We could not have done all we have accomplished in our first year by ourselves. For the many of you who have helped us on our way, Thank you!
Here is a short round up. In the past ten months, we purchased a house in such poor condition a bank refused to give us a mortgage; replaced a leaky portion of the roof; removed over 35 cubic yards of trash carpet, broken furniture, shattered windows, and more. We have replaced six windows, two doors, and painted the interior of the house. We also have lain new carpet and vinyl floor. Our new front porch is currently under construction. Also underway is a quite necessary rewiring of the whole house.
It has been equally enjoyable and stressful recovering our home from its broken past and creating a place of hope, joy, and peace.
Other than each of our members maintaining a full time job and renovating our house, we have been engaging in witness against the crimes of the American Empire from Hiroshima and Nagasaki to Iraq and our own broken cities. We seek to share the good news of nonviolence and create a new world without greed and violence and war.
The Reverend John J. "Tex" Hilbert ERIE, PA - The Reverend John J. "Tex" Hilbert, 72, a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, died on Thursday, February 22, 2007. Born March 16, 1934 in Erie, he was the son of the late Joseph M. "Tex" and Mary E. McKenna Hilbert. Father Hilbert graduated from St. John grade school in Erie in 1948 and from Cathedral Preparatory School, Erie, in 1952. He attended Gannon College and St. Mark Seminary in Erie from 1952 to 1954 and then earned his bachelor's degree at St. Mary Seminary and University in Baltimore, Md., in 1956. He completed his seminary studies at Catholic University in Washington, DC in 1960. He received an M.A. from Catholic University in 1962. He was ordained a priest on May 26, 1960 at St. Peter Cathedral in Erie by Auxiliary Bishop Edward McManaman. His home parish at the time of ordination was St. Luke parish in Erie. Father Hilbert was assigned to teach at Gannon College from 1960 to 1963, assisting at St. Ann parish, Erie. From 1963 to 1964, he was assigned as Assistant Superintendent of Schools. He served as the diocesan Director for the Apostleship of Prayer for many years. Beginning in 1963 and for the next 23 years, he served in the diocesan Religious Education Office as Assistant Director from 1963 to 1964, and as Director from 1964 to 1986. He received numerous national recognitions for his service. He served as diocesan Director of Campus Ministry from 1963 to 1981. During these years, he resided at St. John the Baptist parish, Erie, from 1963 to 1968, and at Mercyhurst College from 1968 to 1986. He also served as chaplain to Mercyhurst College from 1968 to 1972. He was active in the Knights of Columbus, serving as chaplain both at the local chapter level and at the state level. From 1973 to 1986, he served as the diocesan representative to the Education Department of the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference. In 1986, Fr. Hilbert was appointed pastor of St. Mark the Evangelist parish in Lawrence Park, where he served until 1999. In 1999, he was named chaplain to Mercyhurst College's North East campus with residence at the main campus, serving there until his death. In 1963, he served as one of two spiritual directors for the first Cursillo weekend ever held in the Diocese of Erie, and from 1964 until his death, he served as the diocesan Spiritual Director of the Cursillo Movement. He had a profound influence on the Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of Erie, and on the countless cursillistas who have participated in the movement. In 1999, he became the diocesan delegate to the C.A.L.L. program (Congregational Action to Lift Lives), which he had been instrumental in helping to establish to speak out against racial discrimination and social injustice in the Erie area. He served several times as president or vice-president of C.A.L.L. He continued as diocesan delegate until his death. He was also a member of the board of Invest Erie. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by dear friends, Margaret "Peg" O'Connor, Missy O'Connor, and Adam Bowser. He is survived by a brother, William M. Hilbert, Sr., and his wife, Martha, of Erie; two sisters, Sr. Phyllis Hilbert, SSJ and Midge Hilbert Klebes, both of Erie; eight nieces and nephews, William M. Hilbert, Jr. and his wife, Rebecca, Kathie Hickey and her husband, Brian, John L. Hilbert and his wife, Nancy, Joseph M. Hilbert, Daniel H. Klebes, II and his wife, Yasuko, Mary Therese Dinga and her husband, Michael, Heidi M. Burton and her husband, Brian, Michael J. Klebes and his wife, Kathy; 12 great-nieces and nephews also survive; a dear cousin, Patricia Todd, and her husband, Banis; and close friends, Ann O'Connor Bowser and her husband, George, Maggie, Ruthie, and Colleen Bowser, Michael O'Connor and his wife, Lori, and their children, Claire, Seamus and Liam O'Connor, and Dr. Paulette Hahn and her husband, Scott Pifer, and Timothy Hahn. Friends may call on Sunday, February 25 at the Francis V. Kloecker Funeral Home, 2502 Sassafras St., Erie, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Monday, February 26 friends may call at St. Mark the Evangelist Church, 695 Smithson Ave., Lawrence Park, from 2 p.m. to 5: p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Tuesday, February 27, friends may call at St. Peter Cathedral, 230 W. 10th St., from 9:30 a.m. until the Mass of Christian burial there at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, Erie. Memorials may be made to the Erie Cursillo Movement or to C.A.L.L., both at 204 W. 6th St., Erie, PA 16507. Send condolences to 