CHRISTMAS CAN [STILL] CHANGE THE WORLD. THIS YEAR GIVE PRESENCE.

While deciding on the perfect gift for your loved ones this season, look for the Fair Trade Logo on the product. That will insure the perfect gift for both your loved one and to the family that produced the product. Is the person you're shopping for an avid coffee drinker? Look for the Fair Trade Logo on a bag of delicious coffee at your local market. When you give a Fair Trade gift, you are insuring that most of the purchase price goes directly to the farmer that grew the coffee beans rather than to a multi-national corporation.
THIS YEAR GIVE PRESENCE. For more info:
Advent Conspiracy
Trade As One

Alice's Restaurant - HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Father Roy Bourgeois

Fr. Roy Bourgeois from bvideo on Vimeo.

Father Roy Bourgeois, founder of the School of the Americas Watch, spoke at the First United Methodist Church in Endicott, New York.
Fr. Bourgeois spoke about his history of civil disobedience, his work in Latin America and his possible ex-communication from the Catholic Church for his outspoken advocacy of allowing women to become priests.
This video is provided courtesy of Stephen Schweitzer and the Binghamton IMC.

"They tell us they're teaching democracy. We say 'How do you teach democracy through the barrel of a gun?'" - Fr. Roy Bourgeois

Who made MY Mend Handbag? LAMUNU IRENE

MEND: Lamunu Irene from MEND on Vimeo.

MEND Explanation Video from MEND on Vimeo.

Who made MY Mend Handbag? LAMUNU IRENE
I purchased a Mend Handbag at an Invisible Children event last year in Austin, TX. Inside my handbag was a small handwritten note that simply said LAMUNU. After wondering for a year, I now have the pleasure to know who she is and cherish my handbag as Lamunu Irene cherishes her life.

CLICK HERE for more information on MEND and INVISIBLE CHILDREN.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

HALLOWINDOW by Mark Gervais

Together We Can Get It Together - John Lennon

"Seeds Of Peace" In June 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono planted two acorns as a symbol of East and West coming together. They also sent two acorns to each of the World Leaders at the time, asking them to plant the acorns for peace.
IMAGINE PEACE.
Think PEACE.
Act PEACE.
Spread PEACE.

Do Animals Laugh When Tickled?

Do Animals Laugh When Tickled? Click Here for more info.

Pax Christi El Paso Film Series

This film series on peace and justice themes, now in its fourth year, is sponsored by Pax Christi El Paso and the Peace and Justice Ministry of the Catholic Diocese of El Paso. Admission is free. Donations are accepted but not required. Light refreshments are served, and there is time for discussion after each film. Movies have been scheduled at 3:00 p. m. on the second Sunday of each month through the end of 2009.


December 13 - POSADA: A NIGHT TO CROSS ALL BORDERS

The U.S. Border Patrol turns away 100,000 unaccompanied immigrant children every year. This is the story of three who stayed. Las Posadas is a Mexican tradition that retells the Christmas story of Joseph and Mary’s search for shelter.

In POSADA: A NIGHT TO CROSS ALL BORDERS, the journeys of Densi, Johny and Wilber unfold in a dramatic pilgrimage as teenagers from their homes in Central America for the United States. Each one was detained by immigration officials for several months between 1999 and 2002. Their heroic stories helped lay the foundation for future immigrants in need of assistance.

Since 2000, between 80,000-110,000 children have been arrested and turned away by the U.S. each year. The number of children detained annually by the U.S. has risen to over 7,700 in 2005.

For more information, call (915)217-8190 or (915)874-8422
Show time: 3:00 p. m.
Mother Tesesa Hall of Dioscesan Migrant & Refugee Services
2400 E. Yandell Dr.
El Paso, TX
(Between Piedras and Cotton St.- From I-10 take the Piedras exit, go north on Piedras turn left on Yandell.)

Schedule for 2009
December 13 - POSADA: A NIGHT TO CROSS ALL BORDERS
Tentative Schedule for 2010
Janueary 10 - PEACE IS EVERY STEP
February 21 - INVISIBLE CHILDREN
March 14 - REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES
April 11 - FUEL
May 16 - THE HARVEST
June 13 - ON THIN ICE

An Interview With Robert Happé

Robert Happé

Nehi and a Coney Island

Paper Moon (1973)

Plump, Juicy and Contented

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

The Wild Parrots Of Telegraph Hill

Thousand-Hand Guan Yin

Thousand-Hand Guan Yin
The most incredible thing about the performance is that all the dancers are deaf. They are members of the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe. None of them can hear the music - this makes their choreography a truly amazing achievement. The difficulties and challenges they encountered in training are beyond imagining.

Guan Yin is the bodhisattva of compassion, revered by Buddhists as the Goddess of Mercy. Her name is short for Guan Shi Yin. Guan means to observe, watch, or monitor; Shi means the world; Yin means sounds, specifically sounds of those who suffer. Thus, Guan Yin is a compassionate being who watches for, and responds to, the people in the world who cry out for help.

The ultimate message of this performance can be summed up in the following words from Zhang Jigang, the choreographer who put it all together:

As long as you are kind and there is love in your heart
A thousand hands will naturally come to your aid
As long as you are kind and there is love in your heart
You will reach out with a thousand hands to help others

Mattie J. T. Stepanek

"Remember to play after every storm." - Mattie J.T. Stepanek
Former President Jimmy Carter delivered this eulogy at Mattie's funeral service held June 28, 2004.

SISTER BARBARA HUBER / WAR NO MORE TROUBLE

'This post is inspired by and dedicated to Sister Barbara Huber, an extraordinary peace activist. I aspire to your level of commitment to social justice and I am proud that you call me a friend.