Perhaps there is no clearer example of institutional resistance to God’s desire to dwell among us than the crucifixion of Jesus. Yet institutions—both religious and civil—also obstruct God’s inbreaking in quieter, more insidious ways. In this session, Father Anne will draw from Part Two of her new book, The Shepherd Within, to help us recognize how these dynamics operate in our own lives and communities, and to invite us into the faithful work of naming, resisting, and overcoming them.
Please note that, while it receives FutureChurch’s recommendation, the book is not required to attend this program. To learn more or purchase The Shepherd Within, click here. We also invite you to review our Advent evening of reflection https://futurechurch.org/advent-2025-shepherd-within/with Father Anne to learn more about Part One.
*This evening of reflection will alternate between presentation by Father Anne and moments for quiet personal reflection/journaling during the first hour (8-9pm ET). Attendees are invited to stay online for an optional time of faith sharing and discussion (9 – 9:30pm ET).
Father Anne was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 2021 through a reform movement called the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests. Because the Roman Catholic Church prevents the full participation of women in Church life, Father Anne was forced to choose between obedience to God and obedience to Church law. Choosing God, she was excommunicated, ending her career in the Church she loves. She now devotes her life to gender justice in one of the most powerful institutions in the world. Father Anne has a Master of Divinity from Jesuit School of Theology and a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Writing Studies from San Diego State University. Her deepest desire is to serve as a parish priest in the Roman Catholic Church. She works for the day this dream comes true.