Young CTAers join record 19,000 at SOA protest in Georgia

Over 19,000 activists gathered Nov. 18- 20 at the gates of Ft. Benning, Ga., demanding to shut down the School of the Americas (SOA). It was the largest turnout since SOA Watch was founded in 1990. North and South Americans of all age groups came, especially students. As they marched in the solemn Sunday funeral procession and raised crosses for the countless victims of SOA-trained Latin American military, they also protested the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Speakers included Sr. Helen Prejean, CODE PINK/Women for Peace founder Medea Benjamin, and Patricia Roberts of Lithonia, Ga., whose son died in Iraq in 2003.

New prisoners of conscience

Forty-one people were arrested for “crossing the line” in acts of nonviolent civil disobedience. Five are CTA members: Rita Hohenshell, 80, Des Moines, Iowa; Sr. Mary Dennis Lentsch, 68, Oak Ridge, Tenn.; Judith Ruland, 47, Springfield, Mass.; Delmar Schwaller, Appleton, Wis.; and Frank Woolever, 72, Syracuse, N.Y. They could face federal prison terms of up to six months and fines up to $5,000. Their trial will begin Jan. 30 in Columbus, Ga.

CTA shares inclusive liturgy

There was standing room only on Friday night as members of CTA’s Coalition of Progressive Catholics celebrated an inclusive and more participative Mass of Liberation with the theme of “Becoming Sons and Daughters of Wisdom.” CTA staffer Mauro Pineda gave the homily, recalling the words of martyred archbishop Oscar Romero and marking the 25th anniversary of the deaths of the four U.S. church women in El Salvador. Concelebrants were Dave Corcoran of CORPUS and Janice Sevre-Duszynska of Women’s Ordination Conference. Exchanging hugs after the Mass, Franciscan Fr. Jerry Zawada, 68, said: “This is the most meaningful Mass I’ve been to in a long time.” Zawada later crossed the line, was arrested, and refused bail in order to remain in jail in solidarity with the poor while awaiting trial.

All day Saturday coalition members maintained an information table near the stage and gates at Ft. Benning, handed out bumper stickers and literature and sold t-shirts. As the SOAW crowds passed by, they talked about their progressive vision of church and fielded nonstop questions about CTA, married priests and women’s ordination.

Madison bishop joins SOA board

CTA in Madison, Wis., is part of public pressure on Madison Bishop Robert Morlino, who recently agreed to serve on a 13-member Pentagon advisory board for SOA with Senate and House members and generals. When Morlino attended his first board meeting at Fort Benning, Ga., Dec. 1, CTAer Marian Fredal and others held a 25-hour prayer vigil and fast at the diocesan pastoral center to tell Morlino he is cooperating with a school that trains assassins and death squads that have killed thousands in Latin America. Fredal said that when Morlino joined the panel, “I don’t think he understood the political implications.” The vigil also remembered the four U.S. church women slain by SOA graduates in El Salvador exactly 25 years before — Dec. 2, 1980.

House bill to close SOA

HR 1217, a new bill to close and investigate SOA, was introduced by Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and has at least 122 co-sponsors. SOA Watch says we are in our strongest position to close the school since winning a House vote in 1999. To help the lobbying, visit soaw.org and click on the Legislative Action Index. Phone scripts and phone numbers for calling your legislator are provided.