Franciscan and Jesuit Witness Against US-Sanctioned Torture

As followers of Jesus Christ, the Gospels impel us to speak and act on behalf of truth. Some of these are as simple as writing emails, letters to the editor or other outreaches protesting a breach of justice or promoting what is good and true. Sometimes the actions are more prophetic, such as we see among the holy prophets of the Old Testament who boldly spoke on behalf of God's truth and against falsehood and injustice (e.g. Jeremiah and Amos).



Our country has embarked upon a dangerous practice, call it what you will, of sanctioned torture, since 11 September 2001. In the name of security and anti-terror, we have seen its fallout in such hideous images from the Abu Graib prison outside of Baghdad, the complaints arising from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and other issues of "rendition" of prisoners ostensibly captured regarding terror. While we do not deny the reality of terror and those who commit those awful anti-human and anti-life actions, we also stand against the denial of human dignity of prisoners as well. Hence, the need to actively do something!



One such example is the article below -- Fr. Louis Vitale, OFM, is a Franciscan friar and former provincial minister of St. Barbara Province, headquartered in Oakland, CA. His compatriot is a Jesuit priest, Fr. Steve Kelly, SJ. They protested together at the military compound at Fr. Huachuca, AZ, outside of Tucson, last November 2006.



We Franciscans of the Assumption BVM Province support them as they suffer the predictable consequences of imprisonment for their prophetic action on behalf of justice and peace, their action of protest considered a crime against the US government.

SUPPORT FR. STEVE KELLY AND FR. LOUIE VITALE

On October 17, 2007, the first anniversary of the signing of the Military Commissions Act, Fr. Steve Kelly and Fr. Louie Vitale were sentenced to 5 months in prison for their nonviolent witness against torture at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona in November of 2006. They were taken into custody immediately. (More information at http://tortureontrial.org/)

Please support them - Write a note of support to: (Make sure you include the #)

Stephen Kelly #00816111CCA

P. O. Box 6300

Florence, AZ 85232

Louis Vitale #25803048CCA

P. O. Box 6300

Florence, AZ 85232

They were taken to a privately run detention center in Florence, Arizona the day of their sentencing. It is not known if, when or where they may be transferred. If the priests are moved, your letters addressed to Florence will be returned to you. You may then send letters to them c/o The Nuclear Resister, PO Box 43383, Tucson, AZ 85733 and their mail will be forwarded to them.

If you are mailing something to them at this prison, please know:- All books and magazines must be sent by the publisher or directly from a book store.- Non-copyrighted documents in manila envelopes are fine, but to expedite it, print on the manila envelope "paperwork enclosed."*

Fr. Kelly and Fr. Vitale ask that every woman and man of conscience do all that they can to protest the injustice of torture and to end U.S. policy that sanctions torture.

They encourage people to participate in the protests at Ft. Benning, Georgia and Ft. Huachuca, Arizona on November 17 and 18, or consider having a protest in your community. visit http://www.soaw.org/ (protest at Ft. Benning) and http://southwestwitness.org/ (protest at Ft. Huachuca)- Visit http://torturelaw.org/ and sign the petition to repeal the Military Commissions Act and use the handy form to customize a letter that will be emailed to your Senators.* Their commissary needs are taken care of but contributions for prison support expenses are welcome.

Checks can be made payable to the Nuclear Resister (please put Torture on Trial on the memo line) and mailed to the Nuclear Resister, PO Box 43383, Tucson, AZ 85733. Donations can also be made securely online at the Torture On Trial website at http://tortureontrial.org/donate.html*

Prison visits are being coordinated by Br. David Buer. Visiting hours at the detention center in Florence are limited, and occur very early in the morning. It is very important to contact David if you are interested in visiting either of the men, so he can make sure that no one travels all that way only to be turned away because there is already a visitor there. You can contact David at <buer@intermind.net> or call (314)803-6735.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Statement of the Franciscan Friars, Province of Saint Barbara regarding the sentencing of Father Louis Vitale OFM:

On November 19, 2006, Father Louie was among others protesting military "interrogation training" at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. It is our understanding that Father Louie was arrested at Fort Huachuca when he attempted to speak with enlisted personnel and deliver a letter to the commander denouncing the immoral teaching of torture there, and that he has now been sentenced for a total term of five months.

Father Louie's religious superior, Father Melvin Jurisich OFM, Provincial Minister of the Province of Saint Barbara, commented on the sentencing:

"Father Louie's Franciscan brothers fully support his actions at Fort Huachuca because we know they are consistent with his life-long dedication to work for good and oppose evil. He does so in the spirit of prayer and nonviolence. He is doing what he believes Saint Francis of Assisi would do if he were at Fort Huachuca. We stand by Father Louie during his time of incarceration, and we know that even in jail he will continue to work and pray for peace."

Living Witnesses -- The Sturggle for Democracy in Myanmar (Burma) and the Buddhist Monks

Sometimes people question the relevance of religious life. These past couple weeks we have seen the effective witness of Buddhist monks who together protest the brutal and repressive regime in Myanmar (Burma).

Today's Situation:

These images, just taken this past week or so, give a vivid description of the power of collective witness, when people non-violently gather to change their society.

With the monks leading, the people joined in the protest to change their society toward a democratic nation. The people have been inspired by Aung San Suu Kyi, a woman pro-democracy leader, who has been under house arrest for several years.

As you can see in this photo on the lower right, the military finally broke in with force to quell the pro-democracy marches in the city of Yangon. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Buddhist monks were arrested this past week in their monasteries late at night to break the movement. Many were beaten by government forces. Some even apparently were killed. This outrage, along with the wanton violence against the ordinary citizens who protested, has been denounced the world over by civic and religious leaders alike, including our own nation.

Christians the world over stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in their struggle for justice, for peace and for democracy. Likewise, as Franciscan friars, we pray for the well-being of all the people affected. And we think particularly of the monks, especially those who are under arrest and who suffer violence for justice's sake.

Flashback:

Franciscan friars, among other religious men and women, and thousands of lay people, non-violently protested the repressive regime of the late Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines in the mid-1980s. They, too, were met with beatings and arrests. Nevertheless they prevailed in keeping with their purpose of non-violent protest on behalf of democracy, justice and peace. The late Jaime Cardinal Sin, Archbishop of Manila and an outspoken critic of the regime, encouraged the religious and faithful to exercise their conscience and to protest the injustices of their government. This was very effective in helping to topple the Marcos government in a mostly non-violent series of protests.

from Wikepedia on Jaime Cardinal Sin
[Cardinal Sin] became witness to corruption, fraud and even murder at the hands of the regime — events that pushed Filipinos to the brink of civil unrest and even war. Sin appealed to Filipinos of all religions to follow the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels and use peaceful means to change the political situation in the Philippines.
At the same time, President Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos, let Sin to side with the regime. President Marcos ordered his generals to deploy against the marchers, however, tanks and troops were stopped in the streets with people on their knees praying the Rosary and singing English language translations of sacred hymns. Some soldiers decided to join the marchers.

Filipino Franciscan friars, together with some American-born friars, participated in these events. One of those US friars was our own Fr. Hugh Zurat, OFM, who served many years in the Philippine missions. In the light of what is occurring in Myanmar, he recounts vividly the events of the Peaceful Revolution of the 1980s that sent Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos packing and brought in Corazon Aquino as the new president and an era of liberty and democracy. This revolution predated the demise of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe by a few years.

We Franciscans, along with other religious, have been involved in promoting human rights as an outreach of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As the Synod on Justice and Peace stated in the early 1970s, "Justice is constitutive of the Gospel."

Responding Now:

Again, as Catholic Christians and as Franciscans we stand in solidarity with the Buddhist monks and the people of Myanmar (Burma) as they non-violently confront their violent regime. We hold them in prayer that God bless them and that they are successful in their struggle for a democratic nation that respects human rights and all life, in the promotion of what is good, what is just, what is true and what is right.

The Buddhist monks have been very courageous and effective living witnesses in standing up for justice and promoting a society that supports and defends human rights.

May we Christians, who claim Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life, be and do the same.