Fwd: Brief Report by Art Laffin of April 17, 2026 Pray-In and Procession for Peace an An End to the US-Israeli War in Iran at the US Capitol

[Catholic Worker]

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From: Art Laffin

Dear Friends,

On Friday, April 17th nearly 60 peacemakers from the DMV held a Noon-time Pray-In and Procession for Peace and an End to the US-Israeli War in Iran at the US Capitol. This witness was co-sponsored by 20 faith-based organizations. 

The witness began at the East Capitol Plaza where there were was an opening/welcome by the Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland from the National Council of Churches. This was followed by a scripture reading and several speakers offering reflections/prayers. This format of a scripture passage being read and several different people offering reflections and prayers was repeated outside the Russell Senate Office Building and the Dirksen-Hart Senate Office Building. After the Dirksen-Hart Building, the group then processed to the United Methodist Building where there was a scripture reading, a reflection and a closing prayer and recitation of the Lord's Prayer led by Rev. Copeland. (Below is the reflection I offered outside the Russell Senate Office Building). Rev. Cindy Lapp, from the Hyattsville Mennonite Church, led the singing as the group processed from site to site. The two songs that were sung came from "Singing Resistance" in Minneapolis: "Hold On" and "We Walk the Same Ground." See the above attachment for the complete program of the witness. Also attached are photos of the group outside the Capitol and the Methodist Building. And please see this link posted on the Pax Christi USA Facebook page for more photos. 

https://www.facebook.com/PaxChristiUSA/posts/pfbid0Yu1PFHBUcqPaa3BzhMBmC4SkaPyMpke51bGmYh3fhYhw3ZRjiEu8JhWW5pm9ZF76l

Special thanks to all who helped plan and do outreach for this witness, all the co-sponsors, the speakers, those who attended, and to Frank Panopoulos who did exceptional police-liaison work with the Capitol Police. 

In the peace and hope of the Risen Jesus,

Art

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Reflection by Art Laffin–April 17th Pray-In and Procession for Peace and An End to the US-Israeli War in Iran at the US Capitol 

With God all things are possible! When we pray the Lord’s prayer we pray “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” “Thy will be done,” means we do the will of God who commands us to love our neighbor and our enemies, to be peacemakers, to safeguard the earth our common home, and to renounce and resist all violence, racism, injustice, oppression, killing, war and genocide no matter who the perpetrator is. 

“Thy will be done” means to do God’s will on earth and establish God’s reign of justice, love, and peace on earth and to reject empire, idolatry, white supremacy, and the false religion of Christian nationalism. As followers of Jesus living in a warmaking empire, we say loudly and clearly with Jesus to our nation and to warring parties everywhere: "Love one another, Beat all swords (nuclear weapons and all weapons) into plowshares, Respect and Uphold Human Rights of all people.

 

Today, on this Palestinian Prisoners Day, we pray for and call for the release of over 9,500 Palestinian political detainees currently held under the Israeli military occupation system, nearly 2,000 of whom are held in Administrative Detention.

The US-Israeli war in Iran, and Israel's war in Lebanon, is an extension of the Gaza genocide which we and many have resisted and opposed, and an attempt to assert total domination of the Middle East. The war against Iran is immoral and illegal and we decry the loss of life it has caused, including the murdering of schoolchildren and devastation to the environment and global economy. As we join our voice with countless others demanding an end to this war, we also call for an end to the genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza/Palestine, and the Israeli assault in Lebanon resulting in over 1.700 people being killed over the last two weeks.

Prior to agreeing with Iran for a two-week ceasefire on April 7th, Mr. Trump threatened to bomb Iran back to the Stone Age and destroy Iran's civilization if it does not capitulate to US demands. This is an affront to God, a colossal sin and crime against humanity. It is a heresy for the President, the Secretary of War and others to invoke God and the Gospel to justify this criminal war against Iran. 

 

Jesus commands us "to take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor's eye." In our prayer today we appeal to the U.S. government, which Dr. King called the greatest purveyor of violence in the world; to take the log out of its own eye and repent for the sins of violence it has committed against numerous nations. 

Pope Francis declared: "War is a sacrilege. Wars must be stopped and they will only be stopped if we stop “fueling” them."

On Palm Sunday Pope Leo proclaimed: “This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war. God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying, and here he quotes the prophet Isaiah: “Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood.” (Is 1:15) And on Easter Leo declared: "The power with which Christ rose is entirely nonviolent…Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! He also recently declared at the April 11th Prayer for Peace at the Vatican: "Prayer teaches us how to act...There are certainly binding responsibilities that fall to the leaders of nations. To them we cry out: Stop! It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned and deadly actions are decided!"

In his Holy Week Pastoral Letter, Bishop John Michael Botean declared: "The US-Israeli war in Iran is unjust, killing in it is murder, and any willing participation in it is complicity in murder...Moreover, it is by virtue of our conscience, formed by the teaching of the Church and the command of Christ, that I urge you to resist participation in this war in any way you can." 

This echoes what Dorothy Day said in 1948: “We are against war because it is contrary to the spirit of Jesus Christ…We are against Universal Military Training because it is preparation for sin, For the sin that is war...What would we advocate?... Wholesale refusal to fight. Wholesale withdrawal of labor (a general strike) from all industries that further the war effort. We would urge a mighty band of Catholic Conscientious Objectors who will refuse induction, who will follow Jesus in the way of non-violence, in love for all (hu)mankind!” 

https://catholicworker.org/466-html/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

In the spirit of Dorothy, St. Romero and others, we call on all soldiers to refuse illegal orders and refuse to fight and kill.

In this Holy Season of Resurrection, let us pray that we and all believers can be filled with the hope and peace of the crucified and risen Jesus and bear witness to the truth that Jesus has forever overcome the forces of death and the powers and principalities of this world as we strive to create the Beloved Community!