PEACE: PEACE POLE  

After the Vigil Mass for Pentecost Sunday, parishioners from Christ the King (CTK) gathered to dedicate their new Peace Pole (watch video). A Peace Pole is an internationally-recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family, standing vigil in silent prayer for peace on earth. St. John Paul II and St. Teresa have dedicated Peace Poles.
 
Here are a few of our parishes that have Peace Poles: St. Peter (Newberg), Holy Family, St. Pius, St. Francis (Sherwood) and the Grotto. (Does your parish have a Peace Pole? Please take a photo and send it to justiceandpeace@archdpdx.org.)
 
Are you interested in obtaining a Peace Pole for your parish? Here is CTK's step-by-step process:
 
A Peace and Justice Ministry member first raised the idea of a Peace Pole. Members of the ministry then presented the idea and information to their pastor before taking the proposal to the Pastoral Council. A month later, the Peace Pole was approved.
 
The CTK Peace Pole would have eight languages (four is also an option), but which ones would CTK choose? The Ministry understood that parishioner support was necessary, so they created a ballot listing a variety of languages (English was already selected) and placed pencils and ballots in the pews. Voting took place during mass. (The following languages received the most votes: Spanish, Vietnamese, Italian, French, Chinese, Tagalog, and Arabic.)
CTK ordered their pole from The Peace Pole Project. The parish paid for the pole and the Ministry paid for a plaque with the intention, "Let Peace Begin With Me" and the year, 2018.
 
Immediately following the dedication, the parish hosted a Pentecost celebration in the Parish Center.