Patrick O’Neill

Patrick O’Neill

61 years old I am the father of six daughters and two sons. My wife, Mary Rider, and I cofounded the Fr. Charlie Mulholland Catholic Worker House in Garner, N.C. in 1991, an intentional, pacifist, Christian community that works to uphold the Consistent Ethic of Life.

Our daughter, Brianna, is married to Ricky Bennett. She is the administrator of the Women’s Birth and Wellness Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Daughter, Bernadette, is married to Jeff Naro, and is a Catholic campus minister at Marist High School in Atlanta, GA.

Daughter, Moira, works in the area of Food Justice at the Tucson, AZ, Food Bank.

Daughter, Veronica, is a Bonner Scholar at Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C. Son, Timmy attends the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Daughter, Annie, and son Michael, attend Raleigh Charter High School, and daughter, Mary Evelyn, attends the Exploris School in Raleigh, N.C.

In addition to Catholic Worker responsibilities, Mary is a social worker and I am a journalist. As Catholics we try to put into practice God’s call to Love One Another. Our peacemaking efforts include extensive work opposing nuclear weapons, working for abolition of the death penalty, supporting immigrants, participating in the N.C.-based Moral Monday Movement, the new Poor People’s Campaign, Black Lives Matter and other anti-oppression and anti-racism efforts. Mary and I both participate in nonviolent direct action as a tactic for justice. Mary has been jailed three times and I have spent more than two years in jail and prison for my peace work.