HOLY WEEK FAITH AND RESISTANCE RETREAT 2005
Twenty-five years ago, on March 24 Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot down by a Salvadoran military man who drew the short straw. Romero was killed with the full knowledge and support of the highest authorities in both El Salvador and the United States . Romero was killed because his growing love for the people of El Salvador compelled him to stand with them against their growing oppression and victimization.
We went into the Holy Week Faith and Resistance Retreat remembering Romero 's words and his witness - as new and necessary today as they were in his own life. And perhaps his spirit compelled us...
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At the Marriott Hotel
On Holy Thursday - to enter into the Marriott Hotel where the Navy League was holding its Arms Expo. Art Laffin and Betsy Lamb held a banner over the entry to the Bazaar and spoke their hearts to those assembled. When the banner was ripped from their hands, they filled three floors of the hotel lobby with their song. Meanwhile, Christine Lavalle handed out leaflets to those attending the Bazaar and engaged as many as she could in conversation. A large group of those participating in the retreat were also in the lobby - observing, learning, even photographing. All were escorted from the Hotel and police were watchful throughout the rest of the presence. Those inside joined the rest of the group outdoors where we sought to expose the crimes of this government in theatre.On Good Friday - to plead with Pentagon employees to stop the killing - using the same words that Romero used. Eleven of us were arrested seeking to block access or to pray. We held banners including one with Romero 's words. A court appearance/trial is scheduled for May 20. It was a first arrest for Lauren Schultz , a student about to graduate from DePaul University . It was a first Pentagon arrest for Wes Howard Brook and Mike McGuire . Before, during and after the arrests, a strong presence greeted all employees teeming into work. Banners, "bloodied hands"( actually painted ) raised in prayer, Scripture readings, song, and silence filled the space. No one could avoid the presence or the plea that it held.
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Hanging out this administration's dirty laundry at the White House.
On Holy Saturday - to expose the crimes of the U.S. again in theatre and prayer, revising our earlier theatre to be more of an engaging drama. Five of us risked arrest in the "Restricted Picture Post Card Zone" but the police chose to let the action unfold and end of its own volition. The object is not arrest but witness and we were not unhappy at that turn of events. (It sometimes happens when the president is not in town that the police will let things be...).Wes Howard-Brook and Sue Ferguson-Johnson - guests and resource for this retreat - led us each day in scripture study and prayer. They opened both the scripture and the life of Romero so that we might understand them more deeply. They gave the retreat a continuity of spirituality, faith and reflection that was very rich.
Risking arrest at the White House
Holy Thursday liturgy, prepared by Susan Crane and Betsy Lamb , also drew heavily on Romero's writings and spirit. We remembered Phil Berrigan sharing his insight that Mary washed Jesus ' feet as a preparation for his martyrdom; Jesus then washed the feet of his disciples in the same spirit. Thus did we wash each other's feet in preparation for the Friday Pentagon witness and the Saturday White House witness.The Holy Week Faith and Resistance Retreat was enlarged by no less than four college/university groups. Nine students from De Paul University in Chicago, nine from the CSB/SJU (College of St. Ben's & St. John's University) in Collegeville/St. Joseph, Minnesota, sixteen from Loras College in Dubuque IA and a handful from Gannon College in Erie PA built community and embraced acts of nonviolent resistance and peacemaking and, by their goodness, creativity and spirit, created some hope in a dark time.