Retreat with Frank Cordaro U.S. Catholic Worker, nonviolent anti-war activist, theologian

by Now a seminar...... Sat Apr 09, 2011 08:12

Today has been rejigged as a seminar...and we invite people to swing by for how long or short a time they can stay. If last night's experience is anything to go by - both faith based and non faith based activists- will find this seminar a rewarding experience.

The event last night at Wynne's Hotel, sponsored by Afri and Catholic Worker went very well................ with speeches by left athiest academic activist journalist Harry Browne, Irish Australian Catholic Worker Ciaron O'Reilly and U.S. C.W.Frank Cordaro, music by Joe Black and Steve Jacobs. 40 people attended the 2 hour session and remaining engaged throughout with a lively and relevant Q & following the presentations and muscial interludes...20 folks stayed back in the bar for further discussion and were joined by Andy (coming from the opera) and Kitty who has been involved in the Rossport campaign.

Audience included irish artists Seamus Nolan & Donal O'Kelly, members of P.A.N.A, Sinn Fein, LASC. IAWM, Labor Party, Cl@ss War, Afri, socialists, anarchists. There were a few folks who had visited and worked at Catholic Worker commuunities in Ireland, England and U.S....Con Carol, Caoimhe Butterly...and some former political prisoners CW and anarchist. There were 3 guys (one form L.A.) who came because they individually bumped into the (4 strong) 4-6 GPO "Free Bradley Manning! Demilitarise! End the War!" vigil. RBB passed by affirming the vigil, stopped and chatted.

There was a half a dozen young people at the evening meeting, the majority 40+ in age. A lot of the subject matter prison experience, Catholic Worker, Manning & Assange was new to folks. The 10 yrear+ wars on Iraq were revisted with a fresh eye by both presenters and speakers.

Most folks were not faith based activist but had no trouble relating to the presentations of C.W.'s Cordaro and O'Reilly. Meeting kicked off with Joe Black's title track "The Welcome" from his album...detailing the Irish experience in England and relating it to the racism experienced by irish and other communities, also a new song about Giuseppe Conlon and the Giuseppe Conlon C.W. House in London.

Harry Browne started his speech by refering to the simultaneous meeting in the neighbouring Wynne's Hotel room organised by the "Irish Catholic". The irish guest speaker was John Allen
http://ncronline.org/users/john-l-allen-jr
the U.S. National Catholic Reporter's
http://ncronline.org/
main man at the Vatican. There was a "Spinal Tap" moment
http://au.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=spinal+...b=281
(remember that scene when they cross paths with the more successful other band on tour, the album covers and "the thin line between - marketing- briliance and stupidity") as the CW speakers & their minders crossed paths pre-event with "John Allen & his "Irish Catholic" minders shook hands. There were equal numbers at both events (Frank reckons). Harry went on to speak of his father's involvement with the CW, Dorothy Day, the Berrigans and the U.S. Catholic Left in the '60's and '70's, the role of Shannon in U.S. wars, role of WikiLeaks in exposing the nature of these wars and the Obama presidency and its continuing wars.

Ciaron O'Reilly spoke of the significance of building a culture of solidarity to sustain nonviolent resistance to the war, about Bradley Manning and Julian Assange as people, how they have bet their life's liberty on the assumption that "if only people knew they would dicuss and proactively oppose the war" (and how this remains a doubtful assumption post the avalance of the Wikieaks). He described the solidarity work he has been involved in for Manning and Assantge in London, how isolate and unsupported by the peace movement they remain, recent fresh intiatives for Manning, the continuing isoalting of Assange by The Guardian and other forces servcing the American agenda (to lock Assange up forever or have him killed in custody) and the opportunity the Obama visit to Ireland presents.for Manning who departed for war and prison from Shannon and whose maternal grandfather comes form Dublin.

Frank Cordaro reported on nonviolent resistance actions from the U.S. friends who are in prison and befofre the courts, reflected on the proactive censorship of such resistance, the personal investment and risks taken by troops and the families prosecuting the wars and how this needs to be matched by the peace movement, the "prophetic minority" contirbution the Catholic Worker makes and how this can serve mass movements when they appear and sustain resistance when they disappear.

Sean Ryan/ video and a photographer recorded the event.

by Ciaron Wed Apr 06, 2011 14:51

The following grassroots nvda anti-war activists have indicated they will be attending this event so far..........
Frank Cordaro, Steve Jacobs (U.S.A.),Pat, Mairtin MacMaolain, Paul O'Toole (Donnycaerney) Ciaron O'Reilly, Martin (Giuseppe Conlon House, London), Ed Horgan. John Lannon (Limerick/ Shannon), Colim Roddy (the guy who has been wearing an orange Guantanamo suit around Dublin and Shannon for the past 8 years!)