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Last week the FutureChurch staff was on the move! Russ made his way to Lexington, Kentucky for the Annual Assembly of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests, and Olivia and I landed in Dayton, Ohio for the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative’s Imago Dei Assembly. Both events were rich in content, prayer, and friendship!
A highlight of the Imago Dei Assembly was a plenary panel discussion facilitated by Jason Steidl Jack and featuring Bill Baird, Sr. Jeannine Gramick, and Brian McNaught. Bill, Sr. Jeannine, and Brian were some of the attendees of the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative’s groundbreaking assembly on LGBTQ inclusion and ministry in 1974. Now, fifty years later, these panelists shared about all of the ways that the first assembly changed their ministry and changed their lives, and the work they have done to fight for justice over the past fifty years.
As we walked out of the plenary and towards the cafeteria for dinner, I found myself walking next to Marianne Duddy-Burke, the Executive Director of DignityUSA. I mentioned to Marianne that I feel like we are standing on the shoulders of giants, continuing the work that they started all those years ago. Marianne paused for a moment, and then shared another image with me. Marianne said she imagined the panelists using their fire to light the spark of more and more generations. The flame of their generation hasn’t gone out, and yet they are passing on their wisdom and their light so that we can join them in their good work of equity in our church and in the world.
This image– of lighting the spark of one another– has stayed with me long past the final plenary of the assembly. As I watched the Independence Day fireworks with my little cousins this week, I considered again all of the ways that tiny sparks, when all are aglow at the same time, can make a fabulous display. So this is my prayer this week, and this is my blessing– that together we can continue letting our lights shine bright, and celebrate all that we can do, together.
And thank you to the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative for lighting a spark in me.
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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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Just Word
Today Revalon Wesson invites us to explore Ordinary Time through a renewing prophetic imagination, with the help of Walter Brueggemann; engage Catholic Social Teaching’s highest expectations with the help of prophetic criticism; and embody the possibility of a better world with the help of The Center for Prophetic Imagination and the artwork of Ricardo Levins Morales.
"I would be lying if I said that my own sense of belief becomes terribly limited during the less reflective times of the liturgical year. It is readings like these that, while they might not seem hopeful, remind me that the work of prophetic ministry continues on 24/7, 365 days a year, whether or not I am receptive to it. The prophetic message is there, and we can choose to receive restoration from it if we allow it"
Revalon Wesson lives just outside of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. By day, they work as a data manager for a system of Catholic schools and parishes. On the side, they coordinate support for justice-centered organizations, artists, and healers within South Minneapolis. Revalon has a BA in Theology and studied at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities.
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Catholic Women Preach
Preaching for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Bonnie LeMelle Abadie, M.Div, offers a reflection on opening ourselves to the Divine and the other:
"To be in conversation is to be open to conversion. We can be changed by understanding the other person’s point of view. We can grow in compassion and empathy when we listen to the reality of another person’s life. We can see things differently when we listen to their spoken truth and shared wisdom."
Bonnie LeMelle Abadie is a native of San Antonio, Texas. She holds a Doctoral Degree in Ministry (D. Min) and an M.T.S. from Oblate School of Theology; a B.A. in Religious Studies from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. Since 2004, Bonnie is a member of the faculty of Oblate School of Theology, currently an Associate Professor of Pastoral Studies, directing the programs of Theological Field Education and Supervised Ministry.
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| Celebrate the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene |
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July 22, 2024 | 7:00 PM EST
Join FutureChurch on July 22nd at 7pm ET as we honor and remember the Apostle to the Apostles, and pray in gratitude for the ways in which we have all encountered the Risen Christ. We will be joined by three remarkable young women who will share their own witness to the Risen Christ with us.
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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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." Learn more about Laura James at 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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| Upcoming FutureChurch Events |
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July 9, 2024 | 7:00 PM EST
FutureChurch welcomes Dr. Cynthia Bailey Manns who will host a listening session on Lay Leadership to help her prepare for the October 2024 Assembly of the Synod on Synodality. Dr. Bailey Manns will offer opening remarks regarding the conversations and discernment thus far and then welcome your questions and input, which she will bring with her to Rome.
Dr. Cynthia Bailey Manns is one of four lay people from the United States who were appointed by Pope Francis as the first lay women and men voting delegates to participate at the first general assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality this past October and again in October 2024. Dr. Bailey Manns is the Director of Adult Learning at Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Community in Minneapolis. She holds a Doctor of Ministry in Spiritual Direction from the Graduate Theological Foundation in Florida and currently serves as Adjunct Faculty at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities.
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July 17, 2024 | 7:00 PM EST
Join FutureChurch for a conversation on feminism and the Catholic Church as we welcome Professors Julie Hanlon Rubio and Natalia Imperatori-Lee, who have both recently written critically acclaimed books on the topic.
In Can You Be a Catholic and a Feminist? Julie Hanlon Rubio explores the enduring but newly urgent question, arguing that a Catholic feminist identity is only tenable if we frankly acknowledge tensions between Catholicism and feminism, bring forward shared concerns, and embrace the future with ambiguity and creativity.
In Women and the Church: From Devil's Gateway to Discipleship Natalia Imperatori Lee examines the history of Christian feminism as a response to patriarchy, the ways in which women have been portrayed in scripture and women's hermeneutical strategies, and the contributions of women to the subfields of systematic theology.
Julie Hanlon Rubio is the Shea-Heusaman Professor of Christian Social Ethics and Associate Dean at Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California. She previously taught in the department of theological studies at St. Louis University for nearly two decades. Her research focuses on family, feminism, sex, and politics.
Natalia Imperatori-Lee is professor of religious studies at Manhattan College in Riverdale, Bronx, New York. She teaches in the areas of Catholic ecclesiology, gender studies, and Latinx theologies. Imperatori-Lee holds degrees from Fordham University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Notre Dame.
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| Development Director, Pax Christi USA |
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Pax Christi USA is the national Catholic peace and justice movement that works for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world through prayer, study and action. The position is full-time and can be done from the home office in Washington, D.C. or remotely. The Development Director strategizes and oversees all aspects of Pax Christi USA fundraising and development in collaboration with the Executive Director.
Learn More/Apply Here.
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| Program Director, Mercy Center Burlingame |
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This role is responsible for the creation, development, and oversight of all program functions, and ensuring quality programming in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy charism and Mercy Ministry Corporation values. The Program Director will further the mission of Mercy Center Burlingame through program design, implementation, and evaluation while collaborating with current staff to promote retreats and programs.
Learn More/Apply Here.
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| Teresa of Ávila and Peacemaking in a Nuclear Age: A Contemplative Conversation |
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July 15-18, 2024 |Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN, 46556
Keynote Speakers Include: Mary Frohlich, RSCJ; Mary Ann Hinsdale, IHM; Maria Teresa Morgan; Margie Pfeil; and Lori Stanley. For more information about the event, contact Dan Horan at dhoran@saintmarys.edu.
Young Adult Scholarships Available!
Register Here.
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| Beyond Rights: The Theological Case for Women |
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July 22, 2024; 12PM-3PM ET | In-Person or Zoom; Simboli Hall, Boston College- Brighton Campus
Join the Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry for the 15th Annual St. Mary Magdalene Celebration!
Has speaking of rights and social justice in relation to women become ineffective in our polarized environment? Theologian Cecilia González-Andrieu situates us in la realidad (the reality of our present moment), to explore how the power of theological insights arising out of the Christian tradition and read in a Latina liberationist key may help reinvigorate the conversation. The longed-for goal is to promote and enact women’s full participation in the church and in the world as required by the Reign of God.
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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