Service to celebrate life of Philip Berrigan

On Saturday, 2 October, the Greenham Common Commemorative Site near Newbury will be the venue for an act of remembrance and thanksgiving for the life of Philip Berrigan the Catholic anti-war activist and campaigner who died at the age of 79 in 2002. His daughter Frida Berrigan, a senior research associate on arms trade at the World Policy Institute in New York, will speak at the event which is co-ordinated by the Greenham Commemorative Fund, Catholic Peace Action, Christian CND, Fellowship of Reconciliation and Pax Christi. Greenham Common, the site of the Women's Peace Camp and the place where US cruise missiles were stored during the 1980s, is an appropriate venue for such a commemoration of a man who dedicated his life to ridding the world of nuclear weapons. Speaking just before his death he said: "I die with the conviction, held since 1968, that nuclear weapons are the scourge of the earth; to mine for them, manufacture them, deploy them, use them is a curse against God, the human family and the earth itself." Berrigan began his commitment to peace and social justice in 1962 with his involvement in the Civil Rights movement. It continued throughout his life with resistance of the Vietnam war, US nuclear policy and US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 1980, with seven others, he took part in a disarmament action at the GE nuclear missile plant, King of Prussia, which became know as the first Plowshare action. Between 1980 and 1999 Philip participated in five more Plowshare actions resulting in seven years of imprisonment. In 2001, a year before he died, he spent a year in prison for his final Plowshare action. The event begins at 1.30pm. In addition to the address by Frida Berrigan there will be tributes from the supporting organisations as well as readings and music. For more information contact: Pat Gaffney at Pax Christi on 020 8203 4884; Dan Martin of Catholic Peace Action on : 020 8871 3436 or Chris Cole from the Fellowship of Reconciliation: 01832 720 257