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During our Monday night Mary Magdalene celebration one participant wrote in the chat that they see the Risen Christ “in the people of God who stand in their truth and speak it to power.” Inspired by Mary Magdalene’s courage and strength, our program consisted of three witness talks each designed to highlight the unique truths of individuals working in various forms of ministry.
Mary Magdalene's story reminds me that sharing hope and love knows no boundaries - and often invites people to make change and work for justice. Her courage propels me out of my comfort zone, to speak truth to power, and to stay committed to creating a faith-filled world where Jesus’ ethics are at the center.
Mary Magdalene and our witnesses from Monday, Vickey McBride, Ariell Watson-Simon, and Yunuen Trujillo show us that each of us, regardless of where we come from or what we do, is called to witness the transformative power of God's love. And in the words of Vickey McBride:
I am really struck and touched by the deep faith that Mary Magdalene showed when she stayed with Jesus along the way of the cross, and even after He died, when she sat at His tomb and prayed and mourned and waited for something that she could not even envision. And I pray that I can have her patience and her deep trust in Christ, to sit and wait and to listen for what I am called to do. There's no shortage of doing. There are always things to be done, but I'm praying to try to stop engineering my own miracles and wait to see what God—what Christ—has in store for me." - Vickey McBride
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Just Word
Today Zach Johnson invites us to explore the feeding of the crowds by understanding the labor that went into creating the food; engage the lessons of labor from Karl Marx to interpret Jesus’s stories; and embody a deeper understanding of labor in Jesus’s miracles with a contemplative exercise using metanoia.
"When I finally heard someone give a humanist explanation that the miracle might just have been Jesus and the young kid inspiring the rest of the crowd to be generous too, I remember feeling a little disappointed. But the story obviously makes more sense this way. And it dramatically shifts the lesson I take from the story. In addition to trusting the miraculous potential of the common people, I also now trust the miraculous power of Jesus to inspire and lead people to feed each other."
Zach Johnson lives in Minneapolis, MN. He’s worked for various homeless service nonprofits around the city, currently working as program director for Southside Harm Reduction Services. Zach lived in a few Catholic Workers before becoming a parent, especially The Rye House in Minneapolis. He likes to read poems, marx, sci-fi, and the bible. You can email him at zacharypatrickjohnson@gmail.com.
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Catholic Women Preach
Preaching for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Dr. Alice Prince offers a reflection on God's overflowing grace:
"Before a word leaves our lips, God is already aware of our struggles, desires, and hopes. This means we are never alone in our journey; God is always present, anticipating our needs and preparing the way."
Dr. Alice Prince holds a doctorate in education and is the founder of Catholic and Diverse, an organization that helps Catholic schools meet the spiritual needs of their evolving population. She is an active member of the newly-formed St. Josephine Bakhita Parish in St. Louis, Missouri and a proud member of the US Lay Marists of Champagnat. Dr. Prince is also a guest writer for the Black Catholic Messenger, where she shares insights and reflections on faith and community.
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| Upcoming FutureChurch Events |
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July 30, 2024 | 7:00 PM EST
We are delighted to announce that Laura James has expanded her "Mary Magdalene and the Risen Jesus" series with six new images to depict all of John’s Resurrection Narrative. Our virtual art show will present a first look at these “Stations of the Resurrection,” explore the theological significance of each painting, and hear from Laura James herself about her choices of imagery, color, placement, and scale. Inspired by contemporary biblical scholarship, this series was commissioned by FutureChurch board member, Rita Houlihan. Be among the first to see this new, empowering art series!
Laura James has been working as a professional artist and illustrator for over twenty-five years. In addition to painting sacred images from various religions, she portrays women, families, and scenes of everyday life; blending intricate patterns, text, vibrant colors and sometimes surreal imagery into what she calls "art for the people." Represented by Bridgeman Images for almost two decades, Laura James' images have been published in hundreds of publications and media. Laura's work is widely collected and exhibited, and Ms. James has also organized many exhibitions and special projects. Learn more about Laura James by visiting her website, https://www.laurajamesart.com.
Rita L. Houlihan works to restore our historical memory of Biblical women leaders with a focus on Mary Magdalene. She commissions scripture-based art to counter demeaning legends and touch the public’s imagination.
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August 1, 2024 | 7:00 PM EST
On July 9, 2024 the Vatican released the Instrumentum Laboris – or working document – which will guide conversation and discernment at the October 2024 General Assembly of the Synod on Communion, Participation and Mission in Rome.
Join FutureChurch as we analyze and discuss the Working Document for the October 2024 General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality.
At this session, we'll explore the document in-depth, offering an analysis of what is and isn't in it, and review the topics and membership of each of the working groups that have been assigned to explore particular issues.
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2024 Mary Magdalene Celebration
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FutureChurch’s 2024 celebration of Mary Magdalene uplifts the role that women play in bearing witness to the Risen One in our midst today. This year’s celebration was developed and co-led by Martha Ligas and Olivia Hastie of the FutureChurch staff. We welcomed three witnesses: Vickey McBride, Ariell Watson Simon, and Yunuen Trujillo who all shared their reflections from their own ministry and context. FutureChurch executive director, Russ Petrus, provided music.
About our witnesses:
Vickey McBride is Chair of the FutureChurch Board. She most recently served as Vice President for Mission at Saint Martin de Porres High School (Cristo Rey) in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2023, she received the Michael Pressley Award for Excellence in Catholic Education.
Yunuen Trujillo is a Catholic lay minister, a faith-based Community Organizer, and an Immigration Attorney. As a lay minister, she has served in Young Adult Ministry for more than 15 years and she is one of the leading figures for inclusive Catholic LGBTQ Ministry in the United States. Yunuen is a member of the FutureChurch Board.
Ariell Simon (she/her) is a healthcare chaplain living and ministering in central Missouri. Ariell has served as a healthcare chaplain in hospitals and nursing facilities in three states. Ariell also coordinates FutureChurch’s Sunday evening online Liturgy of the Word.
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| Pentecost Project |
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"The Community of St. Hildegard Lives into the Trust of Its Namesake"
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With the fire of Pentecost and emboldened by the Holy Spirit, we at FutureChurch are engaging in a new project to recognize and celebrate communities that are embodying the mission of Pentecost. Over the next several months, we will be highlighting communities that have been emboldened to live the Gospel in new and creative ways. Today we introduce you to the Community of St. Hildegard.
Excerpt: Rev. Shanon never intended to start a church. But after twenty-two years of ministry at a parish in a local diocese, she continued to feel a nudge to participate in ordained ministry. “My heart was on fire,” recalls Rev. Shanon. “I knew I had a call to ministry, I was just trying to figure out how to function with integrity.” While Rev. Shanon was pursuing her Ph.D. it just so happened that the church building of a local Byzantine Catholic Church in her neighborhood went up on the market. With the vision of creating a retreat and community center in the charism of St. Hildegard, Rev. Shanon called her husband. “You could hear a pin drop,” she laughs. But they ended up putting a bid on the building. Rev. Shanon’s future ministry was falling into place right before her eyes– she just couldn’t see it yet.
READ MORE...
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| Other Opportunities and Resources |
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| A New Publication from New Ways Ministry |
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| CORNERSTONES Sacred Stories of LGBTQ+ Employees in Catholic Institutions |
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Cornerstones: Sacred Stories of LGBTQ+ Employees in Catholic Institutions is a new anthology of 12 stories of faith, sacrifice, joy, and pain by LGBTQ+ people who have been employed by Catholic parishes and schools.
The collection was edited by Ish Ruiz and Mark Guevarra, two gay Catholic men who themselves have been church employees, and is published by New Ways Ministry, a Catholic outreach that educates and advocates for equity, inclusion, and justice for LGBTQ+ persons.
The anthology’s stories are grouped in three categories: LGBTQ+ people fired from Catholic schools, LGBTQ+ people fired from Catholic parishes, and LGBTQ+ people who continue their employment in Catholic institutions with support from their employers.
Order Here.
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| Interested in Joining The Fireplace Community? |
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The Fireplace is seeking new members for its residential community! Applications will be reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis.
Founded in 2021, this May The Fireplace Community became an independent organization. As we build out our operations, we are especially looking for residents with experience or interest in co-ops, intentional community, faith leadership, or nonprofit boards.
Learn more about The Fireplace Community here.
Apply Here.
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| CSTM Online Crossroads Course: Saint Mary Magdalene |
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July 31-August 27, 2024 | $30 Enroll
Who was Saint Mary Magdalene? What does scripture tell us about her ministry? What impact does her saintly life have on us today? This course explores the imagery of Saint Mary Magdalene, both positive and negative, that have shaped our view of the Apostle to the Apostles. This course also explores the impact of her life on the ministry of women in the church. To complement the informative text and videos, a scripture study text is included to provide an optional prayer experience of Saint Mary Magdalene as portrayed in the Gospels.
This course has an optional text: Dinah Chapman Simmons., Mary Magdalene: Apostle to the Apostles. Little Rock Scripture Study, 2018. ISBN: 978-0-8146-4439-3.
Topics:
- Week 1: Introduction to the course
- Week 2: Mary Magdalene: Negative, False Images
- Week 3: Mary Magdalene: Positive, True Images
- Week 4: Mary Magdalene: Apostle to the Apostles
Register Here.
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| We seek changes that will provide all Roman Catholics the opportunity to participate fully in Church life and leadership. |
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FutureChurch is a national 501(c)(3) organization and your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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