Legendary Oblate Peace Activist Dies

Father Carl Kabat, OMI, a tireless opponent of nuclear weapons, died on August 4 in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 88. Much of his influence came from his unbending commitment to public protests, and a defiant spirit with a touch of sly wit.

Father Kabat sometimes trespassed on military bases dressed as a clown, an homage to St. Paul’s admonition in Corinthians to be valiant yet humble: “We are fools for Christ.”

Father Kabat was repeatedly jailed, spending a total of nearly 20 years in prison since the 1970s, but remained steadfast in his belief in civil disobedience to bring attention to the threats from nuclear arsenals.

Through difficult times, the Oblate charism – “to preach the Gospel to the poor” – offered direction to this relentless anti-nuclear weapons protester.