Saturday, May 28, 2016: Annual Jones Beach Peace Vigil
Please join us on Saturday, May 28 at Annual Memorial Day Vigil at Jones Beach
We at Pax Christi Long Island believe that Memorial Day is supposed to be about prayerful remembrance of those who have lost their lives in the nation’s wars—from a war of national survival, World War II, to controversial wars such as Vietnam and Iraq. Whatever we think of the war, we pray with equal fervor for those died in any of them.
Memorial Day should not be about future wars. It should not be about a celebration of military hardware, like the hugely expensive, not terribly useful F-35 fighter that will be flying over Jones Beach. It’s a weapons system that even Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a staunchly pro-military legislator, has called “both a scandal and a tragedy.” And Jones Beach on Memorial Day should not be a venue for military recruiters to sign up young people for future wars.
Those beliefs are what impel us every Memorial Day weekend to show up at the beach and hold a vigil to remember the dead—especially those from Long Island. This is our 13th annual vigil. We hope you’ll think about joining us.
The vigil begins with a prayer service at 10 AM on Saturday, May 28, in the plaza near the “needle” tower. After the service, we’ll walk along the beach, starting at 10:45. Along the way, we’ll be handing out flyers to explain what our vigil is all about.
If you’re planning to come, try to get to Parking Field 4 early, because it fills up fast. We recommend that you arrive by 8:30. The parking fee is $10.
Weather Note: If the weather looks threatening, and you want to find out whether we’re still going ahead with the vigil, please check this website’s events page before setting out for Jones Beach.
We hope to see you there, but if you can’t make it, please pray for those who have died in war, and pray for peace. And if you agree with us that a military air show is not the best way to commemorate the dead, please think about writing a letter to the folks at Bethpage Federal Credit Union, who sponsor it.
For more info, Email: catholicpeaceli@gmail.com