According to Therese Douglas, "From Violence to Wholeness" is a program that could change the way many people handle conflict in everyday life. It is a study and action program co-founded by the Pace a Bene Franciscan Non-Violence Centre in the USA, which will run in the Hunter after Easter.

"Violence is emotional, verbal or physical behaviors that dominates, diminishes or destroys ourselves or others. To become truly human and to be fully faithful to our God of love is to challenge this violence. Transforming patterns of destructiveness is a sacred journey from fear to freedom, from despair to hope, from violence to wholeness." Douglas said.

The program offers both a theological vision of non-violence and a toolbox of techniques for use in daily life. This experiential approach enables participants to engage effectively with the violence in our culture and us. Each session involves reflection and discussion of participants' own experiences or awareness of violence through readings, journaling, shared prayer and other activities. Participants also study non-violence in action through the lives of Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi and others.

Source: http://www.paceebene.org/

Where: St Paul's Meeting Room, Rutherford
When: Every second Tuesday evening after Easter, 7:30pm starting in 4th May 2004
Cost: $27.50 for resource book


Louis Leun