Black Lives Matter and Archbishop Jose Gomez
Co-Founder of the Black Catholic Messenger and author, Alessandra Harris, shares her reflections regarding Archbishop Gomez’s comments (November 4, 2021) on Black Lives Matter as a “pseudo religion.”
Author: Russ Petrus
Women Erased: WomanPriest, Tradition and Transgression with Jill Peterfeso, Ph.D.
This Women Erased Series presentation features Professor Jill Peterfeso, Ph.D., who has studied the Roman Catholic Womanpriest movement.
Does Catholic media represent you?
Excerpt:
In March 2021 FutureChurch hosted a talk on women in Catholic media, hosted by Heidi Schlumpf, executive editor of the National Catholic Reporter. Schlumpf called attention to a lack of diversity in Catholic media leadership. Out of more than a dozen prominent Catholic media outlets, six have no women in editorial positions. Others heavily tilt in the direction of male leadership. At the time of the talk, only three—National Catholic Reporter, Our Sunday Visitor, and this publication, U.S. Catholic—had more women than men in leadership. Schlumpf also noted the absence of Catholics of color from these positions.
This lack of representation in leadership is not simply a symbolic problem. It has a trickle-down effect, since those in power decide who gets to write, who gets interviewed, and whose stories matter.
The History of the National Black Sisters’ Conference with Anita Baird, DHM
In this Women Witnesses for Racial Justice series presentation, Sr. Anita Baird, DHM, presents the history of the founding of the National Black Sisters’ Conference and discusses their continuing prophetic work.
As Catholic bishops gather, so do protesters on right and left
Excerpt:
On the first day of the meeting, a coalition of liberal-leaning Catholic groups protested outside the hotel where the bishops were to meet in a closed, executive session. Calling their demonstration “Bread, not Stones,” about 50 participants marched, prayed and gave speeches expressing disapproval with what they describe as efforts by bishops to politicize the Eucharist.
The demonstration was focused on a planned debate at the U.S. bishops’ meeting over a document on Communion. Although the document is expected to be less political than some critics originally feared, the controversy surrounding its creation drew international attention after some bishops suggested denying the Eucharist to Catholic politicians who support abortion rights.
Signs included messages such as “Who would Jesus deny?”; “Communion is for all”; and “Eucharist: food for a hungry soul.” Organizations helping to assemble the protest include Catholics for Choice, Women’s Ordination Conference, DignityUSA and FutureChurch.
Outside USCCB, dueling demonstrations on Eucharist
Excerpt:
Catholic Organizations for Renewal, which calls itself a “coalition of lay-led Catholic progressive groups opposed to the politicization of Communion,” organized a “prayerful witness” walk it called “Bread not Stones”
Bread not Stones, attended by approximately 50 people, aimed to “call the bishops to conscience” and “oppose orthodoxy tests at Jesus’ table,” according to a press release from the event’s organizers.
Among the groups organizing the event were the Women’s Ordination Conference, DignityUSA, Future Church, and Catholics for Choice, which says it represents “the voices of the majority of Catholics who believe in reproductive freedom.”
Sister Helen Prejean accepts FutureChurch’s 2021 Louis Trivison Award
FutureChurch presents Sr. Helen Prejean with the 2021 Louis Trivison Award for her prophetic and persistent ministry to death row inmates, victims’ families, and against the death penalty, which has helped to change Church teaching.
2021 Louis J. Trivison Award Recipient: FutureChurch presents Sr. Helen Prejean, CSJ, with the 2021 Louis J. Trivison in recognition her prophetic work and ministry against the death penalty which has led to significant change in Church teaching. Over the decades, Sister Helen has made personal approaches to two popes: John Paul II and Pope Francis, urging them to establish the Catholic Church’s position as unequivocally opposed to capital punishment under any circumstances. After Sister Helen’s urging, under John Paul II, the catechism was revised to strengthen the church’s opposition to executions, although it allowed for a very few exceptions. Not long after meeting with Sister Helen in August of 2018, Pope Francis announced new language of the Catholic Catechism which declares that the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person, with no exceptions. Sr. Helen offers remarks following the presentation of the award.
Chloe Becker Receives 2021 Christine Schenk Award
2021 Christine Schenk, CSJ Award for Young Catholic Leaders Recipient:
FutureChurch presents Chloe Becker with the 2021 Christine Schenk Award for Young Catholic Leaders in recognition of her commitment to creating art that lifts up the lives of underrepresented saints and Catholics of color and calls on all Catholics to engage in the work of racial justice. Chloe Becker is a recent graduate of Magnificat High School in Rocky River, Ohio and a member of the Harvard University Class of 2025. Currently taking a “gap year,” Chloe has created all of the art for FutureChurch’s Women Witnesses for Racial Justice series. Chloe offers remarks following the presentation of the award.