Delmar parish is home to new Pax Christi chapter

St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Delmar is home to the Albany Diocese's newest chapter of Pax Christi, the Catholic international peace movement.

"I'm a member because I believe strongly in the peace of Christ," reported Deacon Alfred Manzella, who does pastoral ministry at St. Thomas. He founded the new group.

A member of the diocesan Peace and Justice Commission for several years, he was "searching for a way to get involved with other people interested in trying to bring peace about."

Peace of Christ

A chapter of Pax Christi seemed to Deacon Manzella to be a good way to gather like-minded people. He found the name -- which means "peace of Christ" -- attractive.

Having been educated by Franciscan friars at Siena College in Loudonville, he had adopted St. Francis of Assisi's ideals on peace, as well.

Until now, Pax Christi New York North Country has been the Albany Diocese's only chapter of the movement. (A Pax Christi "upstate New York region" chapter is based in Rochester.) Previous Pax Christi efforts in the Diocese have included advocating for closure of the U.S. Army's School of the Americas in Georgia and sponsoring annual visits by peace activist Rev. Daniel Berrigan, SJ.

Focus on mines

The St. Thomas chapter decided to make the eradication of landmines a focus. Landmines, Deacon Manzella realized, are "indiscriminate. They maim civilians, children."

The seven members of the group also:

* plan to ask fellow parishioners to sign petitions on peace;

* will soon dedicate a "peace pole" at the parish;

* may provide financial aid to the families of two Muslim men in Albany who were recently arrested and accused of supporting terrorism; and

* invited Sister Anita von Wellsheim, RSCJ, coordinator of Fonkoze (Haiti's alternative bank for the poor) to speak at one of their meetings.

Starting small

Since the group is small, Deacon Manzella said, "we're trying not to go off in too many directions."

Besides, he noted, Pax Christi isn't St. Thomas' first effort at peace advocacy. For 20 years, a group of parishioners has been meeting in the church's parking lot one Saturday a month to pray for peace.

"My license plates say, 'LV JY PC,' for 'love, joy and peace,'" the deacon remarked. "Peace is the last gift we receive. First, we receive love from our families; as we grow older, we start learning how to find joy. Peace is the most elusive. There are good people all over the world trying to follow their consciences. We need to communicate with them and go back to love."

(Pax Christi, founded in France in 1945, has grown into an international effort with chapters worldwide. Members try to live out the concept of nonviolence and take part in peace advocacy. Contact the Pax Christi chapter at St. Thomas the Apostle parish in Delmar at 439-4951, ext. 109. One member, Don Parsons, has created a website (www.consequencesofwar.org) that lists resources, and analyzes whether nuclear weapons and other purported "deterrents" really deter war.)

(9/9/04)