Dear friends,
Let’s not soften the truth: Tuesday night’s election results are a setback for the goals of the Catholic peace movement in Florida.
As followers of the nonviolent Jesus Christ, we know that no politician or political party in our country is perfect; a vote is never a love letter but a chess move. As such, while a Democratic win would have been more favorable—to restoring global peace, curbing gun violence, alleviating poverty, fostering racial reconciliation, and advancing climate action—it still would not have been an easy road.
But with a federal Republican trifecta now on the horizon, we must brace ourselves for sustained resistance; its influence against a culture of peace—and on our state legislature, where we have been focusing our efforts—will be formidable.
The news only adds to our sadness at canceling our assembly in October—a gathering that would have prepared us for the challenges ahead. Yet, our preparations for that weekend were not in vain, especially since we are committed to rescheduling in the spring. Our efforts were a genuine response to the Spirit’s call to be leaven in Florida.
Our theme, as you know, was rooted in Pope Francis’s call for us to be “Pilgrims of Hope” in preparation for Jubilee 2025. In his bull announcing the Jubilee, he reminds us: “Hope does not deceive or disappoint because it is grounded in the certainty that nothing and no one may ever separate us from God’s love” (cf. Rom 8:35).
As those long committed to nonviolence and the work of peace have proven, we are a people of hope. We not only hope that our efforts today will bear fruit in God’s reign of peace, but we also hold fast to our belief in the unshakeable goodness of our neighbors, especially those with whom we disagree.
Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian farmer and conscientious objector during World War II, once wrote:
We pray we do not face the trials that Blessed Jägerstätter endured, and trust we will not. But let us remember to begin all we do with love and peace, no matter what may come. And please, take time to care for each other, and be generous to God in your prayers. We will need each other to keep our work going.
In Christ’s peace,
Pax Christi Florida