"Young Women Invited to Vocations Dinner with Cardinal O' Malley", Invite Roman Catholic Woman Priest, Rev. Jean Marchant to Share the Good News of Her Vocation as a Priest Serving Spirit of Life Catholic Community in Weston, MA.

https://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=181374

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plivunsjHVs&app=desktop

My Response: Wouldn't it be wonderful if Cardinal O'Malley invited Roman Catholic Women Priests to Come to Vocations Dinner and share their stories of living vocations of sacramental ministry in inclusive Catholic Communities now?! Jean Marchant RCWP ministers in Spirit of Life Catholic Community in the Boston metropolitan area. She might be available. http://www.spiritoflifecommunity.org/about-us/history-and-pastors

"An upcoming dinner sponsored by the Archdiocese of Boston's Vocation Office and Archdiocesan Delegate for Religious Sister Marian Batho will offer young women discerning their vocation a chance to learn more about religious life from those already living it.

Open to high school girls, the inaugural Sts. Martha and Mary Dinner, to be held March 6, will provide a time for food, prayer, and conversations with religious sisters and Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley in a relaxed setting. Witness talks will be given by the sisters, providing insight into the vocation of religious life.

The dinner is modeled after the archdiocese's St. Andrew Dinner program, which bring together young men to discuss the priestly life with seminarians, priests, and Cardinal O'Malley.

The St. Andrew Dinners, which take place three to four times a year, are a "longstanding tradition" in the archdiocese, Vocation Office director Father Dan Hennessy told The Pilot, Jan. 20.

The dinners have been considered useful in helping young men discern their vocations, said Father Hennessy, and their success helped spark the idea for the Sts. Martha and Mary Dinner.

While the idea for a dinner specifically for young women had been under consideration for some time, the office decided to organize one this year after a group of high school girls contacted the office to ask after such a dinner, explained Father Hennessy.

While the dinner is still several weeks away, Father Hennessy said it has already garnered interest and he is optimistic about attendance.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we had somewhere in the order of 80 or 90 or 100, over 100, participants," he said."

Pope Francis: From Failure to Failure by Francisco Delgado

https://evangelizadorasdelosapostoles.wordpress.com/2018/01/26/el-papa-francisco-de-fracaso-en-fracaso/

By  Francisco Delgado

The recent visit of the Pope to Chile and Peru has been catastrophic and not only because of the "issue" related to Bishop Barros, covering cases of sexual abuse of priests to minors, a fact that Bergoglio played down, no matter how many words of hypocritical pardon, since - afterwards - (to questions of journalists) he was exculpated with the excuse that the victims would not have contributed - in his opinion - more evidence. Nothing more and nothing less.

When  Jorge Mario Bergoglio  was elected maximum (and infallible) leader of the Catholic Church back in March 2013, Catholics and Catholics in good faith thought that the leadership of the Church was going to modernize, it would become more transparent, from the Holy See, to the last diocese in the farthest and most remote place in the world, as well as the congregations, religious orders, associations and entities dependent on papal governance.

They also  thought that it would submit to "revision" the historical " entrism " of the Catholic Church in politics , in order to facilitate the "separation of religion from the State" (which in its day the son of God, for Christians, proclaimed, according to the New Testament) and that a large part of the citizenship wishes, among them many and many Catholics;

- That it would accept the  progressive elimination of the enormous tax, economic, political, legal privileges and in matters of education, social services and health  that the Church reports to the Concordats agreed with many States of the planet;

- That they would renounce exercising powerful  lobbying  (doctrinal and commercial) in diversity of international organizations  in which they are present;

- That (in the case of Spain) they would  return (to the citizenship or / and to the State or those corresponding ...) the goods registered , from 1948 to 2016;

- That it  would help to uncover and bring to the ordinary courts the thousands of cases of sexual abuse  of priests towards minors  existing in the world;

- That  it would not attack women's right to sexual and reproductive health ;

- That  Catholic women may have, little by little, the same possibilities of exercising ministries  and hierarchies as men, within the Church;

- That  it would advance in the recognition of an open priesthood model  to be able to form his own family;

-What  would not attack gender equality policies ...

In short, I would try to put the Church in a model of secular society and equality before the law and, of course, that would not oppose the construction of secular States, in order to advance democracy and coexistence, universally .

Also, from within the Church, it was thought that the election of the Argentine Pope would contribute, more effectively (real), to the  consolidation of religious ecumenism  and, above all, to trying to suture the enormous "waterways" that diversity of evangelists and religious reformers are causing the Catholic Church, especially in Latin America.

Also people not attached to the Catholic Church, especially in the field of politics thought  that this Pope was going to walk more democratic and transparent paths ... However a first example very illustrative of his mandate we had in his visit to the European Parliament in November of 2014. There  Bergoglio  not only did not say anything different (in doctrinal matters) from what any of his predecessors had said, although he did some winks to the ecology, criticized the politicians and the big capital, that if ... in a huge boast of hypocrisy, since Church treasures one of the greatest patrimonial and mercantile fortunes of the planet. But there was a serious insult to women who abort ... curiously, amid the applause of a large part of deputies and deputies.

The recent visit of the Pope to Chile and Peru has been catastrophic  and not only because of the  "issue" related to Bishop Barros , covering cases of sexual abuse of priests to minors, a fact that  Bergoglio played down  , no matter how many words of hypocritical pardon, since - afterwards - (to questions of journalists) he was exculpated with the excuse that the victims would not have contributed - in his opinion - more evidence. Nothing more and nothing less.

The Peruvian government banned demonstrations against the Pope ... (?) -induced, but enlightening ... being the trip to these two countries, in addition to "answered" by a considerable part of the citizenship of the poorest -pastorally speaking- of those made to now, since it did not achieve the intended objectives. Only that-once again-the political authorities "overturned" in receptions and congratulations, in many cases, against constitutional postulates of secularism.

As for the many questions that were pending four years ago in the heart of the Catholic Church, only in what affects the Vatican bank have "covered" some scandals, but only covered, as they have not emerged -transparently- the alleged corruption, contubernios and rigging.

It has NOT achieved (which was one of the objectives of its mandate) to "arm" pastorally the dioceses of Latin America, which increasingly lose more faithful in a very alarming way.

Nor can it reverse the fact that there is a vastly aged priesthood throughout the world (in Europe it is at a minimum). But, also, ecumenism does not progress as expected.

Faced with what some assumed,  his attack on secular projects is a constant , (as a more visible example is that of his friend, Cardinal  Sturla, who   urges Uruguayan Catholics "- not to stay in the laicist bucket " ... attacking, with it, constantly the secular State in Uruguay).

In addition, he fights, strenuously, against what the Roman Curia and the bishops call "gender ideology", that is, against the equality of men and women and, in addition, against the LGBT community throughout the world, even though it may sometimes have words Evangelicals, nothing more and nothing less than "forgiveness". At the UN he went on to say that - " the union of people of the same sex was an anomalous style of life and a sin ".

In this situation, Catholic women, who do not expect openness, nor aspire to the priesthood, in the mandate of  Bergoglio.

No matter how much you vocifere and do a very well-adapted marketing  campaign  to the Digital Age, you could consider (in practice) the Supreme Pontiff  anti-individual rights , quite possibly being at the height of Leo XIII and Pius XII, each one of them in their time.

Francisco Delgado (ex-president of Europe Laica)

Catholics are just as likely to get an abortion as other U.S. Women. Why?, Surprise Married, Catholic Women with Children Getting Abortions Is Trend

Catholics are just as likely to get an abortion as other U.S. women. Why?
Compared with other religious groups, Catholic women choosing abortion are more likely to be older and married--and most want to have children in the future.
READ MORE

My Response: One of the issues that jumps out at me is the church's stance on  prohibiting artificial birth control. If the church changed this teaching, then, perhaps, more married Catholic women would use birth control and this would lead to cutting out the surprise pregnancy and tragic abortion choice. Also, providing financial aid to families in need would be a positive pastoral strategy.
Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP, www.arcwp.org


https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2018/01/24/catholics-are-just-likely-get-abortion-other-us-women-why

"Since 1973, no institution in the United States has been more firmly committed to protecting the unborn than the Catholic Church. Yet Catholics are just as likely to procure an abortion as other U.S. women. Why?

According to the latest numbers from the Guttmacher Institute, 24 percent of women who procure abortions identify as Catholic, almost the same as 22 percent of all U.S. women who called themselves Catholic in a 2014 survey by Pew Research Center. In the same sources, evangelical Protestants made up 27 percent of all women in the United States but only 13 percent of those who underwent abortions, revealing a greater reluctance toward choosing abortion, a greater reluctance toward revealing their religion on a survey or both...

Compared with other women procuring abortions, Catholic women in the Guttmacher survey tended to be older; that is, Catholic women over 30 were overrepresented in women choosing abortion. Compared with other religious groups, they were more likely to be married, and thus had higher household incomes, and also were more likely to be at home rather than in the workforce. Unsurprisingly, given the demographics of Catholicism in the United States, there were proportionately more Hispanics and fewer blacks than in the U.S. population as a whole.

Catholic women obtaining abortions were also more likely to have previously given birth. Seventy-two percent of married Catholic women in this group had already given birth at least twice, compared with 62 percent of other married women. Roughly four out of 10 Catholic women filling out the survey were having an abortion for the first time (a bit higher than among other women) and, on average, underwent the procedure about a week earlier in their gestation than non-Catholic women.

Among unmarried women, Catholics were more likely (64 percent to 54 percent) to say they intend to have children in the future. But married Catholic women were just as likely as other married women to say they did not intend to have another child. (A caveat: This data does not break down responses by religious practice. According to a 2016 Pew survey, 51 percent of all Catholics believe having an abortion is “morally wrong,” but that encompasses 83 percent among those who attend Mass at least weekly and only 38 percent for less frequent attendees.)

Each of the 59 million abortions in the United States since 1973 is a tragedy with its own chain of decision-making that denies easy characterization. But statistical analysis can shed light on some of the patterns that make Catholic women’s decisions to abort distinctive. To make the church’s pro-life efforts more effective, we need to recognize that the faces of Catholic women who choose abortion are not always what we may presume.

An effective pro-life ministry should take these uncomfortable statistics into consideration. Knowing that many of the women who pursue abortion wish to have children in the future should inspire us to redouble our efforts to provide material and political assistance to moms facing current financial difficulties. In Washington state, the PREPARES program, which combines prenatal support and social services, is a prime example of the church working creatively to provide real support to women from a broad range of backgrounds.

As the average age of first-time motherhood continues to climb, our conversations around choosing life should take greater account of older women facing “crisis” pregnancies. We should consider what complex forces might drive a married Catholic woman to obtain an abortion—perhaps financial constraints, fear of neglecting other children or their careers or avoiding the social stigma of having “too many” children. We need to acknowledge the uncomfortable reality that married Catholic women are not immune from the economic, family and social pressures that drive the decision to pursue an abortion. True accompaniment—and a true “culture of life”—means understanding the contributing factors that result in the tragic decision to choose abortion and working to mitigate or eliminate them..."

Vatican Decries Violence Against Women, Until Hierarchy Makes Connection Between Sexism in Church and Violence towards Women in the World, It Will Continue, In one word, Patriarchy Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=35108


Instead of building solidarity among women who suffer harassment and violence, Lucetta Scaraffia's comments divide women by ranking their pain and suffering as greater or less, and comparing their situations in impoverished areas like South America vs. rich Hollywood in the United States.  While I recognize her point that there is a difference between a lewd comment and rape, we should try to build  support between survivors of abuse and create networks of compassion and advocacy for all victims of violence. 

In a front-page L’Osservatore Romano op-ed, Italian historian Lucetta Scaraffia decried violence against women...Scaraffia, a frequent contributor to the Vatican newspaper, made a distinction between the killing of women in Latin American societies and the claims of sexual harassment by “American actresses.” She then distinguished harassment claims in which “women have the full possibility of refusal” from other cases in which “the power of the male harasser renders it difficult or almost impossible to escape.”There is a great difference, she continued, between “an American woman harassed by a producer and a woman raped on the streets in Latin America”: the former can find work in less humiliating conditions, while the latter cannot.

Scaraffia lamented widespread domestic violence against women in Russia and the systematic use of rape in African wars.  “

However, I'd like to comment on her final important question  "Returning to her consideration of Latin America, she called on Christians to ask themselves why women designated victims of male violence” in traditionally Christian countries. 

 The elephant in the Vatican's living room is patriarchy, centuries of it! 

A Church that teaches women are not worthy to image Christ as a priest at the altar in presiding at Eucharist (and other sacraments) is erroneous teaching. It contradicts to our equality as images of the Holy One, as male and female and the example of Jesus in the Gospels. 

Until the Vatican makes the connection between sexism in the Church and violence towards women in the world, the church will fail to promote the Christ vision of gender justice and equality in our world today.  Jesus treated his male and female disciples as equals and according to all four Gospels, the Risen Christ appeared first to Mary of Magdala, not to Peter.  According to a recent church survey, young women are "disengaged and disengaging" from a church that treats them as second class citizens.  So, what future does an all-make clergy have that excludes women priests?  Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

Left to right: Bridget Mary Meehan and Joan Meehan co-presided at liturgy at Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community in Sarasota,Florida on Jan. 20, 2018

Women-Church Convergence Celebrates Diversity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 20, 2018.

Women-Church Convergence Celebrates Diversity

January 20, 2018. On the first anniversary of the Women’s Marches around the world, and in light of the violent and vulgar words of the President of the United States, Women-Church Convergence celebrates the glorious diversity of our global community. We reject racism and xenophobia, not just in speech, but also in all of its forms as contrary to the common good, contradictions to our values, and disruptions to world peace.

“Women-Church Convergence (W-CC) is a coalition of autonomous Catholic-rooted groups. The Convergence builds “just social and ecclesial structures with shared power for everyone, especially women and those whom church and society marginalize.” We seek to “amplify diverse feminist, faith-filled voices”…as we “create spaces in which all can live out their vision of full inclusion in church and society.” There are no exceptions. Our energies are focused especially with black and brown people who bear the brunt of the racist, xenophobic oppression we seek to end.

As the marches step off again and many communities gather to affirm justice, let the celebrations “Ring with the harmonies of liberty.” We of the Convergence recommit to bring women’s spiritual and political energies to bear for all justice struggles, shoulder to shoulder with people of all races and ethnicities.

Endorsing organizations:

8th Day Center for Justice

A Critical Mass: Women Celebrating Eucharist

Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests

Catholics for Choice

DignityUSA

Loretto Women’s Netowrk

Chicago Women-Church

RCWP-USA Social Action Network

San Francisco Bay Area Women-Church

Sisters Against Sexism

Southeastern Pennsylvania Women’s Ordination Conference

The Grail in the U.S.

Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER)

Women’s Ordination Conference



Women-Church Convergence (W-CC) is a coalition of autonomous Catholic-rooted groups working to build just social and ecclesial structures with shared power for everyone, especially women and those whom church and society marginalize.

Women-Church Convergence amplifies diverse feminist, faith-filled voices. We create spaces in which all can live out their vision of full inclusion in church and society.

Brazil Takes Decisive Steps Towards Gender Equality with Election of its First Female Bishop

http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2018/01/brazil-takes-decisive-steps-towards-gender-equality-with-election-of-its-first-female-bishop.aspx

Bishop-elect Marinez Bassotto

Photo Credit: Joseane Paula

"Solidarity to End Exploitation of Women"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgbawrWUPu0&feature=youtu.be

Sister Joan Chittister OSB: On Being Pro-Life, Not Same as Opposed to Abortion

"I do not believe that just because you're opposed to abortion that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. And why would I think that you don't? Because you don't want any tax money to go there. That's not pro-life. That's pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is."

A Catholic Nun Perfectly Explains the Major Hypocrisy of the "Pro-Life" Argument

A Catholic nun's explanation of the term "pro-life" from 2004 is resurfacing after recent antiabortion events. On PBS's Now With Bill Moyers, Sister  Joan Chittister ...

https://www.popsugar.com/news/Catholic-Nun-Quote-Abortion-43096831

"On the Limit of the Gestures and the Figure of Francis" A Thoughtful Analysis of Ambiguity of Pope Francis from Chile Visit

https://evangelizadorasdelosapostoles.wordpress.com/2018/01/21/sobre-el-limite-de-los-gestos-y-la-figura-de-francisco/

By Nicolás Panotto

Speaking to a reference member within the Chilean Catholic Church about the Pope's visit to his homeland, he tells me the following sentence: "This has been not one of the worst visits of Francisco, but of a Pope to a Latin American country in the last decades". This strong expression summarizes the widespread sense of bitterness that has remained on the palate of much of the Chilean population, both in members of the Catholic Church itself and the general public.

Francisco's visit can be evaluated as a thermometer that crossed from high temperatures, when without waiting for it, he apologized to the victims of sexual abuse during his meeting with President Bachelet in La Moneda, until a dry and icy iceberg towards the final, when on his last day of stay, in front of the question of a journalist on that same scabrous subject, the Pope changes his compassionate countenance and his soft voice towards a strong expression and a threatening tone, affirming that the accusations against the very questioned bishop Barros - wrapped up in sexual abuse coverings of minors inside the curia - are pure "slander." With that tiny word, he threw overboard all attempts at politically correct escape, as they had been piloting until now,

Between these events, each event of the visit was giving something to talk about. Perhaps the presence in the jail of women of Santiago and their words about dignity, or the fervent message at the Catholic University gave some respite. But apparently, the citizens had already given their verdict: the attendance at the events, and even in the already classic caravans of the "mobile pope", were surprisingly scarce and showed little enthusiasm for the arrival of the Pontiff. The same thing happened with the three public masses - in Santiago, Temuco and Iquique - where the attendance was poor, as were the messages of Francisco and the liturgy itself. Nothing new. More of the same. Gone is that hope for the poignant pastoral words of the Pope, who have achieved so much fame in previous years.

Francisco has always been a paradoxical figure. It has raised all kinds of feelings, ranging from the implantation of a sense of greater sensitivity and "humanity" on the ecclesial institution, of "reform" through the moves within the old Vatican dynamic, even of "revolution" when addressing critically various social problems, such as global economic injustice, environmental crisis, among others. But on the other hand, we already know that these issues are not the most delicate nor those that give a talk within the Catholic Church (and society in general) - namely, those referring to the family, sexuality, the place of woman, the ecclesial leadership structure and the untouchable dogmas-, about which Francisco has acted, sometimes as a good politician -elegantly evasive touching sensitive fibers-,

To the surprise of many, the visit to Chile made it clear that gestures (virtual) are not enough, as many have been warning for some time. Within the immense and complex structure of the Catholic Church, a simple movement can provoke a "butterfly effect": a single phrase said by the Pope induces deep mobilizations within communities and organizations in different parts of the globe. Francisco is more than aware of it, so he has opted to flood television screens and activity agendas with these small samples of change, which undoubtedly "renew the spirit" by removing the dust from the stagnant image and retouching appearances to calm the waters, showing a certain face of change.

But this is not enough. We do not mean to say that there is a Machiavellian act here, but rather to reinforce the fact that these processes have reached issues that do not touch the deep roots of the historical questioning of the church and its social role. Maybe something that Francisco did not calculate is the fact that people, seeing a certain intentionality of transformation, asked themselves: will things finally change? Perhaps the Pope thought that the parishioners and society in general would be content with small things. But in reality, only the hornet's nest moved. The demands are much greater, and by opening the floodgates towards a new image, what was done was to trigger even more the demand for a radical turnaround. And now the Pope faces a scenario where instead of placating the waters, What he did was to awaken a community and a group of voices that put him between a rock and a hard place. And as it happened in Chile, getting on the defensive is the worst thing that can be done.

These events reflect two more things. First, that the figure of Francisco falls in the middle of a context of strong political polarizations in the continent -and in each country in particular-, where the dispute between socio-political, ethical and even economic projects puts in check any social agent that Pretend public visibility. "On which side are you?" Seems to be the central question to measure any movement or word. Being "politically correct" or giving the image of "neutral" today is not a strategic path. It is or it is not. You choose one side or the other. Many thought that Francisco was in a corner, but in reality his positioning is much more ambiguous than it appears. Meanwhile, the ambivalence of his actions in the middle of this increasingly divided and turbulent sea makes his figure - and with it,

Second, all this also highlights the complexity of religious identifications in the contemporary globalized world. These processes continue to reinforce the fact that today we live in a time (post-secular?) Where institutional forms and theological discourses are increasingly stressed from a community of subject-believers who demand, speak, act, ask , they question, without allowing themselves easily to consent to any accommodative practice, and even less so in an imposed manner. Francisco has been trying to do a "facelift" to the church, when at the back of the room, behind the backyard portal, everything remains almost the same. Just as we notice an empowerment of citizens whose action exceeds even the most minute political predictions, in the same way the religious phenomenon, The dynamics of faith and the processes of belief can no longer be easily contained by an institutional hierarchy or a theological bend. If Francisco intends to keep the church in peace with simple gestures that do not go deep and do not meet the social demands on the role of the institution, the Chilean failure will be only the first.

http://www.gemrip.org/sobre-el-limite-de-los-gestos-y-la-figura-de-francisco/

Catholic Women Preach: JANUARY 28, 2018 FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, MARIA CIMPERMAN, RSCJ

MARIA CIMPERMAN, RSCJ

 “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.”

What would it take?

To believe?

To change your life?

To risk for the sake of the Good News?

In today’s Gospel we hear that Jesus taught in the synagogue and the people were astonished, amazed.

People saw the difference between the scribes and Jesus. Something was authentic, clear, true. Speaking with authority wasn’t about external power but an internal resonance, depth – Jesus knew something deep down. When you hear truth, you know it. They were meeting Truth, in Love.

Jesus also healed – he exorcised a demon here.

He healed the vulnerable among them.  The dark spirit recognized him as the Holy One of God, and saw something would change as a result. It did!

Jesus’ fame spread throughout the land – and people were amazed.

But is that enough? To be amazed? Must it not also lead us somewhere?

Years ago, when I was between doctoral coursework and my dissertation, I had the privilege of a summer in Ghana, West Africa with Dr. David Abdulai and his family. Dr. Abdulai was a Ghanaian physician working in Tamale, in the western region of the country, a place without many resources and certainly not many doctors. His story was amazing. As I remember it, he was a street kid when some Catholic sisters encountered him and helped him with his education. He eventually went to medical school and then further training in Europe.

He returned to Ghana and had a plum position as a doctor for Germans working in the capital, Accra. He married a wonderful woman who was a nurse.

Their faith was important to them, and they regularly prayed together. At one point their prayer led them to discern a call to the margins where health care was harder to come by. They went to Tamale, the other side of the country, and they started Shekinah Clinic, a free clinic.

People traveled from all over, walking hours upon hours to line up for care. At one point, seeing the need, Dr. Abdulai asked each of the surrounding villages to build a hut for people to stay in while they were awaiting treatment on the clinic grounds. The huts were open to any and all in need. He started to build community. He built bridges between traditional medicine healers and more Westernized medicine– because each had something important to offer. 

I was in awe. 

One day as we were driving to a gathering, I said, “What you are doing is amazing, Dr. Abdulai! Why are others not doing more of this?”

His answer: 

“Exactly because of what you said. You say this is amazing. This is not amazing. This is simply the Gospel.” He followed with, “If you say this is amazing, then often enough you don’t have to do it. But it’s the Gospel. And we must.”

What does it take?

Yes, some simply saw and were amazed.

Some responded.

Our Gospel today is a wonderful ‘in-between’ passage, because just a few lines earlier in Mark we read of the call of the disciples.  They saw, they heard Jesus’ call, and they followed.

And immediately after (today’s passage) Jesus taught in the synagogue and exorcised the demon. Jesus went with Peter to the house of Peter’s mother-in law, who was sick. Jesus healed her. And then she served. Service was her natural response. By the end of that evening we hear that the whole/entire town came to the door  - and Jesus healed.

We too are in an ‘in-between’ time.  We are between the beginning of the New Year and the beginning of Lent. Both are times that invite us to growth. And Jesus is eager to encounter us. 

“If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.”

Jesus desires to encounter us, right here and now, asking for more than amazement. As Pope Francis so beautifully writes in The Joy of the Gospel:  “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them”(#3).

What follows this?  Missionary discipleship.

In this ‘in-between time’ and in the midst of much happening in our nation and world today, a question asked of us is

“Where does the Gospel needs to be preached today – whether as a resistance to wrongs and evil spirits or in support and creation of right and good in our part of the world today?”

Let’s not simply be amazed. Let’s act also.

What would it take?

To really believe? To act?

To ever more pattern your life on his life?

To be the Good News  to all we meet.

In between our readings the psalm response for this Sunday is: “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.”

That’s the start. Openness to encounter.

Pray to be open(ed). God is eager, present.

What will move?

Everything -- from how you see others and creation to how you respond to needs and longings. 

“If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.”

It will take you beyond amazement - to proclaiming by our words and deeds, the Good News that overcomes evil spirits, heals and creates anew.

And so, shall we go? Together.

Yes, together, with the Risen Christ, we go!

‍

Amen!

Michael Morwood Retreat - Albany, NY - June 1-3, 2018

God, Jesus and Prayer

through a 21st Century Lens

A weekend retreat with 

Michael Morwood, Adult Faith Educator

June 1-3, 2018
  
$95 includes Friday Evening wine and cheese reception and lunch and dinner on Saturday

Holiday Inn Express and Suites
16 Wolf Road
Albany, NY
518-459-3600

Book now! 
Limited seating 

About the Presenter: Michael Morwood’s particular interest is in helping adult Christians examine what they believe and why they believe it, what they imagine and why they imagine the way they do. He is the author of ten books including Praying a New Story, Children Praying a New Story and It’s Time: Challenges to the Doctrine of the Faith. Michael Morwood resigned from priestly ministry in the Catholic Church in 1998 following the banning of his book Tomorrow’s Catholic: Understanding God and Jesus in a New Millennium by the then Archbishop of Melbourne, Australia, George Pell.

RETREAT SCHEDULE:
Friday, June 1
5:30pm -7:00pm – Wine and cheese reception
7:00pm -9:00pm – Presentation and discussion

Saturday, June 2
9:00am – 12:00pm – 2 presentations and discussion with breaks
12:00pm -1:00pm - Lunch
1:00pm – 5:00pm - 2 presentations and discussion with breaks
5:00pm - 6:00pm Dinner
6:00pm - Informal gathering for follow-up questions

Sunday, June 3
9:00am - 10:30am - Presentation and discussion
11:15am - 12:15pm - Liturgy
12:15pm - Conclusion of retreat 

The retreat is sponsored by the Upper Room Inclusive Catholic Seminary and People’s Catholic Seminary. For more information: upperroomicc@gmail.com.  

RESERVATIONS: Please send form below with retreat payment by April 1, 2018 to Upper Room, PO Box 421, Watervliet, NY 12189. Please make checks to: Upper Room. To book a room for the weekend, please contact hotel for group discount under the name of Upper Room.

Name: ______________________    Phone ______________

Address: __________________________________________

The 11st Brigid of Faughart Festival, 27th January- 4th February 2018, I wish I could be in Ireland for this Celebration of Brigid

When I am in the Drogheda area, I visit Brigid of Faughart's Site! I feel  the embrace of Brigid's spirit of joy and healing there. It is a mystical place! This summer I plan to visit with some friends from the U.S. Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

Dear Friends   It is only  ​7​ days until the 11th Brigid of Faughart Festival begins.   We in Brigid of Faughart Festival Team are excited to welcome you to come and be a part of this important festival which has many interesting and educational events.  Our first event on Saturday 27th January is our Pilgrimage Walk to Faughart Shrine where we will gather at Lisnawilly House, Mount Avenue, Dundalk at 9.30am and start at 10am.  To view or print our Festival Programme please click on http://www.brigidoffaughart.ie/print-programme/. This unique modern festival celebrates four different, yet interrelated themes exploring Brigid and her legacy as an environmentalist, healer, poet and spiritual teacher. Festival Events include: Pilgrimage from ​  Mount Avenue​ Dundalk to Faughart ​   4kms​    27th January.  Exploring the Sacred Sites of Faughart Saturday  ​27th January. Dr Sharon Blackie author of “If Women Rose Rooted “ lecture and forum exploring the need to reconnect with our native feminine wisdom. Various workshops including Creative Writing, Movement Medicine, Sound Healing, Circle Dance, Gardening, Healthy Food and Be the Change Celebration of Brigid in Song and Prayer with Carmel Boyle, Ann Mc Donald, Dolores Whelan, Fr. Tom Hamill on Lá Fheile Bhride, 1st February, The Oratory, Faughart. Day of Healing, 1st February, 1-8pm, Healing sessions in various modalities available.   Brigid Cross Making with primary school children and adults. The Archaeology of Faughart. ‘The Wooing of the Soul’, a one woman play.  Kate Fitzpatrick, author of “Macha’s Twins”, “Brigid, Culture and Transformation” Stories & Conversations for a Healthy and Resilient Culture facilitated by Davie Phillips. An Evening Weaving Poetry, Music and Song in An Tain Arts Centre. Closing Ritual, Ravensdale Community Centre, 4th February ​Art Exhibition​ . ​  By Una  Curley  Oriel Centre ​  Dundalk