Art by Marcy Hall, commissioned by FutureChurch for the Year of Mercy. © 2015

As another Advent rolls around, so does the anniversary of the martyrdom of the four church women in El Salvador. Though the murder of Sr. Ita Ford, Sr. Maura Clarke, Sr. Dorothy Kazel, and Jean Donovan happened forty-four years ago, we continue to mourn not only their deaths, but also the many injustices that still plague our world. 

As I put the work and legacy of the four beloved churchwomen in conversation with the second week of Advent, I remember my time on a pilgrimage to El Salvador when I was a graduate student. It was my first time in Central America, and really my first time learning about liberation theology. We traveled to the memorial site dedicated in honor of the women, to the church where Saint Oscar Romero was murdered, to the rose garden behind the University of Central America that was planted to honor the fallen Jesuits and laywomen, and to the Cathedral of San Salvador. Of all these places, I was most struck, I think, by St. Romero’s final resting place. If you’ve ever been, you know that the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador is a mighty force in the center of town– with high-vaulted ceilings, a mammoth cupola, and glorious paintings adorning the walls. But on the morning of our visit, as Mass was happening in the grandiose Cathedral, my attention was turned to the congregation that had gathered downstairs, in the crypt, where St. Romero is buried. The Liturgy downstairs was altogether different, as those with devotion to St. Romero prayed, sang, and placed flowers on his final resting place. This stark difference– the Mass above and the Mass below– was a literal dichotomy between high and low church, between high and low Christology, and between a church for the opulent and a church of and for the poor. My time in El Salvador helped Jesus’ mission come to life in ways it never had before.

FutureChurch has a project called the Just Word Commentary. Every Sunday and holy day, a different young, prophetic voice writes a reflection on the Gospel. To me, these are all reflections that would be written in the basement of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador. Underneath the opulence and far below the cupola, theology is nothing if not a challenge to co-create a more just world. The Just Word Commentaries speak of liberation, of equity, of countercultural revolution. They challenge readers to compare Jesus’ context to our own, recognizing the systems of marginalization that exist in each. They are invitations to live the Gospel in a radical way, and they come from voices who are practicing what they preach. The Just Word Commentaries alone make me proud to work at a place like FutureChurch, and remind me that the church I believe in is the church of and for the poor.

So during this, the Second Week of Advent, as we reflect on how we are called to bring peace to the world, I am more grateful than ever for the Just Word Commentary. This project reminds us that there is no peace without justice, and working for a just world is the work to which we are called. 

This Advent, please consider supporting the Just Word Commentary, and all other FutureChurch programs and projects, through our Advent Appeal. Help us create the church we long to see.

Join FutureChurch for this time of reflection as we explore how John of the Cross’s Dark Night can help us trust and cooperate with God.

"And now its winter, winter in America." These words by poet and musician Gil Scott Heron describe many people's experiences in our current social landscape and as we approach Advent 2024. The season of winter can be cold, dark, and feel isolating and paralyzing. But it is also a time when seeds of life are lying dormant to sprout when the time is right. Our gathering will explore how John of the Cross's teaching on the Dark Night can help to trust and to cooperate with God during these disorienting days. Our time together will involve sharing, silent prayer, and presentation.

About our Retreat Leaders:

Laurie Cassidy, Ph.D. is a theologian and anti-racist activist and currently teaches in the Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton University. Cassidy was associate professor in religious studies department at Marywood University in Scranton. Her books include, Desire Darkness and Hope: Theology in a Time of Impasse (2022) edited with M. Shawn Copeland and most recently Praying for Freedom: Racism and Ignatian Spirituality in America (2024). Her activism is rooted in contemplative practice and for almost forty years she has engaged this connection through spiritual direction, retreats, and workshops across the United States. Cassidy also studied at the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA and is a trained mindfulness facilitator. Her research, teaching and writing explore the political and cultural impact of Christian mysticism in personal and social transformation.

Elise Gower (she/her) is personally and professionally committed to cultivating intentional community around the tradition and values of Ignatian spirituality. Her career has been focused in ministry, community engagement, and leadership development. She has extensive experience working in Jesuit higher education and the USA East Jesuit Province. Elise is drawn to the art of sacred storytelling and its value in collective antiracism work and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Elise centers queer inclusion in faith spaces. She is currently pursuing a master’s in clinical social work to explore the interconnectedness of mental health and spirituality.

Is there a Christian spirituality that embraces the entire reality of womanhood? In her new book, The Mystics Would Like a Word, Shannon K. Evans suggests the answer is an emphatic 'yes.'

There is a spirituality that meets us in every part of our lives, developed by the women who came before us. Six mystics—Teresa of Ávila, Margery Kempe, Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Catherine of Siena, and Thérèse of Lisieux—revealed a faith big enough to hold the female experiences of sex and desire, the yearning for bodily autonomy, the challenges of motherhood and identity, as well as life with male authority and—sometimes—violence. These women, self-determining, stubborn, and unapologetically themselves, asked questions in their time that are startlingly prescient today, and fought for women’s experiences to be heard, understood, respected, and recognized as holy.

This event will be followed by a month-long weekly book club where participants can register to participate in discussion and reflection in community with one another. More information coming soon!

Shannon K. Evans is the spirituality and culture editor at the National Catholic Reporter and the author of the books Feminist Prayers for My Daughter: Powerful Petitions for Every Stage of Her Life and Rewilding Motherhood: Your Path to an Empowered Feminine Spirituality.

With interest in ecofeminism, social change and contemplative practice, Shannon leads workshops and retreats across the country that spark curiosity and compassion. She has partnered with the Jesuits of Canada and the U.S. and is a frequent contributor to Franciscan Media.

Having previously lived in Indonesia for two years, Shannon loves to travel, but is happiest at home on the Iowa prairie with her family and beloved chickens.