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Community of St. Peter Seeks to Preserve and Renew a Living Tradition

When the Cleveland diocese announced its 2008 reconfiguration plan, many Catholics around the city were dismayed. Thirty parishes, including historic St. Peter’s in downtown Cleveland, were mandated to permanently close. So on April 4, 2010, the late Fr. Bob Marrone presided over the parish’s final Liturgy, ending with a dramatic closing of the sanctuary doors. It was Easter Sunday. 

For the next four months, members of St. Peter parish gathered together in a meeting room at Cleveland State University– praying, singing, and strengthening their commitment to remain in community despite their shocking new circumstances. On August 15, 2010, the group moved from their upper room to a building down the road– a refurbished warehouse that would become their new worship space. 

Waving the Community of St. Peter flag with pride at Pride in the CLE 2024. (Photo credit: Martha Ligas)

Now, 15 years and two pastors later, the Community of St. Peter is the only independent and inclusive Eucharistic community in the Catholic tradition in the city of Cleveland. With roughly 250 total members and about 100 at each Sunday Liturgy, the Community works to strike a balance between faithfulness to the Catholic tradition and freedom to blossom from that tradition in new and creative ways. 

“It’s a balancing act,” says Martha Ligas, Pastoral Minister for the Community. “Where is it imperative that we remain faithful to our tradition, and where are we being invited to renew the tradition? For example, we draw our weekly readings from the same lectionary as all Roman Catholic parishes, but we welcome all to the Eucharistic Table. We believe in the seven sacraments of the Catholic tradition, but also believe that they should be available to all persons without exception. We use the Roman Catholic rite, but our current pastor is ordained UCC, not Roman Catholic. Through open communication and steady dialogue, we are constantly processing together where to preserve and where to renew. While this isn’t always a smooth process, it’s always a fruitful one, as it allows space for everyone’s voice to be heard in the process.” 

Community members and friends bless outgoing pastor Bob Kloos during his final presiding Liturgy in 2024. (Photo credit: Peggy Turbett)

Participating in Liturgy at the Community of St. Peter feels very similar to Catholic parishes– though simple in style, the sanctuary holds a baptismal font, a Tabernacle, and an Altar table. Folks sit in the round, and stand up and sit down at all the typical times one would expect in the Catholic Mass. But there are some differences, too. Given the Community was created before the changes to the Roman missal, congregational responses include phrases like “and also with you,” as opposed to the now widely accepted “and with your spirit.” The pastor and presider of the Community is married with children, and the female pastoral minister preaches twice a month. They also offer a gluten free and alcohol free option during Communion. Despite its adherence to many Catholic traditions, it is clear that liberties have been taken to adopt a more contemporary– and more inclusive– Liturgical experience.  

So who’s attracted to a place like the Community of St. Peter? “It’s a mixed demographic,” says Martha. “While from the outside it may look like a homogenous group, folks come from a wide variety of theological backgrounds. I would say maybe half are members who have remained in the Community since it was created in 2010, a quarter are dissatisfied or disenfranchised Catholics who are attracted to the inclusive nature of our Liturgy, and the other quarter are Christians or seekers from no denomination at all that are attracted to the ways we function as a community. It’s constantly evolving, and we continue to be fed by the perspectives of new members who find sanctuary or solace in our space.” 

Community members and friends bless the pastoral staff during Pastor Joe Blotz’s first presiding Liturgy in 2024. (Photo credit: Peggy Turbett)

In addition to a focus on the liturgical experience, the Community of St. Peter is actively engaged in education programs, the arts, and social justice initiatives. With recent speakers such as Mark Massa, SJ of Boston College and Jeannine Hill-Fletcher of Fordham University, yearly retreats, and participation in advocacy events such as Pride in the CLE, the Community deeply values education, spiritual engagement, and advocacy. 

So what’s next for the Community of St. Peter? “That’s a tough one,” Martha says. “In a community such as this– one that sits on the boundary between what was and what could be– all we can do is continue to listen to where the Spirit is guiding us. And,” she added, “to not be afraid to follow Her lead!”

Interested in learning more about the Community of St. Peter? Their liturgies are live-streamed on their YouTube page every Sunday at 11:00am ET.


Do you know of or belong to a community that you would like to see highlighted? Reach out to Martha at martha@futurechurch.org.

Habemus Papam – What Now?

Habemus Papam! We have a pope! Pope Leo XIV. With our Church still in the middle of our global Synod  process – which has raised so many important issues – and the world in so much chaos and turmoil, many are wondering what may come of the papacy of Leo XIV: What does Pope Leo mean for synodality? What about women? What about LGBTQ+ Catholics? Why did he choose the name Leo? How will being Augustinian shape his papacy?

FutureChurch hosted a panel of dynamic and insightful Catholic women who considered these questions and more.

About our panelists:

  • Brianne Jacobs is Catholic feminist theologian. Her scholarship expresses the faith of Catholic Christianity in light of new and developing science and philosophy of sexual difference, with the goal of liberation and joy for all people across gender. Jacobs hold a BA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD, an MA in Systematic Theology from Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and a PhD in Systematic Theology from Fordham University. She is currently assistant professor of Theology and Religious Studies at Emmanuel College in Boston, MA where she coordinates and teaches for the Women and Gender Studies Minor, and has won multiple teaching awards. Jacobs’ writing has appeared in Theological Studies and America Magazine. Her first monograph, Holy Body: Gender and Sexual Difference in Theological Anthropology and Ecclesiology, was published in October 2024.
  • Marianne Duddy-Burke is the executive director of DignityUSA and co-chair of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics. She has served in leadership positions in the Catholic LGBTQ+ movement since 1985 and was. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including The Washington Post, the New York Times, USA Today, the National Catholic Reporter and The Advocate. Founded in 1969, DignityUSA is the world’s oldest Catholic organization for LGBTQIA+ ministry and advocacy.
  • Theresa Gardner is originally from Haddon Heights, New Jersey. She received a bachelor’s in music and theology from the Catholic University of America and a Master’s in Theology and Religious studies from Villanova University. During her time at Villanova, her areas of interest were feminist theology, interfaith studies, ecclesiology, and postcolonial/Decolonial theories. Theresa serves as the Director of Christian Service at Loyola School in New York City.
  • Dr. Cynthia Bailey Manns was appointed by the late Pope Francis as lay delegate to the Synod on Synodality, becoming one of the history-making women who voted for the first time at a synod. Dr. Bailey Manns is the Director of Adult Learning at Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Community in Minneapolis—a community whose vision is to be a visible, progressive Catholic Community, compassionate and welcoming to all. 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.

FutureChurch Welcomes the Election of Pope Leo XIV with Hope

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Russ Petrus, Executive Director
russ@futurechurch.org | 216-228-0869 x2

FutureChurch joins Catholics around the world in a spirit of solidarity and hope in praying for Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, and our entire global community. 

In his inaugural address to those gathered at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV declared: “We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, dialogue, always open to receive like this square with open arms.” These words resonate deeply with our mission and are an invitation for all Catholics to continue building a synodal Church together. 

At FutureChurch, we remain steadfast in our commitment to advocating for the full and equal participation of all people in the life, ministry, and leadership of the Church. We pray that Pope Leo XIV will be an ally in this ongoing work and that his papacy will carry forward and deepen the vision of a listening, inclusive, loving, and missionary Church. His concluding words at the Vatican echo this hope: “To all of you, [people] of Rome, of Italy, of the whole world, we want to be a synodal Church, a Church that walks together, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always tries to be close especially to those who suffer.”

A Chicago native, Pope Leo XIV’s journey as a member of the Order of St. Augustine, a missionary bishop in Peru, and as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and fluency in multiple languages demonstrates a commitment to global outreach and service. His election is a hopeful sign that the Church will remain committed to centering the most vulnerable among us and addressing the urgent needs of our world today . We pray that his leadership will reflect the radical love of Jesus — inclusive, compassionate, and courageous.

As Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy, FutureChurch looks forward to continuing our important work and collaborating with this pontificate towards a more just Church and world.

END

Join us in praying for Pope Leo XIV and our Church here.

Praying for Pope Leo XIV

FutureChurch joins Catholics around the world in a spirit of solidarity and hope in praying for Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, and our entire global community. 

Read our statement about the election of Pope Leo XIV here.

Loving God,
We pray today for Pope Leo XIV,
called to guide our Church into a new chapter.

Give him a heart that listens deeply—
to Your Spirit,
to the people,
to the cries of the world.

Give him the courage to speak with honesty,
and the humility to lead with love.

Let him be a voice for justice,
a bridge between peoples,
a shepherd who walks with everyone. .

Inspire him to dream big—
of a Church that welcomes all,
that lifts up women
that protects creation
and seeks peace and justice with boldness.

Keep him grounded in the Gospel
and open to the winds of change You send.
May he help build a Church that truly looks like Jesus—
compassionate, inclusive, brave.

Holy Spirit, stay close to him.
And stay close to us too,
as we walk together toward the Church you’re calling us to be.

AMEN

As conclave begins, reform groups prepare for Pope Francis’s successor

Excerpt: 

[FutureChurch Executive Director, Russ] Petrus credited reform-minded Catholics with “persevering and modeling synodality in the world” in the decades leading up to Francis’s synod. Regardless of the outcome of the conclave, the reform community “would continue to be the torchbearers” for a synodal church, he said.

Asked how he might communicate the importance of synodality to the cardinals assembling at the conclave, Petrus said that he would urge them to “carry the final documents of the synodal assemblies with them, and let those voices speak to their hearts and minds.”

The Catholic Church and Its Hospitals with Patricia A. Gabow, MD

FutureChurch welcomes Dr. Patricia Gabow, MD, author of The Catholic Church and Its Hospitals: A Marriage Made in Heaven? for a conversation on Catholic healthcare in the United States.

In her presentation for FutureChurch, Dr. Gabow focuses her remarks on the beginnings of Catholic healthcare in the US – particularly the role of women religious in its noble beginnings; the reach of Catholic health care and the impact of religious directives on women’s, reproductive, and LGBTQ+ healthcare, as well as the impact on the conscience of medical professionals; and finally offer suggestions for meaningful change that could make Catholic healthcare more committed to Catholic Social Teaching.

To learn more about Dr. Gabow’s book and to purchase it, click here.

Patricia A. Gabow, MD, MACP is a national healthcare leader who has focused on the care of vulnerable populations and the institutions that serve them. She spent 40 years at Denver Health, a highly integrated healthcare system and Colorado’s major safety net institution. The last 20 of those years was as CEO, retiring in 2012. She has authored over 130 articles, 36 book chapters, and two previous books books, The Lean Prescription: Powerful Medicine for Our Ailing Healthcare System and TIME’S NOW for Women Healthcare Leaders: A Guide for the Journey.