Frank Cordaro
Encyclopedia
Frank Cordaro is a peace activist and co-founder of the Des Moines, Iowa
Catholic Worker
group. He frequently attends protests and gives lectures at school and community events in Nebraska
and Iowa
. He was a Roman Catholic priest from 1985 until leaving the priesthood in 2003 for personal reasons, including his wish to be released from the vow of celibacy
. He is known as a Christian anarchist
and frequently participates in peace rallies involving civil disobedience
. He has been sentenced to at least eight six-month terms in federal jail for trespassing onto military bases and federal buildings during demonstrations, most often at Strategic Nuclear Command at Offutt Air Force Base
near Omaha, Nebraska
. Cordaro grew up in Des Moines, and went to the University of Northern Iowa
where he was a wrestler. During his period as a priest and since he has been an outspoken critic of some aspects of the Catholic Church, including advocating the ordination of women into priesthood. He was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award in November 1990.
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
Catholic Worker
Catholic Worker
The Catholic Worker is a newspaper published seven times a year by the Catholic Worker Movement community in New York City. The newspaper was started by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin to make people aware of church teaching on social justice...
group. He frequently attends protests and gives lectures at school and community events in Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. He was a Roman Catholic priest from 1985 until leaving the priesthood in 2003 for personal reasons, including his wish to be released from the vow of celibacy
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
. He is known as a Christian anarchist
Christian anarchism
Christian anarchism is a movement in political theology that combines anarchism and Christianity. It is the belief that there is only one source of authority to which Christians are ultimately answerable, the authority of God as embodied in the teachings of Jesus...
and frequently participates in peace rallies involving civil disobedience
Civil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
. He has been sentenced to at least eight six-month terms in federal jail for trespassing onto military bases and federal buildings during demonstrations, most often at Strategic Nuclear Command at Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
near Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. Cordaro grew up in Des Moines, and went to the University of Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
where he was a wrestler. During his period as a priest and since he has been an outspoken critic of some aspects of the Catholic Church, including advocating the ordination of women into priesthood. He was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award in November 1990.