Philip Berrigan
Philip Berrigan was a former priest and American peace activist known for his radical anti-war campaigns, spending over a decade in prison for his convictions.
Activist
October 5, 1923
Libra
December 06, 2002
79
Two Rivers, Minnesota
Philip Berrigan was a prominent American peace activist, Christian anarchist, and former Catholic priest who actively opposed the Vietnam War and nuclear weapons. As a key member of the Plowshares Movement, he advocated for nonviolent resistance against nuclear armaments. Berrigan gained notoriety for his participation in the Catonsville Nine, a group that burned draft files in 1968 to protest the Vietnam War. Additionally, he co-founded the Baltimore Interfaith Peace Fellowship.
Born in Two Harbors, Minnesota, Berrigan became a leading figure in the anti-war and anti-nuclear movements. He was the first U.S. Catholic priest to be imprisoned for political reasons, serving nearly eleven years for over 100 acts of civil resistance to war. Alongside his brother Daniel Berrigan, Philip played a significant role in the Plowshares Movement, which involved trespassing onto nuclear missile facilities and damaging warhead nose cones. His dedication to activism and pacifism made him one of the most radical pacifists of the 20th century.
