War is costing us the Earth! The environmental impacts due to conflicts and militarization underscore the pressing need for peace. It’s time to end the nearly $1 trillion a year being spent on wars and the military and halt the $1.5 trillion planned to replace the entire nuclear arsenal with new weapons and delivery systems. We must refuse to pay for war and weapons and do what Christ asked…to love our enemies, and do good to those who harm us. Retaliation and “tit for tat” thinking will not bring the peace we seek, but it will destroy us and our beautiful planet. ---Don Timmerman
DON’S JOKES
I never took up golfing. Chasing a ball from a tee to a cup is not my cup of tee. Ole and Lena were at the drive-in movie. Ole says, "Say Lena, you wanna get in the back seat?" Lena says, "Naw, Ole, I'd just as soon stay up here with you. Ole and Lena walked into a fancy grocery store. "Will you look at that Ole - they got these green fuzzy potatoes." "Those aren't potatoes. Those are kiwis - what they use to make the shoe polish." A police dog responds to an ad for work with the FBI. This perfect canine specimen finishes the course in record time. "There's one last requirement," the director continues; "you must be bilingual." With confidence, the dog looks up at her and says, "Meow!" I sold the vacuum cleaner. It was just gathering dust. There was an explosion at a cheese factory in France. There was deBrie everywhere. A woman walks into a bar with a giraffe and guides the giraffe to a corner and has it sit down. The bartender yells, “Hey, you can’t leave that lyin’ there!” The woman turns around and says, “It’s not a lion. It’s a giraffe.” “How does the moon cut his hair? Eclipse it. What kind of noise does a witch’s vehicle make? Brrrroooom, brrroooom. What did the flowers do when the bride walked down the aisle? They rose. How was the handsome runner described? Dashing. How does the ocean greet you? It waves. What did the mama cow say to the calf? It’s pasture bedtime! Why did the Genie get mad? Because he was rubbed the wrong way.
INTERESTING FACTS
About two-thirds of everything we take from the earth is wasted.---National Geographic
Almost half of all federal income taxes paid out go for weapons, war, training for the military, weapons for other countries at war, rebuilding what was destroyed in wars, and bringing back to health those injured in war. ----War Resisters League
Over 70,000 Palestinians have been wounded as of February. A 13-year-old Palestinian boy, Zein Oroq, who survived an Israeli airstrike on his home in November, has now died after being hit in the head with an aid package that was being dropped from the sky and after being trampled by other people rushing to the aid boxes. The airstrike in November had killed 17 members of his extended family. ---Democracy Now
The official death toll in Gaza is nearing 34,000, including over 14,000 children and 10,000 women. A new report by U.N. Women finds that Israel’s assault on Gaza has left more than 19,000 children orphaned. Last month, Israel struck a playground and a busy market in the Maghazi refugee camp. ---Democracy Now
A Catholic Worker from Mary House in Wisconsin Dells, Cassandra Dixon, with some other volunteers, are on a flotilla with tons of food and other necessities that they hope to deliver to the Palestinians in Gaza. Cassandra was in Palestine many times escorting the children to school, keeping the Israeli soldiers away from the kids. Please send donations to Mary House, 3579 County Road G, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965.
Police recently arrested anti-nuclear weapons protesters in Kansas City, MO at the National Security Campus. It was part of the Faith and Resistance Retreat conducted by Catholic Worker communities. ---Kansas City Star
Mumia Abu-Jamal recently celebrated his 70th year of life. This is a vital opportunity to take a hard look at what it means that he has been incarcerated for more than 42 years. Many prisoners, like Leonard Peltier, are serving life sentences, or what has come to be known as Death by Incarceration (DBI). They face the bleak prospect of aging and dying far away from their families and communities. Fifteen percent of this country’s prisoners are serving DBI sentences. Two-thirds of those condemned are of African descent. Half are 50 or older. ---Center for Constitutional Rights/Prison Radio
We are the reason for the immigration problem so we must fix it by becoming more just and less greedy. How about giving less money for weapons and war and helping people of other countries to be better off. People would be better off if nobody tried to become better off. NPR reports that the world’s 5 richest men have more than doubled their combined wealth since 2020. Nearly 5 billion people grew poorer during that same period. Peace, Don Timmerman
The present needs of Casa Maria are: 39-gallon garbage bags, laundry and dish soap, towels, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, Bibles, Qurans & prayers. Our full needs list can be found here. Thanks for helping our community and guests!
Saturday, May 4 ----Benefit for Casa Maria at the Coffee House, 2717 East Hampshire Street in Milwaukee 7:30 pm to 9:30pm. Please bring voices and instruments (if you wish) for great music. Click here for more details.
Thursday, May 16----Anti-ROTC Vigil at Marquette U. in front of the M.U. Library on Wisconsin Ave. from noon to 1pm
Thursday, May 23---Anti-Gun Vigil at Dunham Sports 2550 S. 108th St. from noon to 1pm
NOTES FROM 21ST STREET: Lately I have been struck by the goodness of people I have known and know. In this time of polarization and negativity it is good to reflect on the amazing people around us. Their kindness and compassion can bring hope to us when it all seems overwhelming. In the past, Casa Maria had many saints; Sister Pat with her energy for justice and the poor, Don Bosco, a man that would give the shirt off his back if someone was in need and Genene, known as “Grandma” to the children living at Casa because of the love she shared. Presently there are many young people doing good for others. Also, the seasoned Catholic Workers like Michael who works for environmental justice with weekly protests at various Chase banks. He asks them to divest their investments in the fossil fuel industry. Lincoln who does not pay federal taxes that fund war and weapons. He also encourages others to do the same. Also, Caitlin, who works to create a caring, inclusive community on 21st Street. Presently I also find hope in people like Casandra Dixon who is traveling on a ship loaded with medical supplies for Gaza. The thoughtful people who show concern as Don struggles with health issues. Susan, Kaye and Binnie, friends who help me in difficult times. Those are just a few people. I hope you might take time to reflect on the goodness of people around you. I believe it will raise your spirit. Hopefully it will make each of us strive to attain that kindness for ourselves. Peace, Roberta
DON’S JOKES
I never took up golfing. Chasing a ball from a tee to a cup is not my cup of tee. Ole and Lena were at the drive-in movie. Ole says, "Say Lena, you wanna get in the back seat?" Lena says, "Naw, Ole, I'd just as soon stay up here with you. Ole and Lena walked into a fancy grocery store. "Will you look at that Ole - they got these green fuzzy potatoes." "Those aren't potatoes. Those are kiwis - what they use to make the shoe polish." A police dog responds to an ad for work with the FBI. This perfect canine specimen finishes the course in record time. "There's one last requirement," the director continues; "you must be bilingual." With confidence, the dog looks up at her and says, "Meow!" I sold the vacuum cleaner. It was just gathering dust. There was an explosion at a cheese factory in France. There was deBrie everywhere. A woman walks into a bar with a giraffe and guides the giraffe to a corner and has it sit down. The bartender yells, “Hey, you can’t leave that lyin’ there!” The woman turns around and says, “It’s not a lion. It’s a giraffe.” “How does the moon cut his hair? Eclipse it. What kind of noise does a witch’s vehicle make? Brrrroooom, brrroooom. What did the flowers do when the bride walked down the aisle? They rose. How was the handsome runner described? Dashing. How does the ocean greet you? It waves. What did the mama cow say to the calf? It’s pasture bedtime! Why did the Genie get mad? Because he was rubbed the wrong way.
INTERESTING FACTS
About two-thirds of everything we take from the earth is wasted.---National Geographic
Almost half of all federal income taxes paid out go for weapons, war, training for the military, weapons for other countries at war, rebuilding what was destroyed in wars, and bringing back to health those injured in war. ----War Resisters League
Over 70,000 Palestinians have been wounded as of February. A 13-year-old Palestinian boy, Zein Oroq, who survived an Israeli airstrike on his home in November, has now died after being hit in the head with an aid package that was being dropped from the sky and after being trampled by other people rushing to the aid boxes. The airstrike in November had killed 17 members of his extended family. ---Democracy Now
The official death toll in Gaza is nearing 34,000, including over 14,000 children and 10,000 women. A new report by U.N. Women finds that Israel’s assault on Gaza has left more than 19,000 children orphaned. Last month, Israel struck a playground and a busy market in the Maghazi refugee camp. ---Democracy Now
A Catholic Worker from Mary House in Wisconsin Dells, Cassandra Dixon, with some other volunteers, are on a flotilla with tons of food and other necessities that they hope to deliver to the Palestinians in Gaza. Cassandra was in Palestine many times escorting the children to school, keeping the Israeli soldiers away from the kids. Please send donations to Mary House, 3579 County Road G, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965.
Police recently arrested anti-nuclear weapons protesters in Kansas City, MO at the National Security Campus. It was part of the Faith and Resistance Retreat conducted by Catholic Worker communities. ---Kansas City Star
Mumia Abu-Jamal recently celebrated his 70th year of life. This is a vital opportunity to take a hard look at what it means that he has been incarcerated for more than 42 years. Many prisoners, like Leonard Peltier, are serving life sentences, or what has come to be known as Death by Incarceration (DBI). They face the bleak prospect of aging and dying far away from their families and communities. Fifteen percent of this country’s prisoners are serving DBI sentences. Two-thirds of those condemned are of African descent. Half are 50 or older. ---Center for Constitutional Rights/Prison Radio
We are the reason for the immigration problem so we must fix it by becoming more just and less greedy. How about giving less money for weapons and war and helping people of other countries to be better off. People would be better off if nobody tried to become better off. NPR reports that the world’s 5 richest men have more than doubled their combined wealth since 2020. Nearly 5 billion people grew poorer during that same period. Peace, Don Timmerman
The present needs of Casa Maria are: 39-gallon garbage bags, laundry and dish soap, towels, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, Bibles, Qurans & prayers. Our full needs list can be found here. Thanks for helping our community and guests!
Saturday, May 4 ----Benefit for Casa Maria at the Coffee House, 2717 East Hampshire Street in Milwaukee 7:30 pm to 9:30pm. Please bring voices and instruments (if you wish) for great music. Click here for more details.
Thursday, May 16----Anti-ROTC Vigil at Marquette U. in front of the M.U. Library on Wisconsin Ave. from noon to 1pm
Thursday, May 23---Anti-Gun Vigil at Dunham Sports 2550 S. 108th St. from noon to 1pm
NOTES FROM 21ST STREET: Lately I have been struck by the goodness of people I have known and know. In this time of polarization and negativity it is good to reflect on the amazing people around us. Their kindness and compassion can bring hope to us when it all seems overwhelming. In the past, Casa Maria had many saints; Sister Pat with her energy for justice and the poor, Don Bosco, a man that would give the shirt off his back if someone was in need and Genene, known as “Grandma” to the children living at Casa because of the love she shared. Presently there are many young people doing good for others. Also, the seasoned Catholic Workers like Michael who works for environmental justice with weekly protests at various Chase banks. He asks them to divest their investments in the fossil fuel industry. Lincoln who does not pay federal taxes that fund war and weapons. He also encourages others to do the same. Also, Caitlin, who works to create a caring, inclusive community on 21st Street. Presently I also find hope in people like Casandra Dixon who is traveling on a ship loaded with medical supplies for Gaza. The thoughtful people who show concern as Don struggles with health issues. Susan, Kaye and Binnie, friends who help me in difficult times. Those are just a few people. I hope you might take time to reflect on the goodness of people around you. I believe it will raise your spirit. Hopefully it will make each of us strive to attain that kindness for ourselves. Peace, Roberta
To celebrate the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, we joined the Women's Ordination Conference in calling on the Church to ordain women and gender non-conforming folks. The empty shoe represents those who have gone the extra mile for the Church yet have been denied a voice.
Above: "Grandma" Genene (in blue) next to Roberta along with many others on Casa Maria's front steps