Louis Vitale
Friar Louis Vitale OFM | |
|---|---|
| Friar | |
Vitale demonstrating against weaponized drones just before being arrested at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada c. 2010 to 2012 | |
| Diocese | Santa Barbara, San Francisco |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 1, 1932 San Gabriel, California, U.S. |
| Died | September 6, 2023 (aged 91) Oakland, California, U.S. |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| Occupation | Friar of the Franciscan order |
| Alma mater | Loyola, PhD UCLA |
Louis Vitale, OFM, (June 1, 1932 – September 6, 2023) was an American Franciscan friar, peace activist, and a co-founder of Nevada Desert Experience. His religious beliefs led him to participate in civil disobedience actions at peace demonstrations and acts of religious witness over 40 years. In the name of peace, Vitale has been arrested more than 400 times. Vitale stated that Francis of Assisi, Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. provided him with inspiration.