Sisters of the Precious Blood hold peace event at Salem Heights

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Left, Trotwood Mayor Mary McDonald; second, Trotwood Police Chief Erik Wilson holds the pieces of the cut-up handgun to be buried with the white pine; third, Trotwood Police Chief Erik Wilson and restored citizen Derrick Patrick bury the cut-up pieces of the handgun with the white pine; fourth, musician John DeBoer plays the Native American flute during the ceremony.

The planting of a little white pine tree on the grounds of Salem Heights, the Sisters of the Precious Blood central house in Dayton, on Sept. 17 dealt a large symbolic blow to vio­lence in the community and around the world.

As part of the planting, Sis­ters joined peace advocates and Trotwood city officials to bury the remnants of a destroyed handgun. In a ceremony full of symbolism, Guy Jones of Five Rivers Chautauqua and a member of the Lakota Nation of Native Americans burned incense as musician John De­Boer played the Native Ameri­can flute. Precious Blood Sister Judy Niday led the group of about 40 in prayer, followed by the burying of the cut-up pieces of a shiny, silver weapon by Trotwood Police Chief Erik Wilson and restored citizen Derrick Patrick.

In collaboration with PEACE DAYton and Five Rivers Chau­tauqua, the ceremony was one of 40 events held Sept. 12-29 as an outgrowth of the United Nations International Day for Peace, celebrated annually on Sept. 21.

The day started in the Salem Heights chapel as Sister Joyce Lehman welcomed the visitors by explaining that the Sisters chose the name for their home because they wanted it to be place of peace. The Congrega­tion’s mission is to proclaim God’s love by being a recon­ciling, life-giving presence in today’s fractured world.

“That’s what the Sisters do here,” Sister Joyce said. “They pray for the needs of the world in order that justice might be established so that peace can reign in this world.”

In her remarks, Trotwood Mayor Mary McDonald re­flected on the need for peace not only in our communities, but across the world.

“I think about the peace that’s needed for the people in this land. I think about the de­cisions that I make to enhance the peace and the life of love and the abundance that I’d like to have happen for my family,” she said. “Today being a part of this event is a huge honor. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with each and every one of us. That’s our call.”

The white pine was chosen to represent peace, Jones ex­plained, because the tree’s top four branches are equidistant to each other, yet they all tie to the trunk. We see the same in creation with the four stages of life, four Gospels and four sea­sons – all of which stem from our Creator.

Likewise, humans need to extend a hand and connect with each other.

“We’re going to put away the violence, Jones said. “Let’s all take a vow to live a good life, a peaceful life.”

The event ended with a breaking of bread in the Salem Heights dining room with a blessing led by Sister Marita Beumer. In a final gesture, people at each table broke off a section of bread and shared it with each other.

The previous day a peace pole was permanently in­stalled at Salem Heights to continue the promotion of peace in our community and around the world. The phrase “May peace prevail on earth” is written in eight different languages on the pole: Eng­lish, German, Spanish, Lu­siño, Hindi, Arabic, Chinese and Hebrew. The languages were chosen because they are becoming more widely used around the globe.

Story by Dave Eck; photos by Michelle Bodine

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