catholic peace

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CelebtC1tethe Life ofTom O'Rourke

Memot-ial Gathet-ing

Thursday Evening, Apt-il19, 2001 (2 days befot-e Tom's birthday) 6:00 to 8;00 p.m.

Friends Centet-, 15th &Cheny Sheet, Philadelphia, PA

Sponsored by: C<.Jtholic Pe<.Jce Fellowship, Br<.Jndywine Pe<:lce Community, .

Pennsylvqni<.J Abolitionists United A nstthe De<.Jth Pen<.Jlty

De<.Jr Friends,

For over 30 ye'lrs Tom O'Rourke wqs 'l le'lder.in the movements Fat- pe<.Jce <.Jnd soci<.JI justice in the Phii<.Jdelphi<.J region. When Tom died on J;:mu<.Jry 31st we <.JIIIost <.1 mentor, <.1 comr<.Jde, <.Jild 4 good friend. Tom embodied the

dignity <.Jild strength of nonviolence. He led by tireless ex<Jmple not by self-promotion.

Although he wqs soft spoken, his voice wqs <.Jiwqys strong <.Jild cle<.Jr. Although he W<.lS p<.Jtient, he W<.lS <.Jiw<.Jys persistent in dem<:Jnc:/ing justice. Although he W<.Js humble, he W<.Js <.1 bt-ight light in the c:/<.Jrkness.

On April15{th, we <.Jre inviting <.JII those folks who strugglec:l with Tom Fot- pe<.Jce, For dis<.Jrm<.Jment, <.Jnc:/ For t-estot-<.J tive justice to join us <.Jt Frienc:ls Centet- to celebr<.Jte his life. Ple<.Jse come to sh<.Jt-e your memot"ies, stories, <.Jilcl pt-<.Jyet-s. Let's <.JII p<.Jytribute to this m<.Jn of pe<.Jce. ·

Fot- more infot-m<.Jtion cont<Jct:

CCltholic PeClce Fellowship RetteClt

Satu.-day, Mat-ch 31, 2001

9:30a.m. to 3:30p.m ... Litut-gy will follow

The Further Invention of Non-Violence

a Gospel Based Reflection

for more information see pa. 14

2.

We dedicCJte this issue of CCltholic PeClce Fellowship Nevvsletter .· to the memory ofTom O'Rourke, our long time leader ;:mq editor of this newslettet. His friends in prose and poem seek

to cCJptw·e his ICJtge spitit Cind we see a reflection ofhis creator/God.

3.

PennsylvC niC CoC!Iition to Abolish the DeC th PenC lty Cine\ the PennsylvC niC! Abolitionists United AgC!inst the DeC th PenC lty

...Tom O'Rourke, long-time president of the Pennsyl­ vqni<l Co<ilition to Abolish the De<lth Pen<llty <lnd <l member of the Pennsylv<lni<l Abolitionists' Steering Committee ... W<lS <l le<lding voice in the movement to end C<lpit<ll punishment <lnd <ln <idive p<lrt of m<lny movements for soci<ll justice... One of the things

<ibout Tom th<lt st<lnds out most in my mind, w<ls his gentle yet uncompromising demeqnot. I tecqll vivic:Hy when he p<lrticip<lted in the first direct <ldion effort of Pennsylvqni<J Abolitionists, w<Js <lttested, <Jnd I<Jter put on tri<ll. Throughout the entire series of events, Tom wqs

c!ignified <mel focused. During the trial, when the judge

<Jttempted to interrupt Tom's speech (reprinted below), Tom simply rqisect the level of his rich b<Jtitone voice <Jnci continued on, <JS though he h<lci he<lrcl nothing. Tom W'lS clepenciCJble, insightful, <lncl humble, <lnd he will be sorely missecl.

JefF GCJtis, Executive Director

Tom O'Rourke's Defense Testimony, FebruCJry 26, 1998

A Personc;l Stc;tement

I have opposed the death penalty all my adult life. I have done so for two principle reasons: execution is the deliber­ ate, intentional killing of a human being; and execution bru­ talizes and diminishes societies which perform it. Iwant to elaborate briefly on these two points, and then comment on the actions which brought me here to trial today.

Respect for Life

I believe that the reason the death penalty continues to re­

ceive public support is because people view those on death row abstractly, as a group whose members are all essen­ tially the same, a kind of sub-species of humanity. They are hidden, removed from our consciousness. When they

are thought of at all, it is usually with a sense of loathing because the crimes for which they have been convicted

have caused great suffering to the families of their victims.

This tendency to think in aggregate ways makes it easy, when an execution nears, to endorse popular sentiment and join the cry (even if by silence) to 'hang him.' It is when one looks beyond the group to see individuals that the is-

sue gets troubling. When we meet a person on death row, we meet ourselves - we recognize a shared humanity. For death row is, of course, comprised of individual human be­ ings. Each has his own story, his own unique history; each experiences the range of human feelings and emotions - sadness and joy, fear, sorrow, loneliness, hope - that are part of our own lives. And, yes, each person's story in­ cludes that terrible moment which brought him where he is and caused so much pain to others. But condemned though he may be, he retains his humanity. He remains bound to us, and we to him, by deepest of bonds.

To the extent that this reality is denied, society is dimin­ ished. Every person has an inner life, a sacred center, an essential dignity which must not be violated. Despite our own brokenness,· each of us knows we are better than the worst thing we have ever done.

Just as belief in the sacredness of every human life is cen­ tral to civilized society, it is at the heart of all religious be­ liefs. That is why virtually every religious denomination has expressed strong opposition to the death penalty. Hom· cide is always intolerable, whether it is performed by a1, individual or by all of us acting together (as happens when executions are performed in our name.)

Our concern must extend beyond individuals to the larger society. State-inflicted execution is the most premeditated form of murder, mimicking the act we claim to deplore. It demeans and diminishes us. Trying to resolve problems through violence in this way is the opposite of what we teach children in our homes, schools, and religious institu­ tions. The legitimate needs of justice can be satisfied with­ out resorting to execution. This degrading practice should have no place in our violence-plagued society.

...When we meet Cl person on deCJth row, we meet ourselves -

we l'ecognize Cl sh'll'ed hum'lnity. condemned though he m'ly be, he tdCJins his humCJnity.

He remCJins bound to us , 4nd we to him, by deepest ofbonds.

(Continued)

A

Why this Action?

Over the years, I have expressed opposition to the death pen­

alty in every conceivable way: letters to legislators and the gov­ ernor, discussions with public officials, personal presentations, written essays, public vigils and demonstrations. I believe these methods of dialogue and persuasion are a necessary part of the process through which change is accomplished in our society. These persistent grassroots efforts have been augmented by people in leadership positions who, like us, find capital punishment repugnant. For example, religious leaders (including Pope John Paul II) have recently issued new state­ ments forcefully and unambiguously condemning capital pun­ ishment on moral grounds; and the American Bar Association has issued a stunning call for a moratorium on the death pen­ alty (2/97) on the grounds that it is so seriously flawed in its administration that its continuation would be a gross miscar­ riage of justice.

But these reasonable appeals from highly respected sources

usual move to dramatize the issue, heighten public awareness, and promote reflection on this ugly ritual which soon could be­ come commonplace in our state. Our specific target-the Philadelphia District Attorney's office - was chosen because it has become infamous for the disproportionate number of death sentence it has sought. Preventing this office from conducting its business as usual, even for a short while, is part of a larger effort to increase public awareness of the death penalty situa­ tion in Philadelphia. It is a national disgrace.

I respect the rule of law and did not take this action lightly. I have taken care to act openly, to be scrupulously nonviolent in spirit and behavior, and to appear voluntarily before the Court in the hope of having the reasons for my action receive a thoughtful hearing. I acted in the honorable tradition of non­ violent civil disobedience which has played a constructive

role in virtually every progressive J!lliil!iiillilli!iilllliiiill! '"

social movement in our nation's history. Our goal is nothing less

have been studiously ignored. In fact, the Governor and Legis­ lature of PA, through laws designed to hasten the process, have demonstrated their resolve to proceed aggressively with executions. The state Supreme Court has become a partner in

this effort through such things as elimination of the requirement

that it conduct proportionality reviews before affirming death sentences. And the prospect is for a still worse situation ahead. As appeals are exhausted, the pace of executions will surely accelerate. Since we have the fourth-largest death row in the country, the specter of another Texas looms on PA's ho­

rizon. That state's shameful pattern of execution cannot be permitted to happen here without vigorous opposition. Some­

thing more than we have done before is required.

For these reasons, I joined with trusted associates in this un-

Brandywine Peace Community

that total abolition of the primitive practice of execution. All of the nations closest to us in values have long ago abolished the death penalty (Canada, every na­

tion in Western Europe, South

Africa). Abolition is the path of civilization which our society, too, must someday trod. We act to hasten the arrival of that blessed

day.

Tom O'Rourke

Our goal is

nothing less than total abolition

of the primitive

practice of

execution ...

We act to

hasten the arrival

of that blesseq clay.

It's so vety h< rd to re< lize let < lone to s< yth< t Tom O'Rourke h< s died. It's h< rd to im< gine loc< l pe< ce efforts without him.

I still see him on the other end of the b<inner in fi-ont of Lockheed M< ttin protesting nucleqr we< pons < nd "Stqr W<its", or in front of the Liberty Bell protesting the s< nctions < g<linst Ir<i , or getting < rrested in fi-ont of the Phil< . DA's office protesting the de< th pen< lty.

I still heqr him on the other end of the phone reminc!ing me th< t I still h< dn't sent the Bt<indywine Pe< ce Community cqlen­ d<lt listings for the C<itholic Peqce Fellowship newsletter which he so <ibly prep< red for so long <IS the elirector of the [ocq[ C<itholic Pe< ce Fellowship.

I cqn still see him < cross the meeting t<ible tqlking over the chores of our pe< ce work: pl< ns < round the Hitoshim<l - N<ig<ls<lki commemor< tion, the visit of< Hiroshim<l survivor. There's Tom volunteering to do yet something else with <l m< tter-of­ ct "sure, I cqn do th< t."

Bob Smith, stqff Bt<indywine Pe< ce Community

In Memori(lm:

Tom O'Rourke (1934-2001)

In suit and tie and dress shoes his IBM image seemed out of place atprotests. Sign in hand: "Close the School of the Americas•

He was a mirror image: where "those inside" must stand if anything is going to change.

A monk of sorts his row house a hermitage

nee minus solum quam cum so/us esset (never less alone than when alone).

He was alone. None of us knew his rounds.

Our parochial world could not contain him. Off to the Nevada test site -alone.

Twenty miles south with migrant mushroom workers on strike. Again alone. Yet after

a march he would be the first to search out

old friends at the bar in a familiar pub.

For this hermit the traditional vows were untraditional: poverty without promises.

Just being poor anew everyday. His sister

says his closet was almost empty: a second suit an extra pair of shoes, running sneakers and

a windbreaker. He was lovely in that jaunty cap

that framed his smile in the cold at a courthouse vigil.

His celibate embrace was, well, cosmic.

Last Christmas he gave me The Great Work Father Tom Beny's new book. He loved the title and Beny's vision and told me proudly that he had "crossed that threshold" (far from familiar pieties).

Holy obedience was to go wherever required meetings, talks, presentations. "God is in the details,• the archi_tect said.

At Sunday mass

(where he chauffeured an elderly woman every week)

I sensed I seldom could by homily bring him in, connect

"A sadness and anxiety for the whole world.• someone described him. He could bring us up short when a meeting grew silly.

Instead of clothes that hermitage was full of books, journals, articles (science, politics) Jectio divina, remote preparation for wherever tonight took him. I am not sure whether

my chronic unpreparedness astonished or dismayed him! A Sunday reading of his send-off evening was from Isaiah: "Whom shall! send? Who will go for us?"

Indeed ...

What shall we do without him?

John P. McN;qmee/8 Febru;qry 2001

Decu· Pew Buc\c\y,

I <1m giving you <l new n< me. You (Ire "SuperTomp. You knew how to go to the core <lnd get things done. Your deep concern for the less f>rtu n< te is re ected in the mirror you left. We (Ire taughtth< t we cqn't cqrry our burdens

<!lone. but being <l privqte person ...

Super Tom we know you tried.

Minnie Hiii-W< rtield

(Tom drove Ms. Hiii-W< rfielc! to St. M<ll<lchy's on Sun­ cl<lys ... they C IW<lys sh< red <l pew. )

I got to know Tom through the ye'lts by being with him 'it Pe(lce 'lnd Justice meetings 'lnd demonstr(ltions.

However, I re< llygotto know< ncl deeply< dmire him

cluring the l<1st months ofhis rem< rk<lble life.

H<!ving s< t with Tom in his home talking < bout his

ill ness, his hopes <1nd fe< rs, "w< lking" with him on this cliflicult journeyshowecl me the depth ofhis rem<ltk<lble spirit. He courqgeously worked h<1rd to unclerst<lnd what W<lS happening to his body < nd

how to manage all the symptoms ofhis dise(lse and the sicle effects of its he< tment. We talked < lot < bout his love fOr his mily <lnd his concern about wh< t his illness woulcl do to them. This W<lS evident in the mily meeting we < II h<1d so th<1t we could talk

openly < bout needs and fears. He also expressed concern

for the worlcl even as his world n<ltrowed.

Courqge, dignity and compassion (Ire the words I would use to describe Tom. It has been an incredible privilege to companion him these last months. His illness cqused his body to die but his spirit clearly lives on in my life and in others.

With ;qppreci;qtion forthis rem;qriqble mCJn,

Phyllis B. TC!ylor

6.

Looking bC ck over thirty yeCirs with Tom, there was an evolution, a deeper understanding of the inter­ connectedness of it an. He knew the hard, hard, time people of his generation had, starting with Vietnam, in challenging the government, not accepting the party line and seeing love of country expressed in dissent and demonstration, often anger­ ing relatives and friends. I remember Dick McSorley, Jesuit of Georgetown, showing a movie on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at an early CPF meeting that seemed to crystallize the issue for Tom. The rest of his life was unrelenting opposition to nuclear weapons, and he became extremely knowledgeable on the issue. When Reagan was pushing Star Wars in the 80's, Tom published an excellent small book as part of the Cardinal's Peace and Justice Commission condemning Star Wars as a violation of Catholic morality. Cardinal Krol blessed the effort.

Another memory of Tom is signs. CPF had the biggest, clear­ est condemnations of the Bomb and Star Wars, always in the name of God. Sometimes at a march or demonstration I'd hope Tom would leave the signs home, give us a little quiet

• anonymity, but he dragged them to DC, the Nevada test site, the Liberty Bell. They always knew who we were. Tom felt

the effort to nuclearize space, the heavens was the ultimate

blasphemy, man seeking to usurp the divine. And he always

wrote and pleaded on the issue, as with capital punishment, that it was beneath our dignity as human beings to support individual, or massive killing of our fellow human beings. He would express these views in parishes and take the wrath that inevitably came with dignity and calm, but unflinchingly called the people to higher ground. Ittook a great deal of courage.

He was deeply discouraged when the Gulf War broke out that the church was not unequivocal in opposing the ensuring mas­ sacre. It was not the role of church to bless the weapons. He was often hearfeltly disappointed in the church's response as not representing the voice of Christ, diluted religion.

Lastly he became passionately committed to the plight of the earth, mentored by Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme. As al­ ways he gained a profound understanding of the topic. But this issue, above all, radically transformed his view of the uni­ verse, the earth, his life style and relationship to all living be­ ings. Over the last few years simplicity of life emerged, gen­ tleness toward the planet. Consumerism was not on the agenda. The Fate of the Earth was his passion and just this past year he retreated with Jonathan Schell and a few others to plot and plan how to save our precious earth. He was a star; integrity was his middle name.

Joe Br<Jclley

The Sacred Earth Community

. . .. ." . . . .

"...St<:Jr W<:Jrs will severely q<:Jm<:Jge prospects for <Jrms control

<Jgreements, perh<:Jps even m<Jke them impossible to <Jchieve.

An <Jrms r<Jce without rules, with e<Jch sick pressing for

unachievable advant<Jge, would further imperil everyone on e<Jrth ...."

Star Wars, Tom O'Rourke

The Phfl<lclelphf<J Archclfoces<:ln Commission for Worlcl Pe<1ce <Jncl Justice

1987

E-MC il ft-om Tom

Frienqs,

Eleven cfCJys before Tom qieq, he sent me CJn e-mCJil which I woulct like to shCJre with GJII of you.

Hi, MGlry Lou ...So nice to receive yourthou htful messCJ e! Nothin excitin to report---some dCJys gooq, some(more?)qGJys not so gooq. If I coulct preqict the former, l'q invite everyone over for Cl chGJt --- CJbout everythin . SomecfCJythGJtwillhGJppen.

ThCJnks, Gl Clin though, kiq. It's so ooq heCJrin from you. (Toq(ly's CJn nupp cf<ly, so you're ettin Cl response. Lot's of cfCJys I qon't even hGJve the ener y to look GJt the computer.)

Tom

I believe the GJbove messCJ e is for CJII of us. So on our behGJif I sCJy:

Yes Tom, we will hCJve thCJt chGJt- somecfGJy. In the meGJntime, thGJnks for bein Cl wonqertulleCJqer. You tGJught us the wCJys of non-violence, peGJce CJnct justice by livin the life of Cl peCJcemGJker; the stufF of Mer­ ton, GCJndhi, deCh<Jrqin, Romero CJnct others. Goq Bless you GJnd rest in peCJce until we meet CJgGJin.

MCJry Lou GrCJdy

It is both fittin9 C nd importC nt thC t we remembet- Tom O'Rourke, fitting be­ cGJuse of our loss <Jnd whCJt his Friendship me<Jntto us personCJlly, importCJnt becCJuse of his piCJce in the ICJrger scheme of things.

The cquses Tom workeq <Jnq fou ht forthrou h CJII his GJc!ult life were not r<Jndomly selected. His innCJte sense of

right <Jnq wrong GJnd his unqerstGJnqing of how the worlct works were enriched by Cl constGJnt seCJrch tor truth.

The ciCJrity CJnd power otTom's writings CJbout economic justice, rCJcism, militCJrism, the nucleGJrthreCJt, the deCJth penCJity CJnd, fin<JIIy, cosmology cGJme from the qepths of his hCJrd-eGJrneq unqerstqnqing of the detCJils of these issues. His CJctivism grew nCJturCJIIy out of his convictions. His quiet courCJge CJnq constCJncy in speCJking truth to power moveq mCJny of us to CJct when we might hGJve preferred not <Jcting.

Tom's stuc!y ofTeilhCJrq de ChCJrdin led him to the works ofThom<Js Berry CJnq BriCJn Swim me which confirmeq CJncf ci<Jrifiec! his own intuitions CJbout the grCJndeur of the universe <Jnq of our piCJce in it. As GJiwqys, Tom then sought to sh<Jre these insights CJnq perspectives with the rest of us so thCJt we coulc! pCJrticipCJte more fully in "the story'.

Tom clicl <JII this with gr<Jce, good humor, <Jnd GJn CJmCJzing generosity of spirit. There WCJs no pretense in him. His I

<Jnd the lessons he tGJught us cqnnot be forgotten. He is pCJrt of us.

)CJck GJnd MCJrQe Hohenstein

It was only in the last few years that Carole and I got to know Tom well. Before that he had been to us a much admired fig­ ure of heroic proportions, one who combined a gift of penetrat­ ing analysis with strong determination. We had read his arti­ cles in this newsletter expecting to find them informative and engaging, and we were never disappointed. We had also par­ ticipated in a few Good Friday witness marches with CPF, and we saw Tom there, an obvious leader, yet never obtrusive. We got the impression that a posture of confrontation was particu­ larly difficult for a person of his gentle nature, but never so diffi­ cult that it prevented him from showing up.

A few years ago we responded to a notice in the newsletter announcing a study group on earth-centered spirituality. It cor­ responded to some broad interests that Carole and I already had. I called the number and was surprised (although I should not have been) to hear Tom's voice on the other end extending a gracious invitation to participate. At the first session it was obvious that Tom was the chief mover behind this enterprise as well. He arrived at the discussion site with the key to open the front door and the video to start the discussion. For the first session he even brought some refreshments. (For subsequent sessions the discussion was so lively that nobody even thought about refreshments.)

Over the next three years or so, the monthly sessions gave us the opportunity to know Tom much better. Knowing his strong concern for issues of war and peace, one might have expected this perspective to color all his comments. In fact he showed that his mind was broad enough to engage fully in these dis­ cussions on their own terms, and Iwas impressed by his hum­ ble eagerness to learn. Not that he was starting from a posi­ tion of ignorance. He had been a long-time member of the Teilhard Society and was familiar with the thought of nea­ Teilhardians like Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme. I know that about two years ago he participated in an earth-centered week of retreat at Genesis Farm, and he attended a number of conferences on science and religion, earth-centered spiritual­ ity, and ecological concerns. He also joined a local watershed association and participated in political advocacy with environ­ mentalists.

A Tree F<mn!

Resped <1nd (Cite

for the Community ofLife

Annu<1l Rette< tto Focus on Spititu< lity

<1nd the Environment

(Previous CPF Newsletter)

Tom contributed much to the discussion, and his comments gav? us a hi.nt of his broad range of experience and the depth of h1s reflections. Yet, he was most of all a listener. The group it lf, though n;odest in number, was an extraordinary one, articulate and diverse. Tom's gentle leadership enabled the sharing that enriched us all.

About a year ago, there arose a feeling among the participants that we had exhausted the readily available materials and were beginning to retread old ground. It was suggested that the group had fulfilled its purpose and the members should move on. Tom did not flinch. On this occasion he showed a sublime ability to let go.

A year later, he was called on (much too soon!) to let go of life itself. His memory continues to live among us.

Dominic M. Robel'ti

(D m oberti is Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Saint Joseph's Umvers1ty)

We cJf·e vitc;l pc;tficipc;nts in the long-term c;mif5 of the ec;rth. Our tc;sk, c;nc:/ our privilege, is to help shc;pe c; future worthy ofgenerc;tions which succeec:/ us.

Tom O'Rourke, CPF Newsletter, 9/10.97

lfs hard to think of it

Tom O'Rourke sick to death

As to hear them tell the story long ago

That Jesus Christ the healing one The hands, the eyes, the words All healed. The threads he wore

Kissed the woman's hidden wound

And she was well.

Then He, Himself, wounded once and worn down

Sick, bloodied on .the ground. Oh, No! And Tom, too, that wholesome man Happy, healthy, in mind, in memory

In attitude of heart, in the focus of his days

In grace and good humor, in every way Reaching graciously over bruised reeds To touch that infected sore he saw

In slum streets and death rows

And all the violent manufacture for the war.

Did his best to cleanse

With the pure cotton wool of himself

(No steel wool to scrape the evil out)

Soaked now like Jesus was

To heal the whole bloody thing.

Mich<Jel Doyle

At Vill<1nov<1 University on Tuesd<1y evening, )Clnu<lry 30, 2001listening to D<1n Ber1·ig<1n, my mind W(lson Tom O'Rourke <1nd I threw <1 few words together ... Nine hours l<1ter Tom died. A m<1n ofpe<lce. MD

I knew Tom O'Rourke thru a number of organizations­

Catholic Peace Fellowship- our Good Friday Stations

of the Cross- Teilhard de Chardin meetings in New York

and St. Malachy Parish. I admired Tom for his open mind and wealth of knowledge - he read everything!

Because of the friendship, I was delighted when Tom showed interest in our Common Ground Group. Common ground on pro-life and pro-choice issues.

He attended a workshop we had and was interested

enough to want to participate in our monthly meetings.

The idea of Common Ground is not to convert people to your side but fo dialogue and listen with respect to what another has to say. This was a perfect venue for Tom. For he described himself as pro-life but he

would be the first to say that he had questions and was there to learn for he had not resolved some issues in his own mind.

For most pro-choice people at our meetings this dialogue was the first exposure they ever had with pro-life people.

TV clips and newspapers were as close as they got to b ""'ring what a pro-life person would be about. How welcome L

to have someone like Tom in the group. He was committed to pro-life even to his great work against capital punishment but willing and eager to hear what others had to say.

He read an incredible amount and often came with articles that we would use for dialogue at a later time. Everyone

in our group, pro-life and pro-choice, will miss him very much.

For me his death has created a huge void. I did not see him all that often but always felt a whole lot happier after I did spend time with him.

Tom WClS <1 mentor to Desmond, <1 fourth gr<Jde student <1t St<1nton School. This c<Jrd is Desmond's responseto he<1ring

of Tom's death.

M<Jry McDonough

i··

A Haiku for Tom

Tom- singleminc!ed­

So I ivec! to e<Jse the troubles

of those 'put upon'

Cecile Reilly, SSJ

An

·)In Appl"eciC tion o(Tom

1 met Tom when I started coming to Common Ground meetings. I h<1ve prob<l bly h<ld the privilege

of his presence fOr <1boutthree ye<lts. And I h<1ve seen him only <lbout once <l month fOr two hours. Plus one Christm<ls p<lrtyl

Sometimes we only connect brieRy with someone <lncl that petson m<lkes <l strong impact. I would say that is how it is fOr me in regard to Tom. 5o 1 ask myself when! learn of his death, why is this? Why will! miss Tom, why has Tom been so meqningful in my life?

Tom <lppe<lred to be <l tireless seeker oftruth <lnd so humble to the le<lrning process. He W<lS so enthusiastic <Jnd welcoming of es­ t<l blishing <l common ground of meaningfU I contribution to <ldclress the complex dilemm<l of unwanted pregn<lndes. He made it so dear he welcomed our thoughts <1nd queries. It seems he always embr<1ced the best in us <lnd beckoned the better in us to come fOrwarq.

When! saw Tom, 1 instinctively smiled. I experiencec! the connection as enriching. I <1m so gr<1teful f0rth<1t opportunity. Tom, I would want you to know th<1tthe experience of being in di<Jlogue with you h<Js reinforced my conviction of the necessity of con­ tinuin the Common Grouncl dialogue, no m< tterthe clegree of difficulty < nd clivision on the issue.

Thank you., Tom. I miss you.

Tom C nd I shC red the speC ker's plC tform on C! number of OCCC!Sions. I always appreciated how well-informed he was, how he could speak without notes, the passion he brought to his subjects, and the patience and kindness toward others he showed in response to all questions, even the hostile or uninformed ones. But what sticks even more firmly in my mind is his behavior at stop signs when he was the driver to these events. He did slow down a bit, but I never recall seeing him come to a full stop, except when a vehicle coming the other way was on top of us. Otherwise, just a little tap on the brakes, a quick look both ways and then a zip through the intersection. I once spoke to him about this, reminding him that Gandhi said that the practitioner of nonviolence and civil disobedience must obey all just laws. My memory is that he just replied in his kindly, low-key way: "Oh, I just never thought it was very important •

Tom and I also served together for a number of years on the Cardi­ nal's Commission on World Peace and Justice. There were some good people on the Commission, but our person-to-person nonvio­ lence was severely tested by the super-conservatives and the su­ per-cautionaries who never seemed to want to take a stand on anything, even if it could be completely justified by Catholic Social Teaching. Once, at the height of the U.S.-sponsored wars in Cen­ tral America in the mid-1980's, we finally, after much arguing and persuading, convinced the Commission to let us write a very strong statement describing the just struggles of the poor for a better life in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, the brutal opposition they faced from wealthy and powerful minorities, and the very

Denny Whalen

harmful role of the U.S. in supporting the status quo. It included a reading list and suggestions for political action by Catholics in the pews. The statement, "The Crisis in Central America: A Catholic Perspective, • was to be endorsed by the Commission and sent out in a variety of ways, including through the press and by the distri­ bution of 5,000 brochures. But could we get Cardinal Krol to en­ dorse it, given his tremendous influence in Philadelphia, nationally and in the world church? Tom said, "Let's go see him." As a newly­ baptized Catholic, I was still in some awe of Cardinals, Bishops. and such, assuming they would be unreachable by ordinary lay people. But Tom was insistent and persuasive, so I finally agreed, and he made the appointment. At the meeting, the Cardinal was a "hard sell,· but I could see that our facts and points were having an impact on him. We left the meeting without getting his commitment to endorse the statement, but he sent a copy to Fr. Bryan Hehir, one of the Church's top experts on international affairs, then on the staff of the US Catholic Conference. Brian replied with a couple of small suggestions, which we easily incorporated, bu said that the statement was "very good, particularly because it raises issues and is written from a perspective not always found in the media.• Based on that endorsement, the Cardinal allowed us to say on the brochure carrying the statement that it had "received the approval of His Eminence John Cardinal Krol, Jov. 6th, 1985." I will never forget Tom's loving persistence, which played such a large role in enabling this to happen.

Dick Tc;ylot

11

De'!r Tom:

Wh<rt a joy it w;qs to h;qve h;qc! you in my life. When first we met I w;qs merely curious about your con­

victions and participated in a CPF m<: rch/demonstration on the death pen<: lty; we w<: lked from St. Mal<: chy's to Inde­ pendence Park and listened to a myriad of new inform< tion for hours. Your work aroused my inquisitiveness, and wid­

ened my reading horizons. Simultaneously there were times I Found CPF's fOcus a bit limiting and beome annoyed with your stubbornness, ::1lthough in hindsight I realized it was ste::1dfastness to the ouses you espoused th<: t wqs so absolutely necessqry. Ocosion< lly, the ide'l of wqlking aw< y ms appe::1ling, however, inexpliobly I was drawn to the spirit of CPF and you. Over the years, I came to realize th< t your tenacity and persever<: nce kept me on target and I slowly began to understand the center of your consciousness. .

Who would h<: ve thought so m< ny ye< rs ago th< t abolishment oF the death pen< lty or even a mor< torium in Pennsyi­ V<lni<l was possible? Today, the glimmer of the possibility is < live- and cosponsored by Vince Furno at that!- becquse of people like you, focused with an ultim<: te <lim.

Your inRuence was subtle but sustaining. I evolved under your patient tutel<: ge, even becoming quiet by your example, to listen and consider new perceptions and obseMtions.

Compassionate, kind and tender, your soul was much too young to leave your family, friends and peace work. The cou­ rageous, and V< liant fight for life at the end mirrored the path you chose to decliote your life For ptiace and justice. I miss your smiling, dimpled face, and, oh, your gentle prodding to m<: ke right what was wrong. Tom ...it's so, so hard to grasp that you < re gone. Goodbye, gentle Tom.

Ttish c/iPieftc;e

Whether running For cl'!ss office b<1ck in our college ci'lys,

or in more recent ye<Jrs, on our lon9 walks <1lon9 the be<Jches of South Jersey, Tom consistently provic!ecl us with the c<Jim, but firm voice am iclst the v<Jried perspectives of our cl iverse b<md of frienc!s. Serious philosoph icC I cl iscussions cou let be 9ently qivertecl by the A21sh of one ofTom's witty one-liners. Tom eventually ac!opteq Gc:mqi-like restr< inttechniques in resistin9 the provocC tions from the conservqtives of our"Mclqughlin Group', mostly unsuccessfully.

While we C<ln never repiC ce that voice of ow· sociC I conscience Allee! with such reC sonect and persistent p21ssion, we will happily remember the voice, the message 21ncl the messenger forever.

L:;rryMoy

What can you say about a beautiful guy who died? Wow! lsthereanydoubi:Tom woukl tf at that? But that's what I think: Tom was a beautiful guy, inside and out. Maybe I could sell it to him through humor _ you know, say it's a takeofF on "Love Story"- and maybe tweak him a little bit aboutth<1t book being <lnother one of AI Gore's m<1ny "extensions// of the truth. For ifthere W<lS one W<lyto connect with Tom it was through humor. He had such a gre<1t sense of humor, with <1 l<1ugh and smile that would light a room. Th<1t's how I'll <1lwqys remember him. Not the causes, not his looks, not his politics: his sense of humor. Tom did <1 gre<1t imit<ltion of Ernie Kovacs' efFete poet, Percy Dovetonsils. Percy while re<1ding <1loud to his <lUdience W<lS given to disappearing behind his book while his h<1nd would re<1ch out to gr<1sp <1 martini. The h<1nd then would <1lso dis<lppe<lr behind the book. When Percy re<1ppe<1red, Tom W<ls a m<1ster <1t duplicating Kovqc's self-s<ltisfied pursing of the lips th<1t told the <1udience th<1t Percy thought he h<1d pulled one over on them. He <1lso loved imit'lting Jon<1th<1n Winters <1nd his CjU<lsi-Gr<lndm<l Moses' M<1 Frickert. Tom <lS M<1 would put another unintelligible scribble on <1 n im<lgin<lry C<lllV<lS <1 nd sqy '1Well, there's <1nother $100 to the price".

My most recent fun memory ofTom occurred within the last ye<1r. Tom W<ls rec<llling when a Villanov<l cl<lssm<lte uninten­ tion<llly messed up some machine in the m<1teri<1ls testing l<1b. When the unsuspecting instructor came over to examine it, he turned some pressure v<1lve. W<1s he surprised to see <1 l<1rge stre<1m of oil spurt out onto his v,vhite shirt <lnd sports coat! What <1 joyous memory: seeing Tom laugh, and laughing with him, until thete<1rs ran down our cheeks.

I could fill pages of funny times <lt Villanovq, in the Navy, single spots like Drexel brook <1nd M<1rgate, <1 ludicrous spell of d<1nce sessions at Arthur Murray, dis<1strous double-d<ltes. At the top of the list, there would be our great times down the shore <1t his pl<1ce with the gang th<1t his brother J<1ck generously c<1lls the 1'Big Five": Mike McCormick, D<1ve McDevitt, Ed McMerty, Larry Moy, <1nd Tom. CTh<1t's a thesis for some <1rts m<ljor; Does <1lph<1betic se<lting determine your life long friends?) But, I think you had to be there.

It's only now th<1t he's gone th<1t we're beginning to realize (to borrow a line from Father John Powell): those times of

l<1ughter <1nd friendship were when we were closest to being fully hum<m, fully alive. Bye, Tom, <1nd God bless. We love you

<1nd we'll miss you. Ec/ McMerfy

We remember Tom O'Rourke as a relaxed and very engaging guy, wholovedtobeirrev­ erent and mischievous as we tried, futilely, to play m<1tch-maker. Tom would visit New York, in the Spring and in the Fall, to immerse himself once ag<lin in the te<lchings ofTeilh<lrd de Chardin and Thom<ls Berry; on these occasions, he would usu­

<llly st<ly overnight with us in Rye, to the delight of the pretty wives of two of our more conservqtive friends, who thirsted

for Tom's liberal wisdom as <1 n antidote to their husbands' fqr-right pre<lching. The highlight of some such visits W<lS <1 1st<lte dinner' <1t which we would pl<1ce Tom <1t the he<1d of our t<1ble, A<1nked by the gr<1teful women, who would listen r<1ptly 'ls Tom expounded on the Vniverse Story or denounced milit'lrism.

Tom looked forw<1rd to Annie's b<1king Chis sister C<1ss tells us, th<1t tow<1rds the end, he ate little but her O'ltmeql-raisin cookies) <1nd cooking, though he would sometimes mock her: When Annie once ofFered to expertly prep<Jre a Chinese lo mein dinner for Tom, he quipped: 1'1 don't like th<Jt kind of food, even when it's cooked righW. Or upon quickly finishing

<Jn excellent bourbon sour, Tom would return his gi<Jss to Annie, commenting: "Another fruit juice, ple<Jse!" When Tom would <1ccomp<1ny us to our high-level squ<Jre d<Jnces, he would m<Jrvel <Jt the gre<Jt dexterity of the callers, 'lS they m<Jnipu­ I<Jted their multi-input microphores, <1nd <Jmuse us by referring to our over-weight friends 'lS "those d<Jncing porkers".

We will greatly miss our regular twice-<J-ye<Jr reunions (with Irene, Larry, Pat, Ed, <Jnd D<Jvey) <1Hhe Jersey shore, when Tom would diligently remove the s<Jit from e<Jch pretzel (<Jnd, in ye<Jrs past, skillfully t<Jp his cig<Jrette <lg<linst the face ofhis W'ltch) as we remembered old times, s<Jng favorite songs, <1nd discussed politics <1nd philosophy (especially Thom<1s Merton) deep into the night Tom brought gre<Jt joy <1nd much h<lppiness into our lives. There will never be another like him.

Pe<Jce, brother. Anne & Mike McCormick

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A day of retreat with Joanna Berrigan: House of Grace

and Kathy Kelly: "Voices in the Wilderness"

(a campaign to end UN/US sanctions against Iraq)

Saturday- 31 March 2001 9;30am- 3:30pm I Liturgy will follow

Saint Augustine Church

4th and Vine Streets

(at the foot of the Ben Franklin Bridge)

All Welcome! No Charge! Freewill offering suggested

Brown bag lunch - beverages provided

Parking in church lot and on street

Sponsored by: Catholic Peace Fellowship 1341 South 46th Street I Philadelphia, PA 19143 For information call: 215..:952-0718

More <!bout The Ptesentets:

Two spirit filled women willleCld us. Their mess< ge is he< ling, chClllenging <1nd hope filled.

Kathy Kelly holds < n M.A. in Theology Clnd hC s f<!ught in Chicqgo <!teCI schools since 1974. The dev.:;sfqting de< th, especiC IIy of children resulting hom the s<!nctions propelled her to le< d

10 hips to It¥{ with meqicql supplies, <1t gte<}t person<}! tisk. Het Irish humot <1nd deep fqitb h<1ve sust< ined bet <1nd empowered people to see non-violence <IS <In <iltetn<!tive to glob< ! W<lt.

Johcmna Bett'igc:m is Co-founder of the House of GtC ce C<!tholic Worker < nd House ofHos­ pif<!lity in PhiL:'!delphiCI. JohClnn<l <1nd M<lty Beth Appel opet< te <1 ftee mediC<! Iclinic in Kensington for the poot <1nd uninsured . She is <l Physici<ln's Assist< nt <tnd h< s led 3 deleg< tions to ltc;q.

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