Sister Mary Evelyn Jegen, one of the co-founders of Pax Christi USA and the group's first national coordinator, died July 4 after a long illness. She was 86. A funeral Mass for Sister Jegen, a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de
Namur for 66 years, was scheduled for July 11 in the chapel at her
community's motherhouse in Cincinnati. In 1982, she became the third
recipient of Pax Christi USA's Pope John XXIII Teacher of Peace Award.
During her tenure as national coordinator, from 1979 to 1982, Pax
Christi USA's membership grew from less than 1,000 to more than 5,500
members, including 46 U.S. bishops. "Mary Evelyn Jegen was teacher and
mentor for an entire generation of Catholic peace activists like me,"
said a July 7 statement form Tom Cordaro, Pax Christi USA's "ambassador
of peace" and an author and lay minister. "She had that rare combination
of gifts that set her apart from many others in the movement. She was
an excellent theologian, a gifted writer and, most importantly, she was a
strategic thinker and visionary. Everything Mary Evelyn did as a leader
in the Catholic peace movement was strategically focused on her vision
of making nonviolence and peacemaking an integral part of Catholic
social teaching and practice at all levels of the church."
Pope Saint John Paul II , a towering figure of the 20th century, was a staunch critic of socialist ideologies. He recognized the inherent flaws in systems that sought to control economies and societies through centralized planning and state ownership. The pontiff's teachings offered a prophetic warning against the dangers of such regimes, which often led to oppression, poverty, and the erosion of individual freedoms. Recently, a conference organized by the Catholic Association of Propagandists in Spain brought together prominent figures who echoed the concerns raised by the late Pope. Bishop José Ignacio Munilla of Orihuela-Alicante boldly declared socialism an "enemy of the cross," highlighting its incompatibility with Christian values. He emphasized the need for a spiritual renewal, urging individuals to embrace the cross as a path to true happiness and fulfillment. French philosopher Fabrice Hadjadj also addressed the challenges posed by modern society, warning ag...