It's a good day for a peace conference

Dennis Yusko at the Times Union writes about the annual Kateri Tekakwitha Peace Conference over in Fonda, which ends later today:

There's a stirring among area activists about the annual Kateri Tekakwitha Peace Conference, a desire to grow, get away from stereotypes and create "critical mass."

Organizers say it has grown in the last five years as the Iraq war, torture and government surveillance became national issues. The event will take place today and Saturday at a shrine on Route 5 in the Montgomery County community of Fonda that honors the 17th-century Mohawk Indian woman who has been proposed for sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.

But they say that they are looking to make the meeting's 10th edition, which starts Friday with dinner and a discussion, a new jumping off point for promoting a broader movement model: "responsible citizenship."

"There's a paradigm shift from national security to planetary sustainability," said Maureen Aumand of Colonie, who will make opening remarks for Saturday's workshops with John Amidon of Albany, a member of Veterans for Peace.

You can read more here. Albany Catholic hopes to see you there.