Nonviolence – Fr Daniel Berrigan, SJ

We visited the campus a week ago and I truly felt at home. As I consider the Jesuit founders of the university, I can’t help but think of Fr. Daniel Berrigan and his work (along with my other spiritual mentors, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton) as I look at all of the fear, hatred, and violence in this country and in the world.

The following quote by Fr Berrigan was shared by Fr John Dear in the blog Daniel Berrigan and his fearless nonviolence, at 100. It makes sense to me and gives me hope as I seek to live my life in this upside down world.

“One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the United States around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better.”

My mentors give me hope and strength, even in the midst of the chaos.