From 7-8 AM this morning, 12 peacemakers from the DMV held a prayer service and nonviolent witness in proximity to the Pentagon to commemorate the Feast of the Massacre of the Holy Innocents–past and present. (see photo)
Today also marks the anniversary of the U.S. Army massacre of up to 300 Lakota at Wounded Knee in 1890. This witness was organized by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker.
Since late October, Pentagon police informed us that we are now prohibited from vigiling in the fenced off “designated protest area” unless we have a permit. (See section in the Opening Reflection for further explanation). During the witness we were visible to some Pentagon workers and soldiers as well as to a steady stream of car and bus traffic. Also a Pentagon Police car drove by several times to observe our witness.
The prayer service began with an Opening Reflection that I offered (see below). Kathy Boylan then read the Gospel of Matthew account of the massacre of the Holy Innocents. We then sang the Coventry Carol. Paul Magno read a poem from the late Sr. Anne Montgomery, RSCJ titled: Feast of the Massacre of the Innocents: 1991—In Memoriam: Mass Graves. We then sang The Cry of Ramah, by Colleen Fulmer. This was followed by Frank Panopoulos and Verleah Kosloske reading a powerful article published by a Palestinian pastor and theologian and inspiration to many of us, Rev. Munther Isaac, titled: Christmas is not a Western Story—It is a Palestinian One.
Mary Beaudoin and John Holden then read a summary account of the massacre at Wounded Knee, https://share.google/jCkWiYriLZ49DIq6i, and an excerpt about the massacre from Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, by Dee Brown. Kirwin and Merwyn DeMello proceeded led a Litany (see below). This was followed by a recitation of “The Lord’s Prayer,” and a Closing Prayer that I offered (see below). We concluded the witness by singing the Vine and Fig Tree song.
In 1968, Daniel Berrigan wrote: “The times are inexpressibly evil. And yet, the times are inexhaustibly good, solaced by the courage and hope of many. The truth rules, Christ is not forsaken.” These words are as true now as when they were first written, perhaps even more so. In response to the unjust imperial decrees of the Herods of our world, countless lifegiving courageous actions for social, racial, economic and environmental justice, peace and upholding human rights abound across the U.S. and worldwide! In these perilous times we need now, more than ever, to be filled with the spirit of “Sumud,” the Arabic word for steadfastness and resilience, and to live and proclaim the Gospel of Nonviolence!
During this Holy Season we are reminded once again of the promise of Emmanuel (God with us). We are ever mindful of the hope-filled message of the angel Gabriel to Mary of Nazareth, that “nothing will be impossible for God!” As we approach the end of 2025 and move into a New Year, let us keep our eyes on the prize and do all we can to make God’s reign of justice, love and peace a reality as we strive to create the beloved community and a nonviolent world.
In the peace and hope of Jesus,
Art
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Opening Reflection
Good Morning and welcome to all present. We greet everyone going into the Pentagon in a spirit of peace and nonviolence. Let us all be mindful that we stand here on stolen Indian land. Yesterday, Christian churches commemorated the feast of the holy Family and also the feast of the massacre of the Holy Innocents, recalling how Herod, fearful of being usurped from power, sought to destroy the child Jesus by ordering the slaughter of boys under two years old in and around Bethlehem. We, members of the Dorothy Day catholic Worker, Pax Christi, the Atlantic Life Community, and other peace groups, come to the Pentagon, the center of warmaking on our planet, to remember the innocents who have been killed–past and present—due to greed, oppression, racism and war. In this time of perpetual war, nuclear peril, climate chaos, government sanctioned violence and terror and corporate greed, the lives of countless innocents are endangered by today’s Herod’s.
We remember all Indigenous and African victims of conquest, genocide and slavery. We remember all children living under systems of violence, oppression and white supremacy. We recall that today marks the commemoration of the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890, and we remember all victims of this unspeakable massacre.
As followers of Jesus, who commands us to love and never to kill, we unequivocally oppose and condemn all killing, no matter who the perpetrator is. This belief is in stark contrast to that put forward during the first ever Christmas worship service held at the Pentagon on Dec. 17th. Secretary of War Hegseth, an avowed Christian nationalist, said now’s the time to bring Christmas back to the Pentagon. Franklin Graham was invited to give a sermon during which he declared: “We know that God loves, but did you know that God also hates? Do you know that God also is a god of war? And many people don’t want to think about that, or forget that.”
Sisters and Brothers, this is heresy! God commands us to love one another. We believe in a God of Love and Mercy, not a god of Hate! We believe in a God of Peace, not a god of War!
We remember and pray for all victims of violence, war and occupation–from Ukraine to Sudan, to Gaza and elsewhere. We remember all Palestinian victims of Israel’s genocidal war as we cry out again and again for a permanent ceasefire, and an end to genocide and apartheid in Palestine. Over the last 26 months, the U.S. has supplied over $21 billion in military aid and arms transfers to Israel to conduct a genocidal war and ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people. The U.S. is complicit in these unspeakable crimes!
Our faith in the nonviolent Jesus compels us to nonviolently resist today’s Herod’s and the massacre of Holy Innocents that continue to be carried out. We are ever so mindful that children are always the first victims of war. This is especially true in Gaza where over 20,000 children have been murdered since October 7, 2023, and many more missing in the rubble as a result of a ruthless Israeli bombardment and siege. We call into our presence this morning all the Holy Cloud of Witnesses, including all those who have witnessed here at the Pentagon in the past proclaiming Jesus’ Gospel of Nonviolence in resistance to a warmaking empire. We stand with all people worldwide who are nonviolently resisting state-sanctioned violence, oppression, war, genocide and Christian nationalism, and who are working to create the Beloved Community!
Lastly, we are now holding this prayer service on the perimeter of the Pentagon (at the corner of S. Fern St. and Army Navy Drive) because we were informed by Pentagon police in late October that we can no longer be in the newly fenced off designated protest area unless we have permit. Since 1987 up to the present, the Catholic Worker and friends have held a weekly peace vigil outside the Pentagon which has never required a permit, as we don’t need one to pray and exercise our freedom of speech. During several encounters with Pentagon police questioning this new decree, we were told that this is a “new time” and that we can’t be on Pentagon grounds because we do not have “official business.” I replied that we are “doing God’s business” as we are praying for peace and justice as well as for the abolition of all weapons and war. Not only is the Pentagon in daily blatant violation of the Fifth Commandment, but is now violating our First Amendment right to freedom of religion, speech and assembly. Such are the repressive times we are living in.
As we stand in proximity to the Pentagon, we implore You, O God, to banish every diabolic power and evil influence from these places. Help all Your people, including ourselves, who are made in Your very image, to respect the sacredness of all life and reject empire and the idols of death. With contrite hearts and believing that all things are possible if we place our trust in You, O God, we offer this witness of prayer, repentance and resistance.
Litany
As we remember all of the Holy Innocents massacred, past and present, we call for end to such massacres today, and call on the powers that be and people everywhere to say Yes to the God of Life and Love and No to All Violence and Killing.
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to all violence, racism and killing!
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to empire and the current reign of terror!
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to Christian Nationalism, white supremacy and systemic oppression!
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to military intervention, arms sales, and an $1 trillion military budget!
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to US boat attacks and war against Venezuela!
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to genocide, ethnic cleansing and apartheid in Gaza & Palestine!
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to all conventional and nuclear weapons and war!
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to ICE raids and detaining and deporting immigrants!
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to policy violence which gives tax breaks to the wealthy and cuts health care and vital life-saving services for the poor!
YES to the God of Life and Love! NO to environmental devastation!
As we approach this Holy Season, we recommit ourselves to proclaiming God’s reign of justice, love and peace, and the Gospel of Nonviolence. As we approach the New Year, we appeal to the consciences of all in government and people everywhere to practice mercy and compassion; to eradicate what Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called the triple evils of poverty (economic exploitation), racism and militarism; and end all forms of corruption and social injustice. We call on all people of faith, conscience and goodwill to create a political and economic order dedicated to the common good that upholds the dignity and human rights of every person, protects the environment, meets the human needs of all, especially the poor and immigrants, and abolishes war and all weapons–from guns and assault weapons to killer drones and nuclear weapons. Now is the time for followers of Jesus to rise up and be a Gospel witness of love in resistance to the forces of oppression, terror and death. As we continue to confront and nonviolently resist the diabolical forces of imperial power, let us be filled with the spirit of “Sumud,” the Arabic word for steadfastness and resilience. Let us continue to act in hope, knowing that that we are surrounded by a holy cloud of witnesses, believing in Emmanuel (God with us), and that nothing is impossible for God. Today, we commit ourselves to praying and working for an end to all that separates, wounds and divides God’s global family. In Jesus’s name we pray. Amen!
