities and other information about the Ithaca Catholic Worker and the Peter De Mott Peace Trot.
With gratitude, Ellen Grady and Tom Joyce for the PDPT coordinating team
Dear Friends,
It is time to begin thinking about the 7th annual Peter De Mott Peace Trot, which will be held on June 19th. This letter is an invitation for you to join us. We hold this event not only as a celebration of Peter’s life and work but also as a fundraiser for the work of the Ithaca Catholic Worker, of which Peter was a founding member.
In 2002, Peter wrote, “Nothing of good and lasting value comes without a price, and I have been privileged to be part of the world-wide struggle for peace and justice, along with so many others who have done so much. To the extent that we sit passively by during these challenging times-when the fate of the earth and all its life forms hang in the balance, to that very extent, we give our tacit approval to the forces amassed to destroy us”.
We live in challenging times in which racism, violence, environmental degradation, hate and fear mongering are the forces amassed to destroy us and our connections with each other. We don’t want to give our tacit approval to any of this and expect that you feel the same. Peter worked hard to withdraw his tacit approval from these forces and found particular inspiration from the Catholic Worker movement.
The Catholic Worker movement is made up of people dedicated to the nonviolent pursuit of peace and justice by bringing about a "new society within the shell of the old, a society in which it will be easier to be good." Catholic Worker communities globally also live and work in houses of hospitality where food, clothing, shelter and welcome is extended by unpaid volunteers to those in need according to the ability of each household. In Ithaca, the Peter De Mott Catholic Worker house is located in the south side of the city.
Peter used to say to the kids when they were slow to get up in the morning, “Move the feet and the body will follow!” As a fundraiser for the Ithaca Catholic Worker, the Peter De Mott Peace Trot is one way you can move your feet and join the struggle for justice, for everyone.
This year our goal is to raise $12,000. We think we can reach this goal with your help. Money raised by the Peace Trot supports the following activities of the Ithaca Catholic Worker:
- Maintenance and upkeep of the Catholic Worker house at 511 S. Plain Street
- Holding weekly meetings that build community around the themes of peacemaking and opposition to militarism
- Providing hospitality to those needing temporary housing
- Providing financial support for those needing housing
- Opposing war and the use of drones, especially those deployed from Hancock Air Base near Syracuse NY, which indiscriminately attack communities around the world
- Joining others in the community of anti-racist work
- Supporting and participating in the nonviolent actions of WE ARE SENECA LAKE, a group that opposes storage of propane and methane in salt caverns beneath the Seneca Lake. We see this as a local response to Pope Francis's call to protect the planet.
Please check out our website (www.peterdemottpeacetrot.org) for a schedule of practice runs for all ages and abilities and other information about the Ithaca Catholic Worker and the Peter De Mott Peace Trot.
With gratitude, Ellen Grady and Tom Joyce for the PDPT coordinating team
