Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options

Daniel J. Berrigan, S.J., was remembered during his funeral Mass as a “fierce, mischievous visionary,” a “Beatnik Jesuit friend,” a priest who “taught the sacrament of resistance” and a loving uncle ruled by faith, not fear. More than 800 people packed the Church of St. Francis Xavier in New York to cheer the life of the Jesuit at a festive service on May 6. Berrigan, a poet, author and longtime peace activist, died on April 30 at age 94. Stephen M. Kelly, S.J., said that Berrigan and his late brother and fellow activist Philip were men who lived the Resurrection and challenged religious leaders to know “bomb-blessing has no place in Jesus’ self-giving.” Elizabeth McAlister, widow of Philip Berrigan, ended her eulogy with a call to service. “Sisters and brothers, it is of no service to Dan or to his memory for us to simply hold him up as an icon, especially in ways that exempt us from responsibility,” McAlister said. “How much better would it be if we asked for a double portion of Dan’s spirit, and better yet, if we acted on it?”

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.

The latest from america

Just halfway through his period of convalescence, Pope Francis not only appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica on Easter Sunday to give the Urbi et Orbi blessing—to the city of Rome (“urbi”) and to the world (“orbi”)—but he also drove among the crowd in his jeep.
Gerard O’ConnellApril 20, 2025
Against the backdrop of deep differences with the Trump administration over migration and foreign aid as well as concerns for Ukraine and for Gaza, the Vatican secretary of state welcomed U.S. Vice President JD Vance to the Vatican.
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, attended the liturgy with his wife, Usha, a practicing Hindu, and his three children after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni earlier in the day.
My Catholic identity and my wife’s Protestant identity continue to endure, and our faith has developed together in greater harmony, knowing that our love for each other was ultimately grounded in our love for God.
Damian WhitneyApril 17, 2025