Following the Memorial Day Ceremony at San Francisco National Cemetery at the Presidio (read the full story of the ceremony at the Presidio immediately following this story) there was an Interfaith Memorial Day Service at the Main Post Chapel at the Presidio. It was a remarkable event. It was remarkable in that the theme of the service was an end to war ... not only the current war in Iraq, but an end to all war. It was a Celebration of the Spirit of Peace.
"The beginning of the end of war is remembrance"
- Herman Wouk, War and Remembrance
It was a time and place for doves. None of the hawks of war were present. Reverend Paul Chaffee, founding executive director of the Interfaith Center at the Presidio and a well-known peace advocate in the Bay Area, lead an impressive list of speakers and performers. - Herman Wouk, War and Remembrance
Iftekar Hai from the Muslim community lead the Call to Prayer chant in Arabic and spoke softly and gently about the need for immediate peace in the world.
Colonel Stanley Grogan (Ret), whose father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all U.S. Army officers and who himself fought in World war II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, told the assembled guests that his greatest desire and hope is to end war forever and always.
Reverend P. Gerard O'Rourke, ecumenical and interfaith officer emeritus of the Archdiocese of San Francisco spoke of the need for a peaceful world and the end to war.
"Until religions make peace, the world will be at war
And religions will not be at peace until they are in dialogue"
-Hans Kung
And religions will not be at peace until they are in dialogue"
-Hans Kung
To learn more about the Interfaith Center at the Presidio visit them online at www.interfaith-presidio.org or call Rev. Paul Chaffee at or .
photo courtesy of Citybirds.com
2 comments:
Great post. Thanks, it is wonderful to hear that people are talking of peace.
Onanite
I had no idea something like the Interfaith Chapel existsed. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
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