September 2014 Philadelphia Chapter of Pax Christi U.S.A.
Lee Hoinacki’s Stumbling Toward Justice
Lee Hoinacki’s steadfast integrity made a significant contribution to CPF’s witness for justice and peace. At the invitation and hospitality of Fr. John McNamee, Lee spent the declining years of his life as a scholar-handyman in residence at St. Malachy Rectory. He wrote frequently for our newsletter and was a steadying presence at our peace vigils. His scholarly books include “Stumbling Toward Justice - Stories of Place” [Penn State University Press, 1999], “El Camino: Walking to Santiago de Compostela”, and “Dying is not Death”, with Carl Mitcham, Lee edited “The Challenges of Ivan Illich”.
Ivan Illich, a long-time friend, endorsed Lee’s book, “Stumbling Toward Justice”:
“In the Eastern Church of old, one who felt drawn to the unconditional practice of the Gospel had the option to follow Christ by donning the habit of a monk, or, unrecognized, by living as a ‘fool by choice’. Hoinacki’s stories of place upset the reader, because they make him ponder the
wisdom of such folly for life in our times.”
CPF offers several excerpts from “Stumbling Toward Justice”. The first, in this issue, treats Lee’s decision to leave a tenured university professorship and to go with his family “back to the land” as homesteaders. Our next newsletter will give Lee’s account of that adventure.
Frank McGinty
Frank is a member of CPF
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