The Saturday, August 13 edition of the Star-Advertiser included a half-page story on the 7th Annual Peace Walk from Hawaii Betsuin to Nagasaki Peace Bell, held on August 9 (see related calendar item).

Click the image to go to the article on the Star-Advertiser website (login required)

Reporter Pat Gee wrote from the perspective of a participant walking silently with about 40 others, lanterns in hand, meditating on both the bombing of Nagasaki 71 years ago and gratitude that nations have not used nuclear weapons in war since.

The article includes quotations from several walkers, including an 87-year-old Hawaii Betsuin member, a peace activist who had visited Los Alamos (where the bomb was created), a couple who manage a Quaker meeting house, and Christopher Malano, a Catholic who is an administrator of the Newman Center. Here is an excerpt of the article that includes a quotation from Malano:

       …Malano found the Buddhist Ceremonies led by Bishop Eric Matsumoto deeply meaningful.
“As we all lined up in the center aisle (of the temple earlier), we walked toward the altar, offered up some incense and quietly offered a prayer, and we were given a lantern, and together we walked. There was a sense of solidarity; it was so simple, yet so powerful.”

For subscribers to the paper, the complete article is available on the Star-Advertiser website.

Photos of the event are available in our Photo & Video Gallery. Thanks to Christopher Malano for providing them. Click the collage image below to go to the Interfaith category of the gallery.