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Litany of Those Who Accompanied Us

Written on . Posted in Mary Magdalene Goes to the Synod.

 

On the morning of Friday, October 5, 2024, the FutureChurch team along with Rita Houlihan, Lucy Rieger, and Rose Lue gathered at the Church of Saint Sabina in Rome for a simple prayer service to uplift the names of those whom we carried us on our journey to “bring Mary Magdalene to the Synod.”

We are grateful to everyone who contributed to our “Mary Magdalene Goes to the Synod” campaign to support our efforts to expand the lectionary and offered names for us to carry with us during our travels. It was an honor and sacred experience to carry these names with us and to pray with them: 

Ann

Marie Reisert Bailey

Victoria Baldwin

Josue Behnen, OSB

Hermilia Benavides

Sam Bowns

Sr. Mary Brinkman

Margaret Brogden

Sr. Anne Campbell

Mary Cara

Anita M. Caspary, IHM

Richard Conley

Geraldine Cortissoz

Pat Coughlin

Beverly Cramb

Eleanor Dallimore

Lydia Tinajero Deck

Lizzie Berne DeGear

Sr. Andre Dembowski, RSM

Anna DePierro

Mary Gallagher Dolan

Sr. Barbara Doherty, SP

Rosemarie Dougherty

Jacquelyn Dubay, OSB

Katherine Elsner

Kenny F

Margaret Fissinger

Patricia Flood

Deceased members of FutureChurch

FutureChurch founders and members past and present

Grandmother’s Mother

Carmen Golden

Antoni & Maria Gozdz

Sr. Hope Greener

Margaret Ellen Grellis

Angela Hastie

Olivia Hastie

Marmete Hayes

Kathrene Blish Houlihan

Rita Houlihan

Sr. Rita Anne Houlihan, RCN

Mary Margaret Howard

Jane Wolford Hughes

Sisters of the Humility of Mary

Susan Jensen

Sr. Theresa Kane, RSM

Mary Keldermans

Sr. Kate Kuenstler

Sr. Madonna Kolbenschlag, HM

Rosalie Kuns

Cecelia Lavinghouse

Martha Ligas

Andrea Long

Louis

Rita Lyons

Mary Magdalene Advocates

Mary Magdalene Spirituality Center

Crista Mahoney

My Mother

Sr. Molly Neville, SNJM

Sr. Katherine O’Donnell

Carolyn Osiek, RSCJ

Frances Padberg, SSND

Sr. Patricia Parachini

Yvonne Parrino

Sr. Anne Patrick, SNJM

Emaleen Patten

Paula

Rose Pentecost

Beryl Petrus

Rosalie Reinhardt

Sr. Mary Reuter, OSB

Lucy Rieger

Deborah Rose

Patrick Ryan

Mary Agnes Sammon

Sr. Christine Schenk, CSJ

Margaret Bernice Schilling

Sr. Mary Schrader

Mary Schultz

Sr. Maria Tardani, OP

Todd

Sr. Margie Tuite, OP

Nickki Valdez

Mary Magdalen Valuckas

Sr. Mary Anthony Wagner, OSB

Mary Walek

Sr. Miriam Ward

Monica Willis

 

Celebrating the Life of Sister Theresa Kane, RSM

Written on . Posted in Women In Church Leadership.

On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, members of the church reform and renewal community gathered in virtual community to show our love, respect, admiration, and gratitude for Sister Theresa Kane, RSM. 

Remarks offered by:

  • Sister Christine Schenk, CSJ – Founding director of FutureChurch and author of To Speak the Truth in Love: A Biography of Theresa Kane
  • Kate McElwee – Executive Director of Women’s Ordination Conference
  • Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D. – Co-founder and co-director of Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER)

Additional Memories and Tributes offered by others:

Co-sponsored by:

 



Meet and Greet with the FutureChurch Team

Written on . Posted in Justice In the Church, Uncategorized.

What’s Russ’ favorite church hymn? Olivia’s most-used expression? Martha’s favorite book? Ann Marie’s favorite recipe? Learn the answers to these questions and more through this “meet-and-greet” with the FutureChurch team!

Our meet and greet was an informal opportunity for FutureChurch community members to get to know the staff, learn what led them to FutureChurch, and hear some of their hopes and dreams for the season ahead.

Download Ann Marie’s recipe for Italian Wedding Soup.

2024 Synod Working Document Overview and Analysis

Written on . Posted in Justice In the Church, Synod on Synodality.

FutureChurch director emerita, Deborah Rose, joins us to share an overview and analysis of the Instrumentum Laboris – or Working Document – that will guide conversation and discernment at the October 2024 Assembly of the Synod on Communion, Participation, and Mission. Deb’s presentation provides an overview of how the document was created and a review of its contents with a particular focus on where and how the issue of women’s leadership and ministry appears in text.

Additional Resources

Stations of the Resurrection According to John with Laura James

Written on . Posted in Mary of Magdala, Uncategorized, Women In Church Leadership.

Laura James has expanded her “Mary Magdalene and the Risen Jesus” series with six new images to depict all of John’s Resurrection Narrative. Our virtual art show presents a first look at these “Stations of the Resurrection,” exploring the theological significance of each painting. We also hear from Laura James herself about her inspiration and process.

Inspired by contemporary biblical scholarship, this art series was commissioned by FutureChurch board member, Rita Houlihan.

More Resources

About Laura James: A self-taught artist of Caribbean heritage, Laura James has enjoyed a long career painting in two styles she refers to as ‘sacred’ and ‘secular’. James separates and combines the sacrosanct and the ordinary and has created a diverse body of work that is her own.

Originally captivated by the Ethiopian Christian Art form, James’ sacred work employs this ancient way of making icons and expands on the collection of stories traditionally painted in this style. James is pleased to help black people see themselves in their sacred texts, in African religions and Christianity, a place where racialized people have curiously been excluded in the west. To that end, James was delighted to illustrate The Book of the Gospels lectionary, published by Liturgy Training Publications in 2001; the book is used worldwide by numerous Christian denominations and is currently in its second edition. Her religious art is at the forefront of the movement toward a more inclusive representation of Biblical figures.

LTP book designer Anna Manhart writes, “We like Laura’s work because it is distinct, memorable, popular and timeless, telling stories in a simple, fresh, and direct way. People respond to the expressive faces, eyes, and gestures, colors, and intricately patterned clothing. Her art appeals to varied ages and cultures. The depictions carry the tradition of Ethiopian iconography to the present day, bridging centuries and continents.”

Ms. James is represented by Bridgeman Images, the world’s leading specialists in the distribution of fine art for reproduction, and James’ work can be seen in hundreds of publications from textbooks to film worldwide. James’ third children’s book, My Mother Was a Nanny was recently released, and she continues to work as a commissioned artist. Laura James lives and works in The Bronx, NY. Learn more at www.laurajamesart.com

About Rita Houlihan: Rita L. Houlihan works to restore our historical memory of Biblical women leaders with a focus on Mary Magdalene. She commissions scripture-based art to counter demeaning legends and touch the public’s imagination.

En español

2024 Mary Magdalene Celebration

Written on . Posted in Mary of Magdala, Women In Church Leadership.

FutureChurch’s 2024 celebration of Mary Magdalene uplifts the role that women play in bearing witness to the Risen One in our midst today. This year’s celebration was developed and co-led by Martha Ligas and Olivia Hastie of the FutureChurch staff. We welcomed three witnesses: Vickey McBride, Ariell Watson Simon, and Yunuen Trujillo who all shared their reflections from their own ministry and context. FutureChurch executive director, Russ Petrus, provided music.

About our witnesses:

Vickey McBride is Chair of the FutureChurch Board. She most recently served as Vice President for Mission at Saint Martin de Porres High School (Cristo Rey) in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2023, she received the Michael Pressley Award for Excellence in Catholic Education.

Yunuen Trujillo is a Catholic lay minister, a faith-based Community Organizer, and an Immigration Attorney. As a lay minister, she has served in Young Adult Ministry for more than 15 years and she is one of the leading figures for inclusive Catholic LGBTQ Ministry in the United States. Yunuen is a member of the FutureChurch Board.

Ariell Simon (she/her) is a healthcare chaplain living and ministering in central Missouri. Ariell has served as a healthcare chaplain in hospitals and nursing facilities in three states. Ariell also coordinates FutureChurch’s Sunday evening online Liturgy of the Word.

Additional Media and Resources

Faith, Feminism, and the Catholic Church with Natalia Lee and Julie Rubio

Written on . Posted in Women Erased, Women In Church Leadership.

FutureChurch welcomes Professors Julie Hanlon Rubio and Natalia Imperatori-Lee for a conversation on faith, feminism, and the Catholic Church. Both scholars have recently written critically acclaimed books on the topic.

In Women and the Church: From Devil’s Gateway to Discipleship Natalia Imperatori Lee examines the history of Christian feminism as a response to patriarchy, the ways in which women have been portrayed in scripture and women’s hermeneutical strategies, and the contributions of women to the subfields of systematic theology.

In Can You Be a Catholic and a Feminist? Julie Hanlon Rubio explores the enduring but newly urgent question, arguing that a Catholic feminist identity is only tenable if we frankly acknowledge tensions between Catholicism and feminism, bring forward shared concerns, and embrace the future with ambiguity and creativity.

Natalia Imperatori-Lee is professor of religious studies at Manhattan College in Riverdale, Bronx, New York. She teaches in the areas of Catholic ecclesiology, gender studies, and Latinx theologies. Imperatori-Lee holds degrees from Fordham University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Notre Dame.

Julie Hanlon Rubio is the Shea-Heusaman Professor of Christian Social Ethics and Associate Dean at Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley, California. She previously taught in the department of theological studies at St. Louis University for nearly two decades. Her research focuses on family, feminism, sex, and politics.

Working Document Listening Session with Dr. Cynthia Bailey Manns

Written on . Posted in Justice In the Church, Synod on Synodality.

Synod Delegate, Dr. Cynthia Bailey Manns, joins FutureChurch to host a listening session in preparation for the October 2024 Assembly of the Synod on Communion, Participation, and Mission.

Dr. Bailey Manns joins in conversation with a number of listening session participants regarding details of the newly released working document that will guide the October 2024 Assembly. Of note, participants discuss the development that discussion of women deacons has now been “entrusted” to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith.

We apologize that, because of technical issues, the recording begins a few minutes into the conversation as Deborah Rose is sharing her thoughts about the news that discussion of women deacons was being taken up by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of faith.

Dr. Cynthia Bailey Manns is one of four lay people from the United States who were appointed by Pope Francis as the first lay women and men voting delegates to participate at the first general assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality this past October and again in October 2024. She is also one of the six St. Paul & Minneapolis Archdiocesan representatives in the Continental phase of the pre-Synod preparations and at Archbishop Hebda’s request, ably represented the Archdiocese on the team that worked with the World Council of Churches and the Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity to draft the international materials for the 2023 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

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. She is an experienced soul companion/spiritual director, supervisor, and retreat leader with emphasis on human development, spirituality, spiritual formation, soul care for lay and ordained leaders, and sacred activism. She lives with her family in Bloomington, Minnesota.