I

MEET Pat Gaffney in the

former convent where bed-
rooms once belonging to
nuns have been converted
into small offices.
Situated above a chapel its
full of peaceful vibes the per-
fect setting for a peace and
reconciliation charity such as
Pax Christi.
Pat has been general secretary
of the Catholic peace movement
for nearly 24 years.
She calls it a vocation, but it
was as a teacher that the seeds
of awareness for the need for
peaceful campaigning were sown.
Teaching Religious Studies,
Pat says that she became in-
creasingly aware of global strug-
gles, especially in developing
countries where there is greatest
inequality and the very real
threat of violence and war.
She brought this awareness
with her into the classroom and
tried to bring it to the attention
of her pupils.
It is clear that Pats vocation
towards justice and non-violence
goes beyond Pax Christi.
At Pax Christi Pats role is
varied. Everything from emp-
tying the dustbins to meeting
bishops, she says.
Shes a focal point and
spokesperson for the interna-
tional movements work in
England and Wales, giving talks
and presentations and runn-
ing workshops on what Pax
Christi is about and on specific
themes and issues like active
non-violence, Christian peace
making, Catholic teaching on
peace and on specific issues like
the arms trade, and challenging
military models of security.
She also helps create and
develop publications which pro-
vide a good pool of resources
that members and churches can
use in their efforts to be peace-
makers and spread the peace
making efforts of the Church.
Among Pax Christis challenges
are campaigning against nuclear
arms and military action.
They are currently producing
a resource to be used in Catholic
Christian communities to remind
members what the Catholic
Church says about Nuclear
weapons.
Pat says there is a very good
critique on nuclear weapons by
the Church but often is not heard
in this country.
There is a need she says, to
engage with members and bish-
ops and encourage them to speak
out against the Trident weapon
system.
Pat is working with Vice Pres-
ident Bruce Kent to engage peo-
ple in local communities.
We need to create the ground
work for 2015 when there is a
general election in this country
and a political decision will be
made about renewing Trident.
She tells me there is an urgent
need to have a Catholic popula-
tion ready to act.
Pat says that Pax Christis
role is education and awareness
raising of the Churchs teaching
that nuclear deterrents and
possession of nuclear weapons
is both immoral and illegal in
the world of today.
Its a mammoth task and I
ask Pat what helps her to keep
going.
My Catholic faith, definitely,
she replies. Its a great nudge.
Kind of an inspiration and an
encouragement that comes
through what the gospels have
to say about relationships and
people and the quality of life we
seek for all people on earth.
Pat explains how Catholic
social teaching provides very
practical ways of looking at how
systems and institutions fail peo-
ple and fail to hear the poor and
victims of violence.
I think we have that huge
wealth behind us in the gospels,
in the person of Jesus, in what
the Church teaches through
Catholic social teaching, all of
which helps us to look with dif-
ferent eyes on the world. It open
our eyes and minds and hearts
to the world weve been living
in she says.
Working for peace in todays
world is a huge challenge, that
can sometimes be disheartening.
B
ut it is Pats Catholic faith
that helps her to gain
perspective on her work.
My faith reminds me this
work doesnt happen overnight.
Im in it for the long haul.
You keep going because its
the right thing to do, because of
the people who have gone before
you, the Oscar Romeros and the
Dorothy Days, the contemporary
saints of non-violence.
Pat is also very inspired by
the leadership of Pope Francis.
She smiles happily as she
tells me of how heartened she
feels by the prominence the Pope
has given to speaking about the
impact of violence on communi-
ties, and the need to work more
fully for peace at every level in
society.
He really encourages lay in-
volvement, saying peace making
is a task for us all, she says.
Pat also welcomes the Popes
leadership style, and is impress-
ed that he is choosing a model
of leadership that isnt top
down and hierarchical, but
rather that hes choosing a
model of leadership that is about
service and humility and dia-
logue.
This is very consistent with
how many people understand
what it is to be a peacemaker
and a person committed to jus-
tice. Its about how you do what
you do as well as what you say,
she says.
Asked how she feels about her
own 24 years of service to Pax
Christi, Pat responds: I feel very
privileged to do a job like this,
where Im able to match my per-
sonal passion with the job I do.
Pat recommends joining Pax
Christi to anyone considering
campaigning for peace.
The benefits of getting in-
volved are immeasurable, she
says. You get back so much in
terms of community and the peo-
ple you encounter and the com-
munity that you create the
laughs you have, the humour
and joy you gain from meeting
likeminded people of faith.
Often you can feel very alone
as a Catholic in the modern
world, but this work is truly en-
riching.
Pat laughs as she tells me of
how working for Pax Christi
keeps her young.
To be constantly challenged
is vital, not to get complacent
about anything. To be able to
think freshly about things, keeps
you young. It keeps you on your
toes!
The Catholic Times Sunday 6th April 2014
FEATURE 5
PROFILE
Anita Boniface finds that the drive and commitment for peacemaking
is as strong as ever for Pax Christis general secretary, Pat Gaffney
Challenged to
follow path of
non-violence
Pat Gaffney Pax Christis general secretary is heartened by the prominence Pope Francis has
given to speaking about the impact of violence on communities, and the need to work more fully
for peace at every level in society