Eileen Egan Papers

Fonds

Identifier: EEG

Staff Only

Scope and Content

Correspondence, printed matter, mimeographed reports, fliers, clippings, and a history of the American PAX Association by Eileen Egan, "Crime Against God and Man: the Struggle of the Small Vehicle, PAX"; with material on Christian nonviolence, on the Catholic just war doctrine and difficulties of Catholic conscientious objectors during the Vietnam War; including documentation of the PAX Tivoli Conferences at the Catholic Worker Farm and a few items pertaining to other issues of justice and peace such as the grape boycott, the civil rights movement, and the poverty of Calcutta. Also a copy of her 1999 book, Peace Be With You: Justified Warfare or the Way of Nonviolence.

Dates

Creation: 1955-1999; bulk 1967-1971

Creator

Egan, Eileen (Person)

Language of Materials

English.

Conditions Governing Access

History of PAX is not to be quoted without permission from the author.

Background

Eileen Egan served as Vice-Chairman and editor of publications for PAX (the American PAX Association) and wrote a history of this peace organization in 1992. Founded in New York City in October of 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the American PAX Association consisted of Catholics concerned with Church teaching on peace and war. Following the example of PAX England, the members defined themselves as "an association of Catholics and others who seek to promote peace and to encourage the practical application of Christian principles to the question of war." They pondered the traditional Catholic just war doctrine, questioned nationalism, patriotism, and the authority of the state, and promoted Christian nonviolence. Members included Eileen Egan, Howard Everngam, and Gordon Zahn. In 1972, PAX became Pax Christi USA, the American branch of Pax Christi International.