This weekend I would like to introduce you to Ariell Watson Simon who has started to write, coordinate and host our online Liturgies of the Word and faith sharing opportunities this month. I have had the pleasure of getting to know Ariell over the last couple of months and with each interaction I am continually touched by her deep care and compassion for all of God’s beloved and inspired by her commitment to justice and inclusivity in worship and pastoral care.
Ariell is a healthcare chaplain and is currently serving as Chaplain at Valley Hope Boonville, a residential addiction treatment center in central Missouri. Prior to this appointment was Director of Pastoral Care and Mission at Holy Cross Wellness & Rehabilitation in South Bend, IN, where she provided care to residents, families, and staff in both a nursing care facility and a rehabilitation facility and oversaw a robust weekly schedule of diverse services in two chapels. She is a member of the Association of Professional Chaplains and is currently applying for board certification.
Ariell entered the Catholic Church in 2011 as an undergraduate student at Loyola University Maryland, where she earned a B.A. in comparative culture & literature studies and global studies. After graduation, she served the Loyola University community as a program assistant for the Center for Community Service and Justice, coordinating retreats and service immersion programs while also developing and presenting a number of interactive workshops promoting awareness of justice issues. She later enrolled at Boston College School of Theology and Ministry, earning her Master of Divinity in 2018, and completed her clinical pastoral education in Philadelphia, PA and Chicago, Il.
She began writing for New Ways Ministry’s Bondings 2.0 daily LGBTQ+ news blog in 2022. Her current work can be viewed at https://www.newwaysministry.org/author/ariell-watson-simon/.
During the height of COVID-19, Ariell was creative in her role as a chaplain, finding new ways of bringing people together for worship during a time of social distancing. And she helped to gather friends and colleagues in ministry for weekly virtual opportunities for prayer and support.
Of her work with FutureChurch, Ariell writes:
Like many Catholics, I experienced COVID shut-downs as a unique opportunity to reimagine liturgical community in an online format, with increased opportunities for reflective engagement, lay leadership, and gender inclusivity. These online liturgies are a gift that we carry forward from that challenging time. I feel privileged to have a role in stewarding this tight-knit online community as it continues to witness to what we can be, as Church, for one another.
Thank you and welcome, Ariell! You are a blessing to the FutureChurch community and to every community that is lucky to have you in their midst.
FutureChurch hosts an online Liturgy of the Word and Faith Sharing most Sundays of the year at 7pm ET. These community-led liturgies are an opportunity to gather with like-minded Catholics to sing together, to pray with expansive images of God, to reflect on inclusive translations of Scripture, and to hear preaching from Catholic Women Preach. Each week, participants gather into small groups for about 25 minutes of conversation about the readings and preaching and to discuss how faith impacts, inspires, and transforms our lives. ALL ARE WELCOME! Visit https://futurechurch.org/liturgies to register. Weekly reminders with links to the scriptures and prompts for conversation are sent on early Sunday afternoons.
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