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 This issue of In the Vineyard includes summaries
of some of the Convention presentations. To get even
closer to the action, go to Resurrection Tapes at www.resurrectionC.comor
write to ResurrectionC@gmail.com for
DVD and audio replays of most of the sessions. Here
are some quick numbers from the Convention:
- Over
500 attendees (two attendees drove from Wisconsin!)
- Over two dozen workshops
- Three Priest of Integrity Awards and the Catherine
of Siena Lay Person Award
NATIONAL News
See VOTF Convention recaps under Disciples in Action
Read the
VOTF National press release “VOTF Urges Bishops Not to Elect
Cardinal George”
Fr. Richard McBrien calls VOTF to leave the
Church better than we found it.
In
his address to a packed house Friday evening Fr. Richard
McBrien complimented Voice of the
Faithful on
the Convention agenda. He called for us to keep the pressure
on and to not write off all of the bishops. He affirmed
our identifying celibacy as a contributor to the culture
of secrecy which led to the cover up of the abuse crisis.
For a good summary of Fr. McBrien’s talk, click
here.
EDWINA Gateley opening address on Saturday drew
clamorous appreciation.
Gateley’s brand of public speaking is well known
for the energy – both physical and intellectual – that
she brings to an audience. As more than one attendee
said, “She’s contagious – I haven’t
felt this energized in quite a while.”
Gateley’s talk began with a lesson in recognition. “Following
Jesus, hmmm. Pretty radical. Take away all the piety
and hype … and you end up with a man who was a
problem for both the secular and religious systems of
his time; a social outcast in his culture; a rebel, an
oddity, a trouble maker, a rabble rouser, a political
problem and, ultimately, a convicted felon!!!!”
She
went on to note that “something” in
Jesus – His “inner authority” characteristic
of mystics and prophets – resonated with so many
around him. He was touching their inner understanding.
Giving voice to these depths isn’t on the surface
of our lives – it is in the desert places, Gateley
said.
“What we so often forget is that agendas impelled
by justice belong to God, and will unfold in time frames
beyond our frantic plannings and desirings ….Our
task is to be faithful to the unfolding of God’s
ways, and yet remain expectant…. The voice of the
faithful is birthed by God and must not be stilled – and
neither must you, as Voice of the Faithful, be stilled.”
See
upcoming issues of the Vineyard for more on Edwina
Gateley’s talk. Meanwhile,
visit her web site at www.edwinagately.com. To schedule
an event,
attend a retreat or receive a brochure on this minister,
speaker, poet and writer, contact edwinagateley@aol.com or
write to Edwina Gateley, 229 Eagle Point Blvd., Erie
PA 16511.
ADVOCACY AWARD news! Congratulations
to David Clohessy, national director of SNAP -- Survivors
Network of those Abused by Priests, who has received
the Lifetime Achievement in Advocacy Award from the Institute
on Violence, Abuse and Trauma. David has been working
with abuse survivors since the 1980s. In addition to
representing SNAP at the Providence Convention, he also
led a forum on ways VOTF members can work effectively
to support legislation that helps survivors.
SNAP’s
Fall Newsletter is available in pdf, click
here.
SITE-seeing, Etc.
The
Los Angeles Archdiocese newsletter “The Tidings” published
an informed and informative response to “What do
I say if an adult tells me he was abused years ago?” Read
more.
An “uncommon overture” from Muslim scholars
to the Christian community is drawing a mixed response – from
welcome to caution. See The
Tablet.
QUOTE for our time: “We seem
to be undergoing a dark night in the Church, not the
first in history and probably not the last. This darkness
is not a mystery given the frantic efforts by some
to slam the windows and nail down the shutters after
a bit too much of the fresh air introduced by John
XXIII at the instigation of the Holy Spirit. As at
the first Pentecost, difference is a primary sign of
that Spirit. Until the institutional part of the Church
can learn to embrace and value difference, it will
be primarily the responsibility of the rest of the
Church to do so. Thank God for theologians like Phan
and others. The Holy Spirit cannot be stopped and it
is up to theologians to make Her presence felt in times
like these.” Anthony
Christiansen, OFM, as quoted in the current issue of
National Catholic Reporter following commentary
on Georgetown theologian Fr. Peter Phan’s recent
talk. Fr. Phan is under investigation by US bishops
and the Vatican for his book Being Religious Interreligiously:
Asian Perspectives on Interreligious Dialogue. Subscribers
can see NCR
coverage.
Convention
workshop presenters and facilitators are invited
to provide
recaps of their gatherings at the Providence RI
convention “Disciples in Action” held
on Oct. 19/20. This issue of In the Vineyard and
future issues will incorporate as many of those
summaries as we receive.
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