WHEN I HEARD of Father Dan Berrigan’s death on April 30 at the age of 94, many memories came to mind. I think I had a conversation with Father Berrigan only on two occasions yet, from a distance, he had a strong influence on me. During his life, the Jesuit priest disturbed my conscience, and even now when I think of the commitment he made to following Christ and the courage he evidenced in fulfilling that commitment, he continues to challenge me.
I was never arrested with Father Berrigan when he protested the Vietnam War. Because of him and others, I took part in the Pax Christi March in Manhattan on Good Friday for about 20 years. The march was always inspiring, a wonderful way to spend Good Friday morning. The walk and the liturgy in the afternoon seemed to fit together beautifully. Neither made me comfortable, but each inspired me. The march helped me, and I suspect many others, to see some of the implications of Jesus’ death on the cross. A knee replacement terminated my participation several years ago, but even when I did go, I never joined protesters who voluntarily broke the law knowing that they would be arrested.
Admiration, If Not Agreement
I confess that the thought of spending time in prison has always frightened me. Though I always had the greatest admiration for Father Berrigan, I was never as convinced as he was that the way to battle evils in our society was by publicly protesting to the point of being arrested. Did I not join Father Berrigan because I was not convinced it was the right action to take, or did I not join him because I did not have the courage? I don’t know. Would I have the courage to go to jail for doing some action that I was certain was what God wanted me to do? I hope so. Father Berrigan’s death, like his life, raises questions of conscience.
I was delighted that Father Berrigan’s death made the first pages of The New York Times. Reading that obituary, I was reminded that he was an exceptionally gifted and well-regarded poet. He also taught theology on both the high school and college levels. My guess is that he was a challenging teacher, probably urging students to live their faith.
The best essay I read about Father Berrigan on the occasion of his death was in the Jesuit magazine, America, written by the magazine’s editor, Father Matt Malone, S.J. Father Malone begins his essay by confessing his admiration for the priest in the film “On the Waterfront.” The role of the priest, based on the Jesuit Father John Corridan, who battled the mob-controlled labor unions on the West Side docks was portrayed by Karl Malden.
Father Malone compares Father Berrigan to Father Corridan because, like Father Corridan, Father Berrigan gave his life waging peace and in the process stood up to the powerful and privileged. He writes the following:
“Father Berrigan knew from his own relationship with Jesus Christ that any true encounter with God will scandalize us, destabilize us. An encounter with the God of mercy will make our lives messier before it makes them better. In other words, if we walk away from an encounter with God in the Gospel with our worldviews affirmed, with our previous ideas intact, then, we have seriously missed the mark. Grace is a radicalizing force; it seizes us, transforms us and transports us to heights of head and heart we could previously only imagine.
“Grace is the motive force of every true revolution, a revolution that is first and last a conversion of hearts, or it is no real change at all. Above all, an encounter with the risen Lord should open our eyes to the countless crucifixions that surround us.” (America, May 16, 2016, p. 2)
It does not take a genius to see that we are surrounded by countless crucifixions. We do what we can to help those suffering. Can we do more? I think I know what Father Dan Berrigan’s answer would be. Each of us has to answer for himself or herself. Though I admired Father Berrigan’s courage, I did not follow his example. Still, I hope he does not stop challenging my conscience.
Father Robert Lauder is a philosophy professor at St. John’s University, Jamaica, and author of “Pope Francis’ Spirituality and Our Story” (Resurrection Press).