Resume of John Dear

1959.

Born on August 13th in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

1977.

Attends fall semester at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., then switches to Duke University, North Carolina.

1981.

May, Graduates from Duke, Magna Cum Laude.
September, begins working at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Foundation;

graduate courses at Georgetown University.

1982.

June-July, travels throughout Israel.
August 18th, enters the Society of Jesus, at Wernersville, Pennsylvania.
Fall, works at the John Paul II Center for Handicapped Children

1983.

Spring, works at the Trinity Spiritual Center in Harrisburg, PA, and the Gesu Church in Philadelphia.

1984.

Spring, founds and directs the D.C. Schools Project for Salvadoran Youth, at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
April 17th, first arrest for civil disobedience at the Pentagon.
August 18th, professes vows as a Jesuit, Wernersville, PA.
September 1st, moves to New York; begins graduate studies in philosophy at Fordham University

1985.

May-August, lives and works in El Salvador. Travels to Nicaragua and Guatemala.

1986.

May-August, works at Witness for Peace with Nicaragua, in Washington, D.C.
September 1st, moves to Scranton, PA to begin teaching at Scranton Prep High School.

1987.

Disarming the Heart: Toward a Vow of Nonviolence published.

1988.

Jean Donovan and the Call to Discipleship published.
June 1st. Moves to Washington, D.C. to work at the McKenna Center for the homeless and St. Aloysius church.

August, travels to El Salvador.

1989.

September 1st. Moves to Berkeley, California to begin studies at the Graduate Theological Union.

Nov., arrested in protests in the Bay Area and L.A., after 6 Jesuits killed in El Salvador

Christ Is With the Poor: Stories of Horace McKenna published.

1990.

Our God Is Nonviolent published.
January, 21-day public fast for an end to US military aid to El Salvador.

March, first calls Mother Teresa to intervene with a governor to stop an execution.
Summer, travels to the Philippines and El Salvador.

1991

Oscar Romero and the Nonviolent Struggle for Justice published.
It’s a Sin to Build a Nuclear Weapon: The Writings of Richard McSorley published.
Words of Peace: Selections from Daniel Berrigan published.

Jan.-March, organizes regular demonstrations in the Bay Area during Iraq war.

1992.

Seeds of Nonviolence published.
May, receives Master of Divinity Degree;
May-August, lives in Guatemala;

October, leads three-week fact-finding delegation to Haiti.

1993.

May, receives Master of Sacred Theology Degree;
June 12th, ordained Catholic priest, begins working at St. Aloysius’ church in D.C.
December 7th, arrested and jailed for Plowshares disarmament action in Goldsboro, North Carolina, with Philip Berrigan and friends.

1994.

July 22nd, released from jail; begins 12 months under house arrest, Washington, D.C.
The God of Peace: Toward a Theology of Nonviolence published.
The Sacrament of Civil Disobedience published.

1995.

Peace Behind Bars: A Journal from Jail published.
May 1st, moves to Richmond, Virginia, becomes director of the Sacred Heart Center.
Summer, organized protest against the Smithsonian’s “Enola Gay/Hiroshima” exhibit.

Aug. 6, organizes and speaks at 50th anniv. Commemoration of Hiroshima at the National Cathedral (with Martin Sheen and Daniel Berrigan)

1996.

Apostle of Peace: Essays in Honor of Daniel Berrigan published.

May, organizes and hosts massive 75th birthday event for Daniel Berrigan, New York.

Sept. hosts benefit concert with Jackson Browne and Bruce Hornsby, Richmond.

1997.

January, moves to New York City, to teach theology for the spring semester at Fordham University.
September 1st, moves to Derry, Northern Ireland for sabbatical “tertianship” year.

Begins working at a human rights center in Belfast twice a week.

1998.

June, moves to New York City, becomes director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation.
And the Risen Bread: Selected Poems of Daniel Berrigan published.
The Road to Peace: Writings on Peace and Justice by Henri Nouwen published.

1999.

The Vision of Peace: Faith and Hope in Northern Ireland, The Writings of Mairead Maguire published.
The Sound of Listening: A Retreat Journal from Thomas Merton’s Hermitage published.
March, leads Nobel Peace Laureate delegation to Iraq;
October, leads interfaith delegation to Palestine and Israel.

2000.

Jesus the Rebel published.
Summer, organizes “The People’s Campaign for Nonviolence,” 40 days of protest, Washington, D.C., culminating in a peace march from the Lincoln Memorial to the White House with 2500 people (with Pete Seeger and Ralph Nader)

2001.

“Living Peace” published by Doubleday.
Jan. 16, arrested at the United Nations, in protest of sanctions on Iraq.
April 15, arrested on Good Friday at the USS Intrepid War Museum, New York City.

Steps down as director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation
September 11th, begins volunteer work as a Red Cross chaplain for family members who lost loved ones in the World Trade Center disaster; becomes Red Cross coordinator of chaplains at the Family Assistance Center.

2002.

“Mohandas Gandhi: Essential Writings” published in July.
August, moves to northeastern New Mexico to become pastor of churches in Cimarron, Springer, Maxwell, Eagle Nest, Tinaja, Reyado, and Paolo Blanco.

2003.

“Mary of Nazareth, Prophet of Peace” published.
Jan. 18, speaks to 300,000 people at the anti-war rally in Washington, D.C.
Forms “Pax Christi New Mexico,” a region of the national Catholic peace movement.

Nov., 75 soldiers march on John’s rectory in Springer, NM chanting death threats.

2004.

“The Questions of Jesus” published by Doubleday.
“Testimony: The Word Made Fresh” by Daniel Berrigan published, editor

Moves to house on a mountaintop mesa near Galisteo, NM

2005.

Jan., month long pilgrimage to India with Arun Gandhi, Gandhi’s grandson.
Aug. 6, coordinates and leads the first “sackcloth and ashes” act of repentance at Los Alamos, New Mexico on the 60th anniversary of Hiroshima

2006.

Month long journey to Colombia;

“You Will Be My Witnesses,” published by Orbis Books
August, begins weekly online column for the “National Catholic Reporter”

2007.

“Transfiguration,” published by Doubleday
Month long national speaking tour of Australia
Release of the documentary film, “The Narrow Path: Walking the Way of Nonviolence with John Dear.”

2008.

“A Persistent Peace” (John’s autobiography) published
Jan., Archbishop Desmond Tutu nominates John for the Nobel Peace Prize

Fall, Three month national book tour for autobiography

“Put Down Your Sword” published by Eerdmans.

2009.

“John Dear On Peace,” edited by Patricia Normile, published.
“Daniel Berrigan: Essential Writings,” edited by John Dear, published.
Arrested at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada (headquarters of the U.S. drones).
National Speaking tour of New Zealand, plus events in Australia.

2010.

Participates in the “Gaza Freedom March” in Cairo, Egypt
Stands Trial in Las Vegas, Nevada for protesting U.S. drones at Creech Air Force Base.
Oct. 31, receives “Pacem In Terris” award, Davenport, Iowa.

2011.

Serves as Pastor of San Jose de Picacho Church, Picacho, New Mexico (on the U.S.-Mexico border)
“Lazarus, Come Forth” published by Orbis Books.
Addresses Sabeel Palestinian Conference, Bethlehem, Palestine. His talk is published in “Challenging Empire” (available from www.fosna.org)
Profiled in “Divine Rebels” by Deena Guzder (Lawrence Hill Books, 2011)
Receives the “William Sloane Coffin Award” and the “St. Marguerite d’Youville Humanitarian Award”

2012.

“Lazarus, Come Forth!” four month National Book Tour
Featured in “A Faith Not Worth Fighting For,” (published by www.wipfandstock.com, about challenging questions of Gospel nonviolence.)
Aug. addresses annual Greenbelt Festival, England
Dec., travels to Afghanistan, visits the Afghan Peace Volunteers

2013.

“The Nonviolent Life” published by Pace e Bene.
John joins the staff of www.paceebene.org
Speaks in Oslo, Norway with Martin Sheen at the launch of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons;

national speaking tour of Scotland

2014.

Leaves the Jesuits, after being told he can’t work for peace anymore.

Joins the Catholic Diocese of Monterey, California, becomes diocesan priest.
Jan., tours South Africa, meets with Archbishop Tutu in Cape Town.
Four month long “The Nonviolent Life” national speaking tour of the U.S.

July, visits Thich Nhat Hanh in France.
Sept., helps organize www.campaignnonviolence.org, with over 235 demonstrations across the USA

Sept. 23, arrested at the White House for nonviolent civil disobedience against U.S. warmaking

Publishes 5 cd box set audiobook of “The Nonviolent Life”.

2015.

“Walking the Way: Following Jesus on the Lenten Journey of Gospel Nonviolence to the Cross and Resurrection” Published.
“Thomas Merton Peacemaker” published.
Contributes to “We Are All One,” a collection of 300 essays in honor of Thomas Merton’s centenary.
Nominated for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize by the International Committee for Safety and Peace, Rome, Italy; and for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize by Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland;

Sept., helps organize over 370 Campaign Nonviolence actions across the USA

2016.

“The Beatitudes of Peace” published.

April, national speaking tour of England.

April, attends global conference on nonviolence at the Vatican

April 30, Daniel Berrigan dies in New York City.

May, begins work as occasional pastor at the mission church in Yosemite, California.

Sept. helps organize over 750 Campaign Nonviolence actions across the USA.

Launches the “Nonviolent Cities” Project

Nov., speaks at rally at the Standing Rock demonstrations, North Dakota

2017.

“Radical Prayers” published.

Jan. 17, arrested and jailed for protest in Washington, D.C.

Spends rest of the year doing regular community service at the Santa Fe homeless shelter;

May, speaks at the Clinton Presidential Library, Little Rock, Ark.

Sept., helps organize over 1600 Campaign Nonviolence actions across the USA.

2018.

“They Will Inherit the Earth” published.

March 1- June 1, three month, 50 city national book tour.

2019.

March, Meeting on Nonviolence in the Vatican.

June, leads pilgrimage to Northern Ireland.

then, leads Pace e Bene pilgrimage to Assisi, Italy.

2020.

“Praise Be Peace: The Psalms of Peace and Nonviolence in a Time of War and Climate Change” published by 23rd Publications.

August 6. Hosts online commemoration of the 75th anniversary of Hiroshima, www.paceebene.org

Nov. 1. Launches “The Beatitudes Center for the Nonviolent Jesus,” www.beatitudescenter.org

2021.

“The Trouble with Our State” published.

DanielBerrigan.org launched to mark Dan Berrigan’s 100th birthday

2022.

Archbishop Wester’s Pastoral Letter calling for Nuclear Abolition Published (drafted by John Dear), www.archdiosf.org