John Newhall signs the Registry for Conscientious Objection

A small but intentional group of students and teachers from St. John’s Prep in Danvers, MA traveled to the Peace Abbey, an interfaith center in Sherborn, recently to take part in a three-day SPIRIT workshop.

The workshop focused on peacemaking and non-violence. During their stay, students devoted themselves to learning about the peace traditions of the twelve major world religions, and to working on a service project for the Abbey. The group also cooked their own meals, being careful to keep in concert with the Abbey’s commitment to vegetarianism.

The Prep group included Adeeb Shaji ’14, John Newhall ’15, Bailey Trahant ’13, and Kyle White ’14, as well as faculty members Heather Angell, James Barry, and Charlie Newhall.

St. John’s Prep has had a connection with the Peace Abbey for some years. When the Abbey faced serious financial problems in 2008, students at the Prep organized a dress down day to support their efforts. In appreciation, Dot Walsh, program coordinator and chaplain at the Abbey, arranged for a statue of Gandhi statue to be displayed on campus for several months.