I dreamed of a Church where everyone was welcome at the table. A Church where women and men shared ministry as equals. A Church where those who had been excluded, wounded, or silenced could find healing, belonging, and hope.
At the time, I often asked myself a simple question:
What would have helped me begin a new faith community?
The answer became this book.
Creating an Inclusive Catholic Community: Liturgies, Homilies and Resources is much more than a collection of prayers, liturgies, and practical tools. It is the story of an impossible dream that became a living reality.
I began with a conviction rooted in the words of Jesus:
“Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
I discovered that building an inclusive Catholic community does not require a large congregation, a church building, or institutional approval. It begins with a few people willing to gather in love, trust the Spirit, and take the first step.
The rest evolves in God’s time.
And so it did.
What started as a small gathering grew into the vibrant Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community, a welcoming community where all are invited to participate fully in liturgy, leadership, and ministry. Along the way, I witnessed countless moments of transformation: women answering calls to priestly ministry, people returning to faith after years of exclusion, and communities discovering new ways to embody the Gospel’s radical hospitality.
This book shares that journey.
Within its pages, you will find practical guidance for creating inclusive liturgies, preaching interactive homilies, celebrating sacraments, nurturing community, and building faith gatherings rooted in compassion, equality, justice, and love.
But even more importantly, you will find an invitation.
An invitation to rediscover that you already belong at God’s table.
An invitation to trust that the Holy Spirit is still creating new forms of Church in our time.
An invitation to believe that what may seem impossible today can become reality tomorrow.
If you have ever dreamed of a more welcoming Church…
If you have ever wondered whether a small group could make a difference…
If you have ever longed for a faith community where every voice matters and every person is valued…
This book is for you.
The message at the heart of Creating an Inclusive Catholic Community is simple:
It only takes two or three.
Gather in love.
Trust the Spirit.
Begin where you are.
The rest will evolve in God’s time.
With hope and gratitude,
Rev. Dr. Bridget Mary Meehan
Dean of D.Min and M. Div. Programs at Global Ministries University
Priest on pastoral team of Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community
Bishop, Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
Co-Founder, People’s Catholic Seminary
Author of Creating an Inclusive Catholic Community: Liturgies, Homilies and Resources
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