ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of various views within the Church, and deals with Bishop O'Connor's description of the Church's "official" position. It reviews the early development of the American Catholic peace movement, and focuses on Pax Christi USA, which represents the position supported by some 20 percent of the active American bishops. The chapter analyzes statements by several bishops who are influential advocates within the peace movement. It also deals with an assessment of the pastoral letter issued by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in May 1983. Thomas C. Cornell Identifies Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker movement which she co-founded in 1933 as the principle antecedents of the present Catholic pacifist movement. Some contemporary Catholic peace advocates approach the nuclear issue from the pacifist position, others from the Just-war tradition. Bishop Matthiesen turned the money over to the Catholic Family Service agency in his diocese which was to provide the counseling and dispense financial assistance.
