On Tuesday, several Saint Mary’s students and faculty participated in activities celebrating the International Day of Peace.
Campus minister Emily Sipos-Butler said the Day of Peace is a way to commemorate and strengthen acts of peace and nonviolence within the community.
“It shines a light on the practice of peace and calls all of use to work toward peace locally and globally,” she said.
While the Day of Peace mean a lot globally, it also means a lot personally and spiritually to Sipos-Butler.
“It's a chance to recall that we are meant to live in peace with one another and with all of creation,” she said. “It gives us hope for peace and reminds us we are not alone in that hope and work for peace. On a personal level, this day carries a deeper meaning as I remember those in war-torn areas that I worked with or on behalf of when I was with the Catholic Peace-Building Network.”
Saint Mary’s is in a unique position to recognize the Day of Peace, as the College is rooted in spirituality and community, she said.
“As a Catholic college, our faith calls us to act for peace and justice as we work toward building the beloved community spoken about in scripture,” Sipos-Butler said. “Further, celebrating Peace Day is an exercise of the college's core values; learning, as we strive to educate the campus about peace and [the] Peace Day; justice, because taking steps toward peace is a work of justice, community, as peace is dependent upon positive social relations; and of course, faith and spirituality, for our faith calls us to be people of peace. It's also an opportunity to highlight the international dimension of our Saint Mary’s community.”
As part of the festivities, students can stop by the Student Center and make a pinwheel for peace to be placed on the Alumnae Green.
“We'll have a prayer cards available, too. We invite the entire campus community to pause for a moment of peace at noon, with people all over the world,” Sipos-Butler said.
The Moment of Peace is a way for Saint Mary’s to connect with all others around the world, Sipos-Butler said.
“When we stop for a minute to focus on peace, incorporating some sort of prayer and hope for peace, we are part of a wave of peace moving across the globe for 24 hours,” she said. “It's simple, something anyone, anywhere can do. And when we think about how others around the world are doing the same thing at noon local time, we connect with them through our minute of silence. And on a personal level, a minute of silence can help us feel more peace within ourselves.”
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