Steve Kelly & Palm Sunday Vigel

[Joe Power-Drutis]

While serving a two-year term at the Federal prison in Allenwood, PA,
in 1998 Steve Kelly, SJ was interviewed by America, The National
Catholic Weekly. The article was titled “A Prisoner for Peace: An
Interview with Steve Kelly.” Steve was doing time for his
participation in the Prince of Peace Plowshares that took place the
previous year.

Before dawn on Feb. 12, 1997, Ash Wednesday, Steve, Philip Berrigan,
Steve Baggerly, Susan Crane, Mark Colville and Tom Lewis-Borbely
boarded the USS The Sullivans, an Aegis destroyer, at the Bath Iron
Works in Maine. They poured their own blood and used hammers to beat
on the hatches covering the tubes from which nuclear-armed missiles
can be fired and unfurled a banner which read Prince of Peace
Plowshares “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their
spears into pruning hooks…” Isaiah 2:4.

The government, rather than taking an introspective look at its
unhealthy (and illegal) relationship with nuclear weapons, threw the
book at Steve and friends. That was one of many times that Steve
would serve time for putting his unwavering faith into action. Today,
nearly 14 years since the interview in America, Steve once again
resides in what has become a monastic setting over the years – a
prison cell (and a “solitary” one at that).

The interview in America gives a glimpse into the heart and mind of
our dear friend Steve Kelly. Leonard Eiger is reissuing the entire
interview on Disarm Now Plowshares. Follow this link to read the
entire interview. http://disarmnowplowshares.wordpress.com

Steve is still very much a “Prisoner for Peace.” The last question in
the magazine interview sums up why he continues his nuclear abolition
work against such huge odds. Carry on Steve!!! And – May we all
carry on with you!!!

Thirteen years ago this question was asked.
You will be 50 on your next birthday. What are your hopes about the
future?

My hope is that the church will really become a peace church. I
realize that what I’ve done is not what most people would call being
an effective witness. I don’t expect the culture as a whole to change
overnight. The people I would like to reach are people of faith and
belief. As for what I’ll be doing in the future, as long as nuclear
weapons are being made for use on human beings, I’ll try to resist
their creation.

We are still set to vigil at the SeaTac Detention Facility on Sunday.

Looking for a way to show love and support for Fr. Steve Kelly and
Susan Crane?

We will return to the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac for a vigil
on Palm Sunday. Steve and Susan remain incarcerated for the Disarm
Now
Plowshares Action of November 2009. They have been imprisoned for a
year and Palm Sunday is a very good time to remind Susan and Steve
that the community still holds them in our hearts.
Date of Vigil: April 1, 2012
Time: 2 - 3 PM
Place: 2425 S 200th St, SeaTac, WA 98498
Please invite a friend and bring palm branches if you have them or
some other sign of support for Susan and Steve.
Vigil members have been asked not to use detention center parking. It
is unclear whether or not cars parked at the detention center will be
a problem.
If you are coming from Tacoma, a carpool group will meet at 1418
South
G Street (in front of Guadalupe House) in Tacoma at 1:10 and leave
for
the prison at 1:20 PM.
If you are driving up separately, I advise parking on or near 200th
and Highway 99 and then walking to the detention center.