The collaborative progressive catholic blog, Open Tabernacle, has now completed its first full week with resounding readership success. Since each of the contributing bloggers brought their own following, there was a built in readership for this new blog of Catholic (catholic with a small “c”?) themes.
Here are the top five most popular progressive catholic postings from the first week.
SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) Needs Our Help.
For the last 21 years SNAP has been a voice for Catholics seeking answers and reform from the hierarchy on pedophilia. In that time it has bravely demanded an end to the shell game of moving predatory priests as well as the seemingly endless series of cover-ups of incidents of sexual abuse.
Frank Cocozzelli and Maggie Gallagher: The Voice(s) of American Catholicism.
On 20 April last year, Frank Cocozzelli published an interesting essay entitled “Who Speaks for American Catholics?” at Talk to Action’s website (here). Cocozzelli notes the wide diversity of viewpoints of American Catholics on social and political issues, including issues with connections to Catholic moral teaching. As he notes, American Catholics frequently disagree with each other (and with official church teaching) on issues such as stem-cell research, abortion, and gay and lesbian rights.
Many of us find the political and moral positions of our brothers and sisters of the Catholic right morally repugnant precisely because of our commitment to Catholic moral teaching about economic and social justice and war and peace. As Cocozzelli rightly notes, “A strong case can be made that these icons of the Catholic Right are using abortion and LGBT rights as wedge issues primarily to elect laissez-faire economic conservatives.”
The Canonization of Pope John Paul II: I Dissent
Vatican journalist Andrea Torniello has recently reported that the cause for the beatification of John Paul II has advanced. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has cleared the way for the previous pope to be declared “blessed,” the initial step on the path to sainthood.
Since reading this announcement, I’ve been giving thought to my reaction, which is, on the whole, strongly negative. As I think about it, I’m opposed to the canonization of John Paul II, and I’d like to think out loud here about my reasons for this opposition.
First, some provisos. I take it that Catholics may validly criticize popes. In fact, I take it that Catholics may have a strong obligation at certain points in history to stand against the actions, example, or even teachings of a given pope at a given time. Those of us who believe that this is the case have historical warrant for such actions: exemplary Catholics, including Catherine of Siena, a saint, have spoken out to call the pope to fidelity to the gospel, and to express concern when a pope seemed to be leading the church in a direction contrary to the gospel. And Paul stood in opposition to Peter when Peter wanted to make the gospel hinge on the purity laws of Judaism.
At the Belfast Telegraph, the columnist Sharon Owens has a heartfelt piece in which she describes all the things that she thinks are wrong with the Catholic Church, ranging from the insistence on Catholicism as the only valid route to salvation, through the incomprehensible difference in response to matters of abortion as compared to other offences, to the appalling record of the Irish church, on clerical abuse and on the treatment of women in the Magdelene laundries.
Lately, the Catholic Right has unabashedly sought to impose its will on society. From its recent advocacy against marriage equality in Maine; to the inquisition of American nuns who challenge Vatican hard-liners; and now the U.S Bishops who have threatened to sabotage health care reform unless they got their way on abortion policy in the House version of the legislation.
As a Catholic, I am beyond frustration with Church leaders and lay persons who seek to replace American pluralism with an ultra-orthodox form of Catholic morality. I say it is time for remonstrance from mainstream Catholics.
Sister of Charity Louise Akers filled in for scheduled keynoter Roy Bourgeois Friday evening because Bourgeois’ father took ill. 
perpetuating destructive church structures. Beyond their work as public advocates for accountability, Barbara and David share a generosity of spirit that allows them to gently minister to survivors of abuse. Their determined pursuit of justice for survivors, their families, and the entire Church, has been a powerful model for every Catholic.
stories), Dr. Estés has practiced clinically as a post-trauma specialist since 1970. She served teachers and children after the massacre at Columbine High School and survivor families of the 9/11 tragedy. She is an Associate with the Sisters of Charity, Leavenworth, Kansas. Her teaching “spirit in healing” to young doctors at a Catholic hospital coincides with her board appointment at Maya Angelou Minority Health Foundation, Wake Forest University Medical School. A former welfare mother, she testifies before state and federal legislatures on issues of mercy. Of Mestizo-Mexican heritage, adopted by immigrant Hungarians as an older child, Dr. Estés is a visiting diversity lecturer at universities and a Founder of La Sociedad de Guadalupe for adult literacy. As a grandmother from the Rocky Mountains and a disciple of nature, Dr. Estés holds that the largest endangered species on earth is the human soul.
Leadership. It includes silence, Scripture, memory and our own reflections. Brittenum and 40 Memphians of many faith traditions and racial/ethnic backgrounds have done a three-year study of racism in the context of the South and the Black Liberation Struggle that began there. For 20 years Debra practiced public interest law. She belongs to the Call To Action/USA board and the mission group of the School of Servant Leadership in Memphis. Her Biblical model for reconciliation is grounded in prayer, memory, study, community, social justice action and servant leadership principles. She facilitates retreats and preaches. She was Call To Action Conference homilist in 2005.
to deeply explore the transformations needed in order to understand and embrace our differences. Yoga helps us do that. Through gentle poses in union with breath work, we create more space within ourselves to be more open to the world. No yoga experience is necessary, just an open heart. We may participate sitting in a chair or on the floor. Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Carolyn is a certified Kripalu yoga instructor and teaches in Madison, WI. She is also involved with teaching mindfulness and meditation in the prisons through a local Engaged Buddhism social justice initiative. And since 1994 Carolyn has been involved with solidarity projects in El Salvador where she has had the privilege of spending time in Madison’s sister city of Arcatao.
events of their lives echo the struggles of women today. Angela of Foligno was a wife & mother, Margaret of Cortura struggled with anorexia, & Catherine of Geneva with depression. Yet all had ecstatic experiences of God’s love. Johanna Hatch is a graduate of the College of Saint Benedict and has studied spirituality at the graduate level at the Washington Theological Union. Her interests include women’s spirituality and hagiography. Johanna is active in Call to Action’s NextGen community and her local Faith Sharing Communion in Madison, WI.
Roxanne Meshar and Katharine Wojtan Praying in Solidarity with Women in the Americas
Spiritus Christi Liturgy
Ideally, religion is supposed to provide a nurturing environment for that work to be done, but sometimes it becomes an oppressive stumbling block. When Jesus saw that Judaism was no longer an environment that nurtured love, he felt obliged to reform it by reforming its members. Folks who have become involved in local lay synods are recognizing their responsibility to re-vision their roles as Catholics. They are people who have been grounded in Catholic Social teachings and gospel values and recognize that Catholicism is far more than a membership in an organization; it is an identity that no one (not even the Pope) can revoke or strip away. Lena Woltering has been active in Church Reform and Social Justice work for many years. She served on the National Board of CTA for 11 years and was Coordinator of Fellowship of Southern Illinois Laity (FOSIL) from 1993-2003. Lena served on the State Board of the Illinois Death Penalty Moratorium Project, has worked in prison ministry and served on the board of Seeds of Hope – a ministry advocating for people with disabilities. She currently does local chapter organizing for CTA and travels the country helping folks organize local lay synods.
society. Contrary to common belief, Muslims have been in America since the inception of the union and have had a tremendous impact on American culture. The presentation will cover issues such as Islamic practices in America, post 9-11 American Muslim community and the role of American Muslims in a global world. Imam Mohamed Abdul-Azeez is the religious leader of the SALAM Islamic Center in Sacramento CA. He was educated in Medicine, political science, sociology, Islamic history and Islamic theology and holds an MD from Ain Shams University, a BA from Ohio State University, and an MA from University of Chicago. Imam Azeez has been involved in Islamic activism and education for the past 10 years and is a passionate advocate of interfaith work. He dedicates much of his time educating the community about the true peaceful essence of the religion of Islam. In his capacity as the Imam of SALAM, he is a member of the Sacramento Interfaith Service Bureau, and participates in most inter-religious dialogue in the area.
Episcopal behavior . . . not only in the clerical abuse scandal, but in the suppression of lay wisdom in the entire moral arena. Understanding this culture provides both the key to reform and the way to achieve it. Stephen Boehrer, STD, is a married priest, former college instructor, chancellor, businessman and author of four novels. His novel, “The Purple Culture,” is acclaimed by such recognized experts as Thomas Doyle, Richard Sipe, and Jason Berry for its skilled analysis of the “why” of the sexual abuse crisis and other episcopal behaviors.
Rachel Bundang discusses what makes a good person and society, what we imagine for a new world and church, and how we get there. Bundang writes on feminist ethics and theology, Catholic moral theology, and Asian Pacific American religion and teaches at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota. She also consults on race and religion, religious pluralism, and liturgy.
come together as family, offering the mass freely and frequently and with renewed meaning to all whom are Catholic. This means continuing to overcome the many “isms” that persist in our Church and communities, reaffirming our true and historical diversity. Diana L. Hayes is Professor of Systematic Theology at Georgetown University. She holds the Juris Doctor (Law), PhD (Religious Studies) and Doctor of Sacred Theology (STD) degrees and is the first African American woman to earn a Pontifical Doctorate in Theology. Hayes is the author/editor of 6 books, most recently Many Faces of the Church (with P. Phan) and over 70 articles and book chapters. She has received numerous awards including three honorary doctorates.
the differences between tribes who share their knowledge; the difference between traditional knowledge and prophesy, and the kinds of products from research that are useful to tribes and academics; and lastly, we will examine how all of these issues present intellectual challenges of being a Native American and an academic. Orville Huntington was born in Huslia, Alaska and received a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from University of Alaska, Fairbanks. His primary work continues to be the preservation of Native American subsistence hunting, fishing, gathering and trapping rights, and subsistence opportunities, and the significant cultural events that surround those traditional beliefs. Mr. Huntington is committed to protecting the aboriginal rights of Native people to continue to live a subsistence way of life and preserve the cultural beliefs associated with that way of life. Mr. Huntington has participated on many professional panels and testified at several State House and Senate Hearings. He currently sits as Chair of the Interior Athabascan Tribal College Board of Trustees and on the Alaska Native Science Commission Board of Commissioners, and was selected for the Alaska Governors’ Subcabinet on Climate Change Working Groups.
church and hierarchy that was so far advanced the Vatican blanched. Now his ideas don’t seem so radical. and many are blooming in the church. After time in Holland and a visit with Schillebeeckx, McClory wants to share the wisdom of this far-seeing giant. Robert McClory, a former board member of Call To Action, is a longtime writer for the National Catholic Reporter and author of four books dealing with Catholic history: “Turning Point, “Power and the Papacy,” “Faithful Dissenters” and “As It Was in the Beginning: The Coming Democratization of the Catholic Church.” He is a professor emeritus at the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University.
Through a dynamic, interactive process, this workshop will offer an opportunity for participants to visualize and clarify their hopes for a JustChurch. Part two of a four-part series. For Pace e Bene, nonviolence is more than a principle for effective protest – it is a way of life. For two decades Pace e Bene’s unique approach has been transforming lives and reaching people around the globe. Since its founding in 1989, over 25,000 people have taken 600 Pace e Bene workshops to gain tools for more healthy relationships and to create a new society. Pace e Bene has offices and associates in Oakland, Chicago, Las Vegas, New England, Washington, DC (Metro Area), Montreal, Australia, and Nigeria, and a growing number of partners and trainers in the US and around the world. Together they work with individuals, organizations, and movements to strengthen their efforts to end war, protect human rights, challenge injustice, and to meet today’s profound spiritual task: to build a more just and peaceful world.
living God invites us into a new and ever evolving understanding of continuity and community, revealing to us that we too have to change with the changing times. A quantum reality is already defining our lives. Miriam Therese Winter, a Medical Mission Sister, is professor of liturgy, worship, spirituality, and feminist studies at Hartford Seminary in Connecticut. She has produced 16 recordings of original songs and hymns and has published a number of books on biblical women, ritual, and spirituality, most recently, Paradoxology: Spirituality in a Quantum Universe (2009).
has been an active member of the Chicago Catholic/Jewish Scholars Dialogue for the past twenty years. She is the Old Testament book reviewer of The Bible Today, having been a member of the editorial board for 25 years. She is now on the editorial board of Biblical Theology Bulletin, and Chicago Studies. She wrote the weekly column The Word for America magazine from 2002–2005. She is currently working in the areas of biblical interpretation and biblical theology, particularly issues of peace, ecology and feminism. There is a fundamental tension between the Bible’s ethnocentricity and its call for inclusivity. What does the Bible say about people on the margins? How might its religious message help us to address various forms of marginality? These are the kinds of questions Bergant will address in this plenary.
Kate Childs-Graham & Marissa Valeri Vatican’s Ban on Contraception: What Happened Then and How It Affects Us Now
meal modeled on the Last Supper. How this enhances the spirituality of individuals and of the parish community, plus minimizes the mentality of clericalism. Also, the reality of the priesthood of the faithful, and how Christ is present in this liturgy. Brother Thomas Draney, CFC is an “Irish Christian Brother,” he has been a teacher, administrator, co-founder and lobbyist for Catholic School Administrators in NY, regional rep for the Catholic League, founder and director of Christ House, a residence for political asylum cases in the South Bronx.. Most recently business manager for Los Hermanos in Fl., he now in retirement promotes house church and religious education in Naples.
Marian Fredal & Myra Brown Exploring Racism Inside and Out
all people. Embracing contemplative nonviolence, Merton became the conscience of the peace movement. His stances against war, racism, and nuclear weapons inform Christian witness today. J. Patrick Mahon, STB, PhD, served as a high school principal for 23 years before retiring. Now retired, he and his wife, Joan, are working for peace and justice. They have visited Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Israel /Palestine in recent years. Thomas Merton is Pat’s Anam Cara on contemplative nonviolence.
may not always know it. Curious? Then come listen to a woman of trans experience share the agony and the ecstasy and the journey of faith in surviving the triple whammy of being black, transgender, and Catholic. A lifelong Catholic, Ms. Maxwell attended her first CTA at Chicago in 2001. She has presented seminars from a black trans perspective in diverse venues as Atlanta’s Soouthern Comfort Conference, DignityUSA’s convention at Austin, Philadelphia’s IFGE and the United Methodist RMN Convo. A graduate of the University of Tennessee, she lives in Nashville.
devastation of the planet. Liberation theologians in Latin American have begun addressing these issues, as well as taking up the question of inter-religious dialogue with indigenous and Afro-American traditions. Richard Renshaw spent 11 years in Peru; published Dealing with Diversity (2009); translated Along the Many Paths of God (2008); served at the Canadian Religious Conference and at Development and Peace (the Canadian international development agency). He is a member of the Holy Cross International Justice and Peace Office.
and selfishness. Learn how to help children develop empathic reactions, internalize parental and community standards of right and wrong, and acquire habits of courage, skill, and experience in this interactive workshop filled with hope and takeaway materials. Sharon Toffey Shepela, PhD is a social psychologist, an award-winning teacher who leads retreats and workshops described by CTA attendees as “Extraordinary!” “Animated, practical presentation…”She is coauthor of Courageous Resistance: The Power of Ordinary People which NCR called “a slim, potent book.” See her website www.couragematters.info
must our images of the world, ourselves, God, Jesus, the Spirit and the church. Conventional thinking which believes the universe is static and dualistic universe is no longer convincing. An evolving interconnected universe requires us to transform old religious imagery and beliefs urging us to contribute creatively to the Great Work – the evolution of the Cosmos and of the Cosmic Christ. Helen Thompson, BVM, PhD combines insights from her graduate work at the University of Chicago and the GTU in Berkeley with her 18 years teaching at the Berkeley School of Applied Theology to explore how human consciousness creates worldviews and how they shift in an individual life story and in human history in The West. A native of San Francisco, she currently lives in Berkeley, CA.
All Saints Catholic Church Gospel Choir is a multi-age, multicultural, and multitalented group of Christians who love to praise Jesus in song. We are rooted in prayer, worship, and love. We believe that when praises go up, the blessings come down.
Chantal—two Rwandan women coming face-to-face with the men who slaughtered their families during the 1994 genocide. The subjects of As We Forgive speak for a nation still wracked by the grief of a genocide that killed one in eight Rwandans in 1994. Overwhelmed by an enormous backlog of court cases, the government has returned over 50,000 thousand genocide perpetrators back to the very communities they helped to dest. Without the hope of full justice, Rwanda has turned to a new solution: Reconciliation. But can it be done? Can survivors truly forgive the killers who destroyed their families? Can the government expect this from its people? And can the church, which failed at moral leadership during the genocide, fit into the process of reconciliation today? In As We Forgive, director Laura Waters Hinson and narrator Mia Farrow explore these topics through the lives of four neighbors once caught in opposite tides of a genocidal bloodbath, and their extraordinary journey from death to life through forgiveness. The film will be introduced by Rose Elizondo. Afterwards, she will lead a discussion. Rose is a member of the San Quentin Prison Restorative Justice Roundtable who believes forgiveness has the power to transform society.
“Bold, profound, moving, hilarious and transformative.” The sound of passion in “deftly-turned phrases,” songs imbued with hope, warmth and the “power and drive” to turn tears into laughter, cynicism into action. A motivating force in intimate concerts and mass demonstrations, infused with inspiration from the legacy of music for social change, Pat Humphries and Sandy O’s dynamic harmonies are multiplied by hundreds of thousands. Emma Goldman stood for everybody’s right to beautiful, radiant things. Join the revolution!
Women of Faith examines the choice to lead a profoundly religious life. Through interviews with active and contemplative nuns, a former nun, and a woman who was ordained in the face of possible excommunication, a wide range of views on everything from women’s ordination to homosexuality to the very nature of faith are included. It features an honest, challenging discussion of what it means to be a Catholic, even if you disagree with the Church.
Come and meet Mama (the Wisdom Woman), Sarah, and the Woman with the Lost Coin. As they prepare for the family reunion, they welcome Eve, Mary of Magdala, the Madres of the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina, and Gabrielle Bossis… 20th century French actress and mystic. So, in the words of the title song, “Come on in… things are’bout to begin… we’ve been expecting you!” In January 1998, Gloria Ulterino first called together a group of women to tell the stories of women in Scripture and Tradition through liturgical drama, story, and song. They now have developed eight programs, bringing them to Western New York… Maryknoll, NY… Hartford, CT… Ottawa, Canada… and now Milwaukee.
Whether you are lesbian, heterosexual, gay, bisexual, the question of what defines a life-giving and holy sexual relationship between yourself and a significant other can be a difficult one to explore. This program, designed for couples and singles, provides an overview of contemporary insights from theology and participants’ personal experiences. All ages are welcome. CTA’s NextGeneration Leadership Team guides and supports the activities of the NextGen community, an inclusive group of reform-minded Catholics in their 20’s and 30’s. Francis DeBernardo is Executive Director of New Ways Ministry, a national Catholic ministry of justice and education for lesbian/gay Catholics and the wider church. For the past 15 years, he has presented programs on sexuality, theology, personal development and spirituality, and pastoral care in scores of Catholic dioceses.
In a world of noise, activity and pressure we will spend this day sinking into the silence and grace of God. Through contemplative prayer, poetry and music we will spend time alone with God as we seek to enter into our inner consciousness. Silence is requested. Edwina Gateley is a poet, speaker, author of thirteen books and a mom. She founded the international volunteer missionary Movement (VMM) and Genesis House – a program for women in recovery from prostitution. Edwina has worked as a lay woman in the church for over 40 years and is still hanging in there.
Saavedra, Cass, and Mújica Murias will explore the myths of undocumented immigration in the US and the need for just and comprehensive immigration reform legislation. The panel will respond to the intensified enforcement and militarization of border communities, and will lead discussion on detention and deportation abuses and workplace raids and their effects on communities throughout the country, while offering recommendations for alternative policies and practices. Ann Williams Cass is Executive Director of Proyecto Azteca in San Juan, Texas, a self-help housing program for migrant workers and people who reside in colonias, She has been actively involved in immigration issues in South Texas since 1981 and is a member of the US-Mexico Border and ImmigrationTask Force. David Saavedra is a licensed clinical social worker and a marriage and family therapist. He is clinical director for Hope Family Health Center, a nonprofit that provides primary medical and mental health services to the poor in McAllen, Tx. The agency provides services to a high number of immigrants. Mr. Saavedra is also on the national board of CTA. Born and raised in Mexico, Mújica has lived in the United States since 1987. An awarded journalist, he currently publishes an opinion column printed in over 30 newspapers in Mexico and the United States. Since 2006, Mújica has been the most visible face in the movement to achieve comprehensive immigration reform and legalization for some 12 million undocumented immigrants in the country.
This pre-conference day is designed to ‘bridge the gap’ between the reality of women’s biblical leadership and the experience of most church goers today. Participants will engage in a process designed to identify issues contributing to the invisibility of women’s biblical leadership in preaching and proclamation. Together we will explore creative strategies for overcoming obstacles to gender-balanced proclamation of the Word in your parish or small faith community. Sr. Dianne Bergant, CSA will provide her outstanding expertise and creativity in discussing biblical women leaders, how it came to be that we don’t hear about them in Church, and what preachers can do about it. She is Professor of Old Testament Studies at Chicago’s Catholic Theological Union and the author of Preaching the New Lectionary: Cycles A, B, and C and People of the Covenant. Sr. Chris Schenk CSJ will explore practical ways of overcoming obstacles to gender balanced proclamation of the Word both at home and in Rome. Schenk has a Master’s degrees in midwifery and theology and is the Executive Director of FutureChurch. In 2007 and 2008 Schenk coordinated an international effort to “put women back in the biblical picture” at the Vatican’s Synod on the Word. Ms. Barbara Guerin will share learnings from her many years of experience as Chair of the Women’s Ministry committee at her parish in Irvine CA. Barbara is an Executive Consultant for the IBM Company, a mother, grandmother and an MA candidate in Religious Studies at Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles.
The exclusion of women from the priesthood in the Catholic Church is a grave injustice against women and a grave injustice against the God who calls women to be priests. In his keynote address, Bourgeois will explore the roots of sexism in the Church’s history and how an all-male clergy has led to a crisis in our present-day Church. Since justice is an integral part of our faith, Bourgeois will reflect upon what each of us can do to reform our Church and create a new model of being Church. A graduate of the University of Louisiana, Roy Bourgeois received a Purple Heart in Vietnam, entered the Maryknoll Order and was ordained in 1972, and went on to work with the poor of Bolivia. Bourgeois became an outspoken critic of US foreign policy in Latin America and has spent four years in prison for his nonviolent protests against the School of the Americas. In 2008, the Vatican ordered Bourgeois to recant his support of the ordination of women or face excommunication. He responded to the Vatican saying that, in conscience, he cannot recant.
