‘A Year of Peace’ columns now available as a book

A new book brings together 65 columns published in the Concordia Blade-Empire as part of the Year of Peace that began in September 2009.

The book, titled “A Year of Peace in Concordia, Kansas,” is available for $2 a copy in the Nazareth Motherhouse Gift Shop and the Manna House of Prayer Gift Shop.

The columns were published every Friday from Sept. 25, 2009, through Dec. 31, 2010, and include works from Concordians of all ages – middle school students, social workers, Catholic sisters, foreign college students, teachers and even a public official or two.

The Blade-Empire donated the weekly space for the columns, and then joined the Community Foundation for Cloud County in making financial contributions toward the publishing cost. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia covered the remaining publication expense and donated the services of their Communications Office to coordinate and edit the weekly columns and then edit, design and lay out the book.

The Concordia Year of Peace project has been coordinated by a local committee, led by Sister Jean Rosemarynoski, and has included a film series at Cloud County Community College, book studies, workshops, the communitywide “Civility Pledge” and a variety of other activities.

In January 2011, the committee launched “Another Year of Peace,” which includes twice-monthly columns in the Blade-Empire and monthly discussions on KNCK radio. Other events are planned throughout the year.