I became aware of the pole from the article below, but it took the eagle eye of my wife to spot it as we drove around the campus. Thanks, dear!
From the Franciscan Sisters at Springfield, Il website:
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visit link)
"The Justice and Peace Office of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is an expression of the healing mission of the Sisters. The office coordinates, promotes and develops programs and activities that inform, inspire and involve the Sisters, Associates and others in the ministry of Justice and Peace.
Guided by the Gospel of Jesus, Catholic Social Teaching, Franciscan Spirituality and the documents of the Hospital Sisters, the office provides resources, education, advocacy strategies and networking opportunities. We seek to promote human dignity and respect for all creation, while providing a voice for those who are poor, oppressed, victimized or marginalized. We cultivate attitudes and behaviors of nonviolence.
The Peace Pole Project was started in Japan by Masahisa Goi (1916-80) and The World Peace Prayer Society in 1955. Mr. Goi was a poet and musician who dedicated his life to humanity. The devastation caused by WWII affected him and he searched for ways to respond to the cry for peace. He prayed that he might be of service for the betterment of humanity and ultimately attained Divine insight into the spiritual nature of humankind and discovered the universality of the prayer “May Peace Prevail on Earth.”
He came to realize that the thoughts and actions of every individual influences the destiny of humanity as well as that of plants, animals, and all creation. He believed that as more people are touched by this prayer and begin to live in the spirit of this message, a transformation would take place in global consciousness, bringing about peace in people’s lives as well as in the world.
Since then, more than 200,000 Peace Poles have been placed in 190 countries including Poles at the Hiroshima Memorial (Japan), the Jordan River (Israel), Confucius’ Burial Site (Taiwan), and the Giza Pyramids (Egypt). The world's largest Peace Pole, at 52 feet, is located in Janesville, WI while another, as measured in tons, is the granite Peace Pole in Beech Acres Park near Cincinnati, OH.
On November 12, 1988 the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis dedicated a Peace Pole here on our Motherhouse property. It was over six and one half feet tall and displayed the phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in English (native language of the American Province of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis), Japanese (a Sister Province of the Hospital Sisters), German (location of the General Motherhouse of the Hospital Sisters), and Hebrew (a language representative of Jesus’ Jewish heritage).
The current Peace Pole is made of western red cedar and stands seven feet tall. The phrase “May Peace Prevail on Earth” is displayed in six languages including English, Japanese, German, and Hebrew, along with Polish (a Sister Province of the Hospital Sisters), and Hindi (a language of India—also a Sister Region of the Hospital Sisters)."