News - September 2023 RSS Feed

By Barb Arland-Fye The Catholic Messenger DAVENPORT — Dan Ebener was a college sophomore when he witnessed Catholic Worker co-founder Dorothy Day, now on the path toward sainthood, accept the Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award in 1972 in Davenport. On Sept. 13, Ebener emceed the ceremony during which Atiya Aftab and Sheryl Olitzky, co-founders of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, an international movement that builds relationships between Muslim and Jewish women, received the Pacem in Terris award. Gail Karp and Lisa Killinger, who co-founded a local chapter of Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, received the One Among Us Justice Award. The event took place at St. Ambrose University.

Gail Karp, who is Jewish, called her longtime friend Lisa Killinger, who is Muslim, to talk about the possibility of forming a local chapter of Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, which builds relationships between Muslim and Jewish women. Lisa loved the idea. “Salaam” is the Arabic word for peace and “Shalom” is the Hebrew word for peace.

Dear Friends in Christ, Each October during Respect Life Month, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops provides a new set of materials in an effort to help Catholics and others understand, value and cultivate respect for human life. Meanwhile, earlier programs, like the Walking with Moms in Need campaign (www.walkingwithmoms.com), continue. Shortly before he suffers his passion, Jesus proclaims to his disciples: “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (Jn. 13:34). In other words, Jesus says that love for one another is the identifying characteristic of his disciples.