• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
Elizabeth McAlister, right, is seen in this 2016 file photo at the Church of St. Francis Xavier in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)

Activist ordered to pay restitution for naval base damage during protest

June 8, 2020
By Dennis Sadowski
Filed Under: News, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn
Seven Catholics who call themselves the Kings Bay Plowshares are seen April 4, 2018, before they entered the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia to protest nuclear weapons. (CNS photo/Kings Bay Plowshares)

One of the seven Catholic peace activists convicted on charges related to entering a naval base in southeastern Georgia and symbolically damaging weapons systems will not return to prison for her role in the protest.

Liz McAlister, 80, of New London, Connecticut, who had long been associated with Jonah House in Baltimore, was sentenced however, to three years of probation and ordered her to pay restitution at the rate of $25 per month as her part of the $33,500 the Navy said she and the other activists caused at the at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay on the night of April 4-5, 2018.

U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood also waived any fine, citing McAlister’s voluntary poverty and minimal income during a June 8 hearing carried out by video conference from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia in Brunswick.

Wood said that the more than 17 months McAlister served in jail following her arrest was sufficient for the crimes she had committed and declined to impose a stricter sentence behind bars.

McAlister, a former member of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, and the other activists call themselves the Kings Bay Plowshares. She told the court during the hearing she was motivated to act by Jesus’ call to nonviolence and the Bible.

“I’ve tried to follow the instruction of the prophet Isaiah who clearly says we have to beat our swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hoods and to stop teaching war,” McAlister said. “All my life I have spoken and written against nuclear weapons. I believe these are contrary to life. These are destructive to life on every single level.”

McAlister is the widow of Philip Berrigan, a former Josephite priest assigned to St. Peter Claver in Baltimore who was best known for burning draft files in Catonsville in the late 1960s.

A 12-member jury in the convicted the group Oct. 25, 2019, of conspiracy, trespass and destruction and depredation of property. Sentencing had been delayed for several weeks because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The sentencing for the six other Catholic peace activists is set for June 29-30 at the court.

In addition to McAlister, the group includes Jesuit Father Steve Kelly of the Bay Area in California and several Catholic Workers: Carmen Trotta of New York City; Clare Grady of Ithaca, New York; Martha Hennessy of New York City, granddaughter of Catholic Worker co-founder Dorothy Day; Mark Colville of New Haven, Connecticut; and Patrick O’Neill of Garner, North Carolina.

The group said they chose the date of their action to mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and to “repent of the sin of white supremacy that oppresses and takes the lives of people of color here in the United States and throughout the world.”

During the trial, federal prosecutors and military officials neither confirmed nor denied the existence of nuclear-tipped weapons at the base, as per government policy.

George Matysek Jr. contributed to this story.

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Dennis Sadowski

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • 3 North Americans named to Vatican dicasteries for ecumenism, interreligious dialogue

  • Archbishop Lori and Supreme Knight Kelly meet with Pope Leo

  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

  • St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

  • St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

| Latest Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Latest World News |

Russia Ukraine Vatican peace

Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine

Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass

Planned Parenthood

Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops

school choice

ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do

Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine
  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors
  • Pope prays for conversion of those resisting climate action at new Mass
  • Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops
  • ANALYSIS: ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ gives school-choice advocates partial victory with more to do
  • Notre Dame prepares to reopen towers’ tour with return of famed statues of saints to rooftop
  • After 12 years, locals welcome pope back to his summer home
  • Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students
  • Synod office provides guidelines to help local churches, bishops implement synodality

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en