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Peace activists remember souls affected by warBy KATHRYNNE SKONICKI NAPERVILLE-The sound from makeshift drums and the sight of a banner that read "We Mourn the Dead . We Call for Peace" turned a few heads during the first All Souls Day Interfaith Service and Walk on the evening of Nov. 2 in downtown Naperville. About two-dozen peace activists from organizations including Pax Christi DuPage, the West Suburban Faith-Based Peace Coalition, DuPage Peace Through Justice Coalition and Pax Christi Servants, walked from Free Speech Pavilion at Naperville's Riverwalk Park to First Congregational Church. Shoppers exiting retail stores and commuters heading home looked on as the
demonstrators carried the banner, candles and drums made from plastic buckets.
Two men led the procession by carrying a 4-foot-square display with pictures of
men, women and children that have lost their lives in Iraq. Dave Martin,
director of WSFBPC, and Joyce Ruhaak, a member of Pax Christi Will County, led
the group in songs of peace as they trekked through the busy streets of downtown The idea was to visually demonstrate solidarity with the souls affected by war, explained Tom Cordaro, one of the event's organizers as well as a member of Pax Christi Illinois. "We come here tonight on the Christian observance of All Souls Day, a traditional day set aside to remember loved ones who have died over the years. On this night, however, we come together as Christians, Muslims, Jews and people of other faiths to remember all the men, women and children who have been killed during the war in Iraq." The social justice groups have united on several previous occasions to push for peace in Iraq. But this was the first time they gathered together on All Souls Day to offer prayers from the Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths. At the pavilion, Ahmed Qadeer from the Islamic Center of Naperville stepped up and explained to the crowd that Muslims believe that death is a joyous occasion because those who have died have gone back to God. He added, "We pray that God gives patience to those who are left behind to fight for peace." Margot Worfolk, a member of Pax Christi Servants, offered petitions traditionally offered by the Jewish faithful. A faithful Catholic, she also reminded the crowd, "As long as we live, they too will live." The Rev. Greg Schneck-Skiba, pastor of First Congregational Church, led the group in a Christian prayer for souls and requested strength to forge ahead for peace. He said, "God raise us up with power in your spirit so that we may live as Jesus did, without hate, like him. Oh, God, let us turn our hearts to love those who would be our enemy and turn our hearts to those we would otherwise fear." "It's exciting to see all these people of different faiths joining together," commented Martha Selby, a member of the WSFBPC and of Hope United Church of Christ in Naperville. "It seemed like I needed to be here, present for the service for all the people who have died in Iraq," said Sally Sommers, a member of WSFBPC. She opted to miss the evening Mass at her home parish of St. Alexander Parish in Villa Park to participate in the Naperville event. She said she thought the candlelight walk would be much more poignant for her as well as the rest of the community that witnessed it. She added, "There are services all over. Tonight is All Souls Day; it's time to remember all of them because we're all connected." Also during the service, Terry Gannon, a parishioner of St. John the Baptist Parish in Winfield, shared his personal connection with one of the people who died in the Iraq war. His grandson, Pvt. Christopher Alcozer, died Nov. 19, 2005, while serving as a U.S. Army serviceman in Iraq. The grieving grandfather pointed out Alcozer was No. 2,092 in the total of U.S. military causalities in Iraq. He said, "This war has got to end. I do not want any other family to go through this." After speaking to those gathered, Gannon joined the participants in assembling a memorial to those who have died in Iraq as a result of the war. Each person approached the 4-foot-square board, offered silent prayers and attached photos of men, women and children. The display was prominently carried in the front of the procession that ended at First Congregational Church. Once inside the worship space, the participants joined together in song again. They also placed flowers of remembrance in front of the memorial. The event's organizers plan on making the memorial available to other faith communities interested in displaying it. For more information, contact Cordaro at 630-369-0777. |
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