Reflections after the American Catholic Council meeting
I’m a veteran of conferences on church reform. I started out at the first Women’s Ordination Conference in 1975, attended the original Call to Action (the one the U.S. Bishops called in 1976) and participated in numerous Call to Action and Women’s Conferences since then. I’ve even attended a couple in Europe, including the 8th of May Movement in the Netherlands.
So, the American Catholic Council meeting in Detroit this past weekend (June 10-12) was of great interest to me. I was especially interested in signs of change and maturing in the movement. Here’s what I sensed and observed:
The issue of women’s ordination, and gender equality generally, has risen to a new level of prominence on the roster of reform. It is at the top of many reformers’ lists -- men as well as women. It’s clear as never before: the denial of women’s equality just makes no sense to most Catholics anymore, especially these Catholics. The issue of gay and lesbian rights has become mainstream in the movement, just as in society at large. It’s not a “fringe” issue for Dignity or New Ways Ministry; it’s everybody’s issue. And of course, over the years, Call to Action has had a lot to do with that. New and independent communities are flowering as never before. If the Church is a garden, new sprouts are proliferating. There have always been tall trees and shrubs (cathedral and parish communities) in the church. But now, there are new flowerings: intentional communities -- lots of them, the communities of the Roman Catholic Women Priests’ movement, the “Ecumenical” and “American” Catholic churches and dioceses, even new religious orders like Green Mountain Monastery in Vermont. Most of these are outside the purview of the hierarchy. The “priesthood of the faithful” was visible. When the celebrant at the Pentecost Sunday mass said the words of consecration, hundreds of people in the congregation chimed in without prodding or instructions in the program. Why? I suspect that many do it routinely in their intentional communities, and they believe that they have the power, along with the priest, to call for the presence of Christ. There is something increasingly “American” about this movement. The leaders of the conference formulated a “Catholic Bill of Rights and Responsibilities” modeled on our own Bill of Rights. The whole crowd affirmed it.Reflections Of Christ - News
I suspect that many do it routinely in their intentional communities, and they believe that they have the power, along with the priest, to call for the presence of Christ. There is something increasingly “American” about this movement.
For those of us whose dads followed Christ, they left a rich spiritual birthright that is honored and shared. The timing of this article comes just ahead of Father's Day, which is traditionally the third Sunday of June. It's a celebration honoring
It seems that a man named Harold Camping has once again predicted the return of Christ. This time, he believed it would happen Saturday. Obviously, if you are reading this, he was wrong. If he was right and we are all in glory, then I apologize for my
Read the new book by Gary Thomas, Thirsting For God(Harvest House, 2011), in which he blends scripture and the reflections of some great Christ-followers in church history who discovered depth and maturity in ways unexpected to us who live in an
Reflections is a column by religious leaders in the region. The Rev. Charles Brock is a senior research associate in religious studies at Penn State Behrend and acting minister at First Unitarian/Universalist Church of Girard.
Weekly Reflections of Christ: So then faith is coming by hearing ...
Weekly Reflections of Christ
It's recommended you take some time to sit in silence and quiet your mind, and pray for vision/discernment from Christ, before you read this blog.
It's further recommended you take some time after you read this blog to meditate on what you read, praying to Christ as you compare it to the Word to make sure that it's in harmony with the Word, in fulfillment of the Word itself that instructs us to "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow is troubling me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And Yahweh said, Hear what the unjust judge is saying. And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man is coming, shall He find faith on the earth? - Luke 18:1-8 When you will beget children, and children's children, and you shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of Yahweh your God, to provoke Him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto you go over Jordan to possess it; you shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And Yahweh shall scatter you among the nations, and you shall be left few in number among the heathen, to where Yahweh shall lead you. And there you shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But if from that place/condition you will seek Yahweh your God, you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. - Deuteronomy 4:25-29 O Yahweh, forgive us, for we have sinned against you as our fathers before us in their days; for we have made up ideas about you in our minds, based on our imaginings and our personal understandings of Your word (which is of ourselves), and we have walking in the ways of our idols and left off from You!
The Luminous Mysteries: Biblical Reflections on the Life of Christ: 
RT : Always remember when on face book or twitter, Christians are reflections of Jesus Christ. Unbelievers form their opinions about God from us
RT : Always remember when on face book or twitter, Christians are reflections of Jesus Christ. Unbelievers form their opinions about God from us
RT : Always remember when on face book or twitter, Christians are reflections of Jesus Christ. Unbelievers form their opinions about God from us
Always remember when on face book or twitter, Christians are reflections of Jesus Christ. Unbelievers form their opinions about God from usReflections Of Christ - Bookshelf
Reflections of Christ
REFLECTIONS OF CHRIST
Songs in Waiting, Spiritual Reflections on Christ's Birth: A Celebration of Middle Eastern Canticles
There remains a constant need for new perspectives on the liturgical church seasons in order to keep themThrough the Looking Glass, Reflections on Christ That Change Us
Reflections on Christ in Glory
Casual Report Directory
Reflections of Christ: From the Fine Art Photography of Mark ...
This traveling exhibit continues to move about the country reminding everyone who visits to ponder the reality of Jesus Christ's ministry.
Reflections of Christ: See the Reflections of Christ Videos
View the Reflections of Christ videos. Watch the making of the Reflections of Christ exhibit.
Reflections of Christ: Reflections Slideshow
Check out the Reflections of Christ website for cool video clips of the "making of" these images.
Reflections of Christ: Listen to the Reflections of Christ Music
Hear the Reflections of Christ CD. The Reflections of Christ CD is a compilation of music used at our exhibits.
Another Testament of Christ
Another project by the creators of Reflections of Christ.