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On the bulletin board in my cell hangs a photo of Sister Dorothy Kazel. Fellow
inmates who look at my collage of photos are drawn to Dorothy’s contagious smile and
inquire about her. During Advent in 1980, she was assassinated in El Salvador, along
with Sisters Ita Ford, Maura Clarke, and lay missioner Jean Donovan by graduates of the
School of the Americas (SOA), located in Ft. Benning, Georgia. Erik Johnson, FCI Manchester - December 8, 2002 |
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Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland Gave her life in the service of the Church and the people of El Salvador December 2, 1980. The Ursulines pray that Dorothy's martyrdom will inspire and strengthen everyone who works to restore human dignity and God's truth, justice, and peace to the world. |
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| The Walk For World Peace and the SOAW Run converged on Ft Benning the morning of the protest and joined together in solidarity to take part in the protest to close the School Of Americas. |
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| By the time to begin the walk down to the gates a sizable crowd had gathered behind and around the combined group of walkers and runners who were drumming and praying together. Many of those who gathered began to chant with us. What started out to be a relativly small group suddenly began to grow into hundreds as those who were coming in group behind the line of walkers and runners as they began their final journey to the gates. |
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| It bacame surreal as thousands joined the line! It seemed that we were leading almost the entire audience down the road. As many times as we have been here before I have never seen anything like it! |
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| Our group was the first on the stage to open the festivities. A few words from Denise about our pilgrimages, the usual Nipponzan Myohoji prayer and we then joined the crown to listen to the other speakers. |
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| Peacemakers abounded in the crowd. It was good to see all our old friends again. We even ran into Adina Gordon, an old Flame Walker. It felt like a Peacemaker reunion! |
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"We suffer with those who have disappeared, those who have had to flee their homes, and those who have been tortured." Oscar Romero (1977) |
| It was a record turn-out! The movement is growing! The cause is just! We just have to keep at it friends! Keep at it until WE CLOSE THE SOA and put an end to this shameful business. |
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