Faith Shapers
Editor's note: Sr. Ardeth Platte mailed her "Faith Shapers" responses from prison in Danbury, Connecticut, at the request of Catholic Information Center member, Marcia Good. Sr. Platte, who is in her sixties, is serving a sentence for defacing a missile silo in 2002 during an anti-war protest in Colorado. She may not be released until shortly before Christmas 2005, and even then, she will have three years of supervised release.
Blessed are the single-hearted… for they shall see God.
Blessed are those persecuted for holiness sake…the reign of God is theirs.
Following in the tradition of The Grand Rapids Press Religion feature called “What Inspires Us to Worship”, each month we invite individuals to share how God speaks to them through personal “faith shapers” such as books, movies, music, prayer, and faith practices.
By Sister Ardeth Platte, O.P.
I am imprisoned at this time for 41 months for a Sacred Earth and Space Plowshares II action. I have had a blessed life for 50 years as a Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dominican Sister during which I have been able to teach and preach as an educator, administrator, peace and justice organizer, political leader, and witness in peacemaker mission work. I have spent the last ten years at Jonah House in Baltimore , a faith-based nonviolent, resistance community to nuclear weapons, and war.
Books, movies, and music that have inspired me:
The Holy Scripture continues to be my moral and inspirational guide along with many writers such as Barbara Reid , O.P. , Joan Chittister O.S.B., many women theologians and Scripture scholars who continue to break open the Word from the perspective of women. I love to listen to past and modern singers who sing justice and peace songs relating the history of struggle. Movies I like are "China Syndrome," "Testament," "Day After," "Gods of Metal," "The Mission," "Roger and Me," "Bowling for Columbine," "Fahrenheit 9/11," etc.
Faith role model:
My faith role models who have died are Philip Berrigan , Dorothy Day , Oscar Romero , Martin Luther King , and Gandhi . Those that inspire me who are living include Elizabeth McAlister, Daniel Berrigan, Bishop Tom Gumbleton, Women in Black, my Plowshares co-defendants, Roy Bourgeois, Kathy Kelly, many Catholic Workers, Open Door, Kairos Communities, Bruce Gagnon, Bill Sulzman , all sisters, priests, religious, and lay people who courageously risk their lives in war zones and in working for justice and peace.
Favorite faith practice:
• Plowshares liturgical, non-violent, symbolic actions
• Communal Scripture readings for the day, reflection, sharing and renewed commitment
• Faith and resistance retreats
What I'm working on in my faith life:
To be faithful all the years, months, or days of my life in speaking truth to those in power on behalf of peace with justice. That will make for the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Place where I feel close to God:
I feel close to God in my imprisonment for loving, nonviolent, symbolic direct actions that speak truth regarding the need to end war and killing forever; when working for the need to eliminate weapons of mass destruction; when reflecting that we are all part of God's family on planet earth.
Favorite prayer practice:
My favorites are contemplation, listening to God in silence, walking mantras, communal prayer of every kind, as well as Word, song, ritual, and liturgy.
Thoughts to share with those who struggle, doubt, or feel outside of a faith tradition:
We are born of a God of Love, parents in love, and we learn to love by our nature. That is our connectedness. So, let us strive for unconditional love of each person, all people, and all creation, all the days of our lives.
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S ister Jackie Hudson , O.P.
I have been a Grand Rapids Dominican since 1952 and a music teacher until 1979. My current path is peace and justice action by organizing and speaking truth to power in the courts. This is due to the influence of Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard You calling… , a song sung many times with the Mellow D's.
Book that has inspired me:
Jesus Before Christianity by Timothy Radcliffe , O.P. In essence, it speaks of the Jesus before organized religion corrupted Him. I read this years ago.
Faith role model:
My faith role model is the adult Jesus . (Editor's note: Sister Jackie included an article called Empires Prefer a Baby and the Cross to the Adult Jesus written by Rev. Dr. Giles Fraser , Vicar of Putney and lecturer in philosophy at Wadham College , Oxford , England . She highlighted and referred to this section.) The entire article can be found at: http://www.truthout.org .
The adult Jesus described his mission as being to “preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” He insisted that the social outcast be loved and cared for, and that the rich have less chance of getting into heaven than a camel has of getting through the eye of a needle. Jesus set out to destroy the imprisoning obligations of debt, speaking instead of forgiveness and the redistribution of wealth. He was accused of blasphemy for attacking the religious authorities as self-serving and hypocritical.
Favorite faith practice:
• I like to study the Scriptures with folks such as the Gospel of Mark with Chad Meyers and the Gospel of John, the writings of Paul , Revelations, etc. with Wes Howard Brook .
What I'm working on in my faith life:
For the last 20 some years my focus has been on developing “love of enemy” and non-violence in my own heart. It's interesting that the verses immediately following the Beatitudes in Luke is the topic, “Love of enemy.” These last two and a half years in the federal prison system have given me multiple opportunities to work on this.
Place where I feel close to God:
I feel close to God at water's edge; ocean, lake, river, creek and in, or near, the mountains.
Favorite prayer practice:
My favorite is sharing Scripture reflections with peacemaker friends.
Thoughts to share with those who struggle, doubt, or feel outside of a faith tradition:
Join the crowd. Many, at some point in their life struggle, doubt and feel outside a faith tradition. An honest search will bring each of us to a community where we will be “at home.” There are many names given to our God and many paths to reach communion. All things on our planet are interconnected and designed by an ever-loving God. Nature or people can aid in finding our individual path.
Related Links
To learn more about Srs. Ardeth, Jackie , and Carol 's work, to read their letters from prison, or to write them:
