Simon Harak on empire and war
Jesuit non-violence advocate leads Spring speaker series
Andrea Silva, Senior Reporter
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In Loyola Hall, a bulletin board invites passersby to write their thoughts and feelings about the war in Iraq. Created by the Office for Service Learning, the board has become an informal forum for expression: "If you don't like our country and how it is run, how about you get out?" "RIP Cpl. Brett Lundstrom. This war isn't worth the cost of losing soldiers like you. I'll always miss you. Sorry I voted for Bush." "It wasn't our decision-Just support our troops now!"
This Thursday, Fr. Simon Harak, S.J., will offer his perspective on the Iraq war, in the first of this semester's Catholicism in the Modern World speaker series. Kristi Schaefer, student director of RUSGA Social Justice and Community Involvement, explained that Harak will draw parallels between life in Jesus' time and life today. Titled "Jesus Under Military Occupation," Harak will examine how Jesus, living in the military context of the Roman Empire, called for non-violent action.
Harak, a Jesuit who taught ethics at Fairfield University from 1970-1999, left his professorship to join Voices in the Wilderness, a U.S. peace organization that campaigns against the war in Iraq. He is now a member of the War Resisters League and has begun the speaking tour "Stopping the Merchants of Death," which scrutinizes companies in the defense industry.
Director of Social Justice and Community Involvement, Kristi Schaefer, invited Harak to Regis after meeting him at the National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference in Philadelphia last summer. It struck her how "concrete" his arguments were as well as how amiable he was. "He came up to each person individually and introduced himself," said Schaefer, who has since kept up correspondence with Harak, mostly through emails.
Schaefer explained that the talk Harak is to present at Regis will draw parallels between life in Jesus' time and life today. Titled "Jesus Under Military Occupation", Harak will examine how Jesus lived under the military context of the Roman Empire, suggesting action of non-violence. Byron Plumley, coordinator of jJustice Education Coordinator, has met Harak and has heard him Harak speak numerous times. Having traveled to Iraq himself in 2001 to deliver medical supplies to Iraqis, Plumley has, in a "very modest way" has shared. A similar experience.Harak's endeavors. "Personally, Fr. Harak is a very engaging speaker, and I think everybody who meets him is going to like him because he has such a pleasant personality. When they hear him speak, the passion and the fire that he delivers is pretty captivating," commented Plumley.
In the midst of many other issues of social justice, Schaefer thinks it is important to raise more awareness on the War on Iraq atIraq war. Regis. "This is a program that will look at the issue in a really good way for a wide audience so we can at least start that conversation and other things can grow out of it," she said.
Schaefer also hopes that Catholics those who hear Harak speak will gain more of a sense thatof how war is an issue for Catholics. "war is a Catholic issue too." She anticipates that Harak's talk will help many to come to a "deeper understanding of the connections between justice and their faith."
Harak's talk isn't just for Christians, says Schaefer. For listeners who are not coming from a faith tradition, Schaefer believes that they will be able to recognize that "he's saying the same thing, just using a different base." She also thinks that hearing Harak speak will help non-Christians gain a better understanding of their peers, as Regis is a Jesuit Catholic institution.
"It is very timely that we at least wrestle with these issues," said Plumley. "As a Jesuit university, we have this phrase that we're a 'faith that does justice.' Harak will say 'yes,' and question what that means for us, to come out of that kind of [faith] tradition."
Harak will present "Jesus Under Military Occupation" this Thursday, February 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the Science Amphitheater. He will also be at a number of other events on campus this week. Thursday there will be a Luncheon Conversation, "Catholics & War- The Case of Iraq" at 12:15 p.m. in the Faculty Lounge, which, along with Harak, will feature Plumley and religious studies professor Dr. John Kane. Harak will preside at Mass at 7:30 p.m. on February 5, and he will also speak at Romero House Hospitality Night on Monday, February 6, beginning with a meal at 5 p.m.