Privileged Resolution 010403

..Title Honoring the late Reverend David McI. Gracie, who passed away Tuesday, May 22, for 36 years of indefatigable leadership and activism in Philadelphia, concerning civil rights, peace, racial and economic justice; and, because he believed that there is some of God's word in each of us. ..Body WHEREAS, Reverend Gracie came from Detroit to Philadelphia in the mid 1960's to work as an urban missionary and did so for ten years; and WHEREAS, Rev. Gracie was the Rector at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church at 3rd & Dauphin Streets; and WHEREAS, With St. Barnabas Church congregation he actively participated in, and led, many activities and campaigns of the Kensington Joint Action Council; and WHEREAS, He actively worked to end the Viet Nam War; and WHEREAS, He was dedicated through his faith to work for the poor and working class, and he worked closely with the welfare rights movement and the Philadelphia Unemployment Project; and WHEREAS, He maintained throughout all his activism a commitment to non-violence; and WHEREAS, He was active in the civil rights movement; and WHEREAS, He worked as the Chaplain of the Temple University campus ministry, and was co-Director of the Church & World Institute, and he co-ministered an Episcopal Church in Elkins Park, PA; and WHEREAS, He was the full time Director of the Peace Education Division of the American Friends Service Committee from 1990 to 1997; and WHEREAS, He has worked as an Episcopal Priest for 38 years; and WHEREAS, He received an Honorary Doctorate from the Episcopal Director School in Cambridge, Massachusetts; and WHEREAS, He was a scholar who wrote a book, Gandhi & Charlie, about his friend Charles Andrew's relationship with Mahatma Gandhi; a book entitled Meditating on the Word, a translation of German theologian Bonhoeffen' s work; a biography of Father Paul Washington; and finally, a translation with essays, entitled Militia Christi about an early church pacifist, Adolf Harnack; and WHEREAS, Reverend David McI. Gracie influenced and inspired countless Philadelphians to work for peace, equal rights, economic justice, racial unity and tolerance, and lead so many of us for three and half decades to fight against the large forces of greed, separation, war, and injustice; and WHEREAS, Reverend Gracie recently fought poor health and leukemia for months, while still meeting with and interacting with colleagues concerning Philadelphia social justice and religious issues; now therefore RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the Philadelphia City Council deeply honors the memory of Reverend David McI. Gracie, his life's work, his family, and his vision of how our world and City should be. ..End