The following report was written by Kaki Sjogren:
On Sunday, October 31, 1999, I arrived at the prayer vigil at the newly appointed hour, 4 PM, in keeping with our attempt to garner the last bits of daylight. I'd just walked over from a tour of Eastern State Penitentiary. It was the last day of the season for such tours, the first day of the fall/winter time change, and Halloween.
There were six of us present for this vigil. I sat on the sidewalk, very tired from the rigors of the day, and saw things from a different perspective. I was able to look on level into the eyes of a 7-year-old boy who slowly and carefully took us all in. Then, as if he had decided all was well, he turned back to playing with his sister.
It was Quakers who'd conceived of Eastern State as a house of penitance. They sought to reform a corrections system that literally branded criminals, thus subjecting them to humiliation for the rest of their lives. At Eastern, prisoners were put in isolation 24 hours a day for the duration of their sentences, with the expectation that they would then reconcile with God and be redeemed. This was policy from 1829 through 1913. The policy had driven many mad. Now it is generally thought better to reconcile with fellow human beings. Some of us have felt sometimes our prayer witness as a form of penitence. While folks are learning about Quakers at Eastern, others are learning about Quakers because we are praying in front of the Liberty Bell weekly. I dare say that our penitance there has coincidentally become a form of outreach. Many passersby stop and take our Quaker literature.
I pray at the vigils that passersby engage in their conflicts with awareness and compassion, to experience them as opportunities for growth. This is the stuff of transformation. A youth incarcerated in a Phila Prison recently renamed the stuff of our Help Increase the Peace workshop. He calls it "conflict revolution."
I am praying that we Quakers will again and again be at the helm of reform. We must confront all that turns us away from the Spirit. We must commit to living a radical life of faith and practice.
Our prayer vigils at the Liberty Bell (Market Street between 5th and 6th) are now being held from 4 to 5 PM. Before the vigil on November 7th, those who are interested in considering the future of these vigils are invited to gather with us at 3 PM at Friends Center (15th and Cherry Streets), room 21, for worship and discussion.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE
Independence Mall Vigil for PeacePlease join us at our weekly prayer vigils for peace in the world, held in front of the Liberty Bell on Market St. between 5th and 6th, every Sunday from 4 to 5 PM. For more information, contact cityquake@aol.com.
In our reports, participants share their experiences of the prayer vigils and explore beliefs related to their participation. Reports reflect the experience of each author and do not necessarily represent the beliefs or practice of all vigil participants. We welcome your responses, which are forwarded to the individual authors (when possible). We sometimes include part of a response in a future report, unless you ask us not to.
It is meaningful to us that you share in the vigils by reading these reports and in other ways, such as joining us in prayer.
Last modified: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 at 08:18 AM