I've known Frank Cordaro from Des Moines for about 25 years and he would never
treat those kids like that. He would talk to them like people. He would
assume they were screwed down and out by the system and that's why they're
doing what they're doing. But he would express his point of view and tell them
about what he was *doing* to stop war. Ever been arrested in an act of
nonviolent civil disobedience? Here's Frank's contact sheet:
Jan 2002
Biographical Information for Fr. Frank Cordaro
Fr. Frank Cordaro, Catholic Worker Community
P. O. Box 4551
Des Moines IA 50306
ph: (515) 243-0765
Des Moines Catholic Worker web page: http://www.no-nukes.org/dmcw
e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Educational Background:
Fr. Cordaro is 51 years old. He was born and raised in Des Moines, IA. He
graduated from Dowling High School in Des Moines, IA, in 1969. He got his B.A
in Physical Education & Health from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar
Falls, IA, in 1973; Masters of Divinity from Aquinas Institute of Theology in
Dubuque, IA, in 1976; and two years of continued seminary formation at St.
Johns in Collegeville, MN, in 1983 -85. Co-founded Des Moines Catholic Worker:
1976-1983
Fr. Cordaro dropped out of the seminary at Aquinas Institute of Theology in
Dubuque, IA, in the summer of 1976 and helped co-found the Des Moines Catholic
Worker Community. He spent seven years with the Des Moines Catholic Worker
helping to run three houses of hospitality for homeless women and families.
While at the Catholic Worker, Fr. Cordaro participated in many public protests
and acts of nonviolent civil disobedience. He was arrested numerous times and
spent a total of ten months in jails and prisons. His protest efforts covered a
wide range of issues including nuclear weapons, the arms race, US foreign
policies, nuclear power and issues surrounding poverty in the USA.
St. Johns Seminary & Ordination: 1983-1985 In the Fall of 1983, Fr. Cordaro
re-entered the seminary process. He was sent to St. Johns Seminary in
Collegeville, MN, for two years to complete his seminary studies. While at St.
Johns, Fr. Cordaro continued his work on social justice issues, leading campus
protests and witnesses against the presence of ROTC on St. Johns campus, lead
delegations of students to Washington D.C. during Spring Break to work with the
homeless at the Community For Creative Nonviolence and protested at the
Pentagon with the Jonah House resistance community from Baltimore. While at St.
Johns, Fr. Frank was arrested twice at Honeywell Headquarters in Minneapolis
and at a farm protest in Marshall MN.
Fr. Cordaro was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of Des Moines, IA,
by Bishop Dingman in June 1985. Pastor St. Annes & Holy Family: 1985-1992 Fr.
Cordaros first assignment was to a Team Ministry in Harrison County IA and
pastor to St. Annes Parish in Logan, IA and Holy Family Parish in Mondamin,
IA. Fr. Cordaro spent the next seven years in Harrison County. While there, he
continued to be committed to the Catholic Worker and to resistance work. He was
arrested over 15 times in non-violent acts of civil disobedience for a wide
range of issues, including nuclear weapons, the arms race, US foreign policies,
nuclear power, the farm crisis and abortion. He served three different
six-month prison terms while in Harrison County for "crossing the line" at the
Strategic Air Command, now the Strategic Nuclear Command, at Offutt Air Force
Base in Bellevue, NE. Associate Pastor St. Pat in C.B.: 1992-1995. Upon his
release from Federal Prison Camp in November 1992, Fr.
Cordaro was assigned to St. Patricks Parish in Council Bluffs, IA, as an
associate pastor. While in Council Bluffs, Fr. Cordaro served as an adjunct
teacher for the Buena Vista College Center in Council Bluffs. In May of 1994,
Fr. Cordaro "crossed the line" at the Strategic Nuclear Command at Offutt Air
Force Base and received another six month prison sentence. Pastor Holy Trinity
of SE Warren Co: 1995-1998 In June of 1995, Fr. Cordaro was appointed the
pastor of Holy Trinity Parish of SE Warren County, serving the Catholic
communities in Milo, Rosemount and Lacona, IA, about 45 miles SE of Des Moines.
Resistance and social justice concerns continued to drive him. In his three
years in SE Warren Co., Fr. Cordaro was arrested at the Pentagon in Washington
D.C., in New York City and during Governor Branstad's January 1997 State of the
State Address at the Iowa State Capitol protesting the Governors attempt to
reinstate the death penalty in Iowa Gods of Metal Plowshares:
1998 - 1999 Fr. Cordaro left his pastorate in April of 1998 to participate in
the May 17th Gods of Metal Plowshares witness at the annual Military Open House
at Andrews Air Force Base in southern MD. Fr. Cordaro and four others took
hammers and blood to a B-52 Bomber in a modest effort to disarm this weapon of
mass destruction. All five plowshares activist were found guilty of destruction
of government property in a two-day trial in Greenbelt MD, Fr. Cordaro was
given a six month sentence and was released from the Federal Prison Camp in
Yankton SD March 19, 1998. One Year Leave of Absence -1999-2000.
Upon his release, Fr Cordaro was placed on a one year leave of absence from
active priestly ministry. He could not promise his Bishop not to be a "law
breaker". He moved into the Des Moines Catholic Worker community. After the one
year leave of absence, he renegotiated with his Bishop to return to priestly
ministry. He promised not to publicly advocate for womens ordination and other
reforms in the Church, and to dialogue with the Bishop on a case by case basis
regarding his law-breaking activities. 2001 to present, Fr. Cordaro has been
assigned to part time, temporary pastoral assignments in the Des Moines
Diocese, filling in where needed and continues to live and work at the Des
Moines Catholic Worker. He also continues in his resistance work, and has been
arrested several times at the IA Air National Guard Headquarters in Des Moines,
and most recently returning to Offutt Air Force Base and StratCom Headquarters
in Omaha, crossing the line on Aug 9, 2001. Fr. Cordaro
suffered a heart attack in September of 2001. He was also indicted for
breaking his ban and bar letters from Offutt AFB. His trial was postponed until
March 6, 2002, to give him time to recover from his heart attack. He expects to
return to prison for another six-month sentence in March. Activist Priest Fr.
Cordaro sees himself as a second generation "Berrigan-type" priest, seeing in
Fr. Dan Berrigan, SJ and Phil Berrigan, two good role models for what is
possible in the ordained priesthood. Fr. Cordaro gives talks to high school,
universities and community groups in the region. Some of his favorite topics
are; "Jesus the Nonviolent Resister", "A Call for a Resistance Church" and "Why
More Christians Should Be In Jail".
38 Months of Jail Time: Fr. Cordaro has spent a total of 38 months in jails
and prisons in the USA. He can speak from first-hand experience about the
Federal judicial system and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
---------------------------------
Duveyoung <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Nice report, Curtis.
Whenever I've see a soldier in uniform eating at a restaurant, I do
this ego thang. Here's what I do: I say, "I'm totally against the
Iraq war, but I'm 100% for you. Any military person in Iraq has
someone aiming a gun at them all the time, and to just show up there
is bravery beyond anything I've ever done in my life. And may I buy
your dinner, cuz you're giving me and my country such deeply honorable
service?"
They all say, No," sheepishly usually, saying, "I've got money," but I
say, "Look, this is for me, not you. I really need this symbol of
support for our troops." They smile and are a bit uncomfortable, but
I lay down the money on the table and say, "If you can't use the
money, I'm sure you know someone who can. Pass it forward." And I
turn and leave.
Oh, shame on me, but it feels good and I can't stop it. These poor
kids who get themselves into the military for all the wrong reasons
just break my heart when they slog through their commitments. They've
got something I know not of.
Edg
Recent Activity
1
New Members
1
New Photos
Visit Your Group
New web site?
Drive traffic now.
Get your business
on Yahoo! search.
Y! GeoCities
Be Interactive
Create a conver-
sation with blogs.
Yahoo! Groups
Start a group
in 3 easy steps.
Connect with others.
.
---------------------------------
Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?
Check outnew cars at Yahoo! Autos.
