Ken Butigan met Pope Francis at a 2019 Vatican conference. (Courtesy of the Vatican)
Father Stan Chu Ilo (left) chats with Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe during a breakfast at DePaul in 2015. (DePaul University/Jamie Moncrief)
Ken Butigan (left) assists in holding a banner during a Sunday Angelus led by Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square. The sign reads “Gospel Nonviolence – The Way to Peace.” (Photo courtesy of Pax Christi International)
Ken Butigan has taught at DePaul for 20 years as part of the Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies Program and Catholic Studies Department. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)
DePaul's Ken Butigan has spent decades working for peace. He's advocated for causes from ending homelessness and stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons, to freedom for East Timor and peace amid the U.S. wars in Iraq. He also serves on the executive committee of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative, whose mission is to promote nonviolence as a spirituality and way of life.
Recently, Pope Francis bestowed an Apostolic Blessing as the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative launched the new Catholic Institute for Nonviolence.
“May it be charity and nonviolence that guide the world and the way we treat one another," said the Pope in a message to those gathered in Rome.
Butigan, who's taught at DePaul for 20 years as part of the Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies Program and Catholic Studies Department, is on the institute's coordinating committee, while Father Stan Chu Ilo, associate professor in DePaul's Catholic Studies Department, serves on the institute's advisory council.
The Catholic Institute for Nonviolence will build on the initiative's past research, writing and publishing. This includes exploring the biblical, theological, ethical, pastoral and strategic dimensions of nonviolence. The goal is to deepen the theological and strategic foundations for a nonviolent life in the Church and to inform Church teachings and pastoral approaches.
“We are inspired by the prophetic vision of Pope Francis to call on the Church to recover the nonviolence of Jesus and to integrate its spirituality, way of life, strategies for social and personal change, and universal ethic throughout the life and institution of the Church," Butigan says.
Brighter future as younger generations embrace nonviolence
Despite many active conflicts globally, Butigan remains hopeful that nonviolence and peace is possible.
“We are living in a time when we have many tools for putting nonviolence into practice," Butigan says.
Examples Butigan studies and champions include nonviolent communication, trauma healing, peace circles, anti-racism training, and systematic restorative justice. Additionally, he cites resources for resisting larger systems of war and social injustice.
“All of these developments — as well as many decades of personally being part of successful nonviolent movements for justice and peace — gives me encouragement. But what gives me the most hope are my students here at DePaul, many of whom are engaged in a range of efforts for justice and peace, and who are preparing to be the tremendous change-makers this world sorely needs."
Chu Ilo shares a similar vision for a brighter future.
“In many of the atrocities that we see in our world today or in the past, we see so many people who transcend the hatred, deceptions, manipulations, blood money and destruction of lives and reflect a different logic of love, forgiveness, mercy and peace," Chu Ilo says.
Chu Ilo says his hope is built on experiences with DePaul students.
“They reject the divisions in the world or in the U.S; they detest the culture of violence and the injustice, poverty and suffering of many innocent people in these wars. The idealism of these young students gives me hope that they will break the cycle of violence that we are passing on to the next generation," Chu Ilo adds.
The work continues
Butigan recently traveled to Palestine and wrote about his experience for America magazine. “Inspired by my Catholic faith, I long for peace with justice … This longing, I found on my trip, was shared by so many people we met. Everywhere we went, we heard that the only viable way to bridge deep, historic divides and to construct a more just and sustainable life is through active and liberating nonviolence," Butigan wrote.
He also participated in a panel discussion October 25 in Rome titled “The Role of the Church in Nurturing a Global Nonviolent Shift." More information on the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence is available on the Pax Christi International website.
Russell Dorn is a senior manager of media relations in University Communications.