Bishop Thomas Gumbleton and Pax Christi USA's Contribution to the 1983 United States Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Letter, "The Challenge of Peace: God's Promise and Our Response"

Authors

Joseph J. Fahey, Professor of Religious Studies, Manhattan College (retired)Follow

Abstract

This essay is a personal reflection on the contribution that Bishop Thomas Gumbleton and Pax Christi USA made to the creation of the U.S. Bishops’ 1983 pastoral letter on peace. It begins with the early history of Pax Christi USA and discusses activities through the years that led to the U.S. Bishops’ letter on peace in 1983. These activities include: Call to Action 1976; Bishops’ Masses for Peace; the Pax Christi USA Disarmament Commission; a discussion of the debate on May 1-3, 1983 on the letter that resulted in a 238-9 vote in favor of the letter; pastoral letters published by European nations and Japan in 1983; and the impact the letter had on the careers of Bishop John O’Connor and Bishop Thomas Gumbleton. The essay concludes with a reflection on the necessity for global governance.

Recommended Citation

Fahey, Joseph J. (2022) "Bishop Thomas Gumbleton and Pax Christi USA's Contribution to the 1983 United States Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral Letter, "The Challenge of Peace: God's Promise and Our Response"," The Journal of Social Encounters: Vol. 6: Iss. 2, 130-144.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/social_encounters/vol6/iss2/15