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Mary Magdalene Goes to the Synod: Raising Awareness about Women Omitted from the Lectionary

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

Mary Magdalene is a saint for our times.  Her vision, courage, ministry, and faith are a model for all Catholics, but especially Catholic women who are excluded in the life, ministry, and governance of the Church is so many ways.

FutureChurch’s “Mary Magalene Goes to the Synod” project seeks to build synodal dialogue and discernment around the need to expand the lectionary so that more of our foremothers in faith are represented in the Sunday readings.

The Synod Synthesis calls the entire Church to dialogue and discernment with a particular, “urgent” focus on the role of women in the Church.

Proposal “q” in Part II, Section 9 entitled, “Women in the Life and Mission of the Church” asks that liturgical texts be more inclusive of women’s narratives.

There is a need to ensure that liturgical texts and Church documents are more attentive to the use of language that takes into equal consideration both men and women, and also includes a range of words, images and narratives that draw more widely on women’s experience (q).

As the faithful work together to bring forth a synodal church, we urge renewed dialogue and discernment that will lead to an expansion of the lectionary, especially the Sunday lectionary, so that the inspiring stories of our foremothers in faith will be better represented and proclaimed to all Catholics.

Supporting Synod Synthesis Convergences 

Expanding the lectionary to include more stories of our foremothers in faith is one critically important way to address some of the concerns voiced in the Synod Synthesis.

Many women expressed deep gratitude for the work of priests and bishops. They also spoke of a Church that wounds. Clericalism, a chauvinist mentality and inappropriate expressions of authority continue to scar the face of the Church and damage its communion. A profound spiritual conversion is needed as the foundation for any effective structural change (Part II, Section 9, f).

Further synod participants acknowledged:

Women make up most of those in our pews and are often the first missionaries of the faith in the family. Consecrated women, both in contemplative and apostolic life, are a fundamental and distinctive gift, sign and witness in our midst. The long history of women missionaries, saints, theologians and mystics is also a powerful source of nourishment and inspiration for women and men today (Part II, Section 9, d).

Thus they proposed:

There is a need to ensure that liturgical texts and Church documents are more attentive to the use of language that takes into equal consideration both men and women, and also includes a range of words, images and narratives that draw more widely on women’s experience (q).

 Working to Raise Awareness and Expand the Lectionary

While Church texts have honored the contributions of early Christian women, there is a lacuna when it comes to proclaiming their inspirational stories at the Eucharist, especially on Sundays. Therefore, Catholics who hear the Word of God at Sunday Mass, are deprived of the “Good News” of the faith, courage, sacrifice, and ministry of our foremothers in faith, a precious offering for Catholic women and girls, as well as Catholic men and boys.

In light of the Second Vatican Council, prestigious Catholic scholars such as Sr. Carolyn Osiek, RSCJ[i], Sr. Ruth Fox, OSB[ii], Michael Peppard, Ph.D.[iii], Regina Bosclair, Ph.D.[iv], Sr. Eileen Schuller, OSU[v], Sr. Christine Schenk, CSJ[vi] and others have written about the “woman gaps” in our Catholic lectionary noting that many of the biblical passages that feature our foremothers in faith who served as prophets, leaders, co-workers, apostles, disciples, deacons, patrons, and ministers in both the Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament are not proclaimed on Sundays and Holy Days.

Prominent omissions to consider

Below is a sampling of the foundational stories about our foremothers in faith that are missing in the Sunday Lectionary or consigned to weekdays where most Catholics do not hear them.  Scholarly articles listed at the end of this page offer a more comprehensive understanding of the ways the lectionary could be expanded to offer more stories of women’s faith, courage, leadership, and ministry in the Early Church and in the First/Old Testament.

The Story of Mary Magdalene’s proclamation of the Resurrection is never heard on Easter Sunday 

Easter is the most holy celebration of the year. Yet, when Catholics gather for Mass on Easter Sunday, they do not hear the full story of the Resurrection.[i]  They do not hear the inspiring story of Mary Magdalene’s witness of the Risen Christ or Christ’s commission to Mary Magdalene to proclaim the Resurrection to the other disciples. Only John 20: 1 – 9 is proclaimed eclipsing her faith filled actions. John 20: 11 – 18 is not proclaimed until the Tuesday after Easter when few Catholics hear it.  And finally, John 20:10 is omitted on both Easter Sunday and Easter Tuesday, part of the pericope that makes it clear that Mary Magdalene alone remained at the empty tomb while the others went home.

In 2016, Pope Francis raised the memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to a feast day with the official title, “Apostle of the Apostles”, and yet, Catholics do not know her story because they do not hear it on Easter Sunday.  Thus, are deprived of one of the most important moments in Christian history.

The Eleven Women St. Paul names in Romans 16 whose faith stories are not heard on Sunday

Pope Benedict XVI[ii] noted that St. Paul worked closely with women leaders such as Phoebe, Junia, Lydia and Prisca. Unfortunately, Romans 16, a passage that names 11 women and identifies some as deacons, apostles and co-workers, is never proclaimed on a Sunday. As a result, most Catholics never hear about prominent women who carried out important ministries alongside Paul.

Courageous Women of the Hebrew Testament

The story of two brave Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, is deleted from the lectionary reading describing the enslavement of Israel. The weekday reading of Exodus 1:8-22 (Lectionary #389, Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year I) skips from verse 14 to verse 22, thus eliminating the story of these valiant women who put their own lives at risk to uphold God’s law of life.

Our Request for the Synod Participants 

In the lead up and during the October 2024 Synod on Synodality we are requesting that synod participants:

  • Dialogue about the women omitted from our Sunday lectionary as part of the discernment process in the lead up to the synod gathering.  This effort will raise awareness about the women omitted, and allow the whole Church to discern its importance as one way we can bring women into authentic co-partnership.
  • Recommend that action be taken to make the lectionary more inclusive so that all Catholics, but especially women and girls will see themselves more clearly in the life, faith, leadership, and ministry of the Church and be inspired to be ministers of the Gospel for our world today.
  • Propose the possibility of a supplemental lectionary or another interim step until the main lectionary can be updated to be more inclusive.

Important Scholarly Resources

Women in the Bible and Lectionary by Sr. Ruth Fox, OSB (text)

Amnesia in the Lectionary by Dr. Regina A. Boisclair (audio) (text from her chapter in Women in Theology)

We Must Restore the Powerful Witness of Women Leaders to the Catholic Lectionary by Sr. Christine Schenk, CSJ (text)

Dialogue and Discern in Your Parish, Diocese, Community!

Want to raise awareness about the “women gaps” in the lectionary in your parish?

Here are some ideas.

  1. Sign our Petition requesting that all of John 20: 1 – 18 be proclaimed on Easter Sunday.
  2.  Gather people at your parish/community and read and discuss this resource.
  3. Contact your delegate
  4. Write or call your bishop, and ask for a meeting to dialogue about the women missing from the lectionary with ideas of how to make our foremothers in faith more visible during our Sunday Eucharist and throughout the liturgical year.

 

 

 

 

Sources for this page

[i] USCCB Lectionary reading for Easter Sunday:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/033124.cfm

John 20: 1 – 9

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

USCCB Lectionary Reading:  https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040224.cfm

John 20: 11-18 is read on Tuesday in the Octave of Easter when few Catholics hear it.

Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then reported what he had told her.

John 20:10 which shows the actions of the male disciples leaving is never read.

10 Then the disciples returned home.

[ii] https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2007/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20070214.html

[i] This is an example of Sr. Carolyn Osiek’s scholarship on Phoebe from Romans 16: 1-2 at https://www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/09032021.

[ii] Sr. Ruth Fox, OSB on “Women in the Bible and Lectionary” at https://futurechurch.org/women-in-church-leadership/celebrating-women-witnesses/women-in-the-bible-and-the-lectionary-by-ruth-fox-osb/.

[iii] Michael Peppard, Ph.D. from Fordham University speaks about the women who are not represented in the lectionary at https://futurechurch.org/women-in-church-leadership/women-erased-from-the-lectionary-with-michael-peppard-ph-d/

[iv] Dr. Regina Bosclair speaks about the women missing from the Lectionary at https://futurechurch.org/women-in-church-leadership/women-missing-from-the-lectionary-with-regina-boisclair-ph-d/  She has written a foundational chapter on the topic,  “Amensia in the Lectionary.”

[v] Sr. Eileen Schuller, OSU on “Reading the Bible in the Lectionary” for Boston College at https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/stm/sites/encore/main/2022/reading-the-bible-in-the-lectionary.html

[vi] Schenk,  Christine CSj “The Prophetic Leaders of Women” – 4 part series in L’Osservatore Romano at https://www.osservatoreromano.va/en/news/2024-01/ing-004/the-prophetic-leadership-of-women.html

Other useful resources

https://futurechurch.org/women-in-church-leadership/celebrating-women-witnesses/women-in-the-bible-and-the-lectionary-by-ruth-fox-osb/

https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/signs-times/reforming-catholic-liturgy-should-be-updating-software

https://uscatholic.org/articles/201903/we-need-more-women-in-the-lectionary/

https://www.thesacredbraid.com/2016/07/22/a-non-traditional-blessing/

https://futurechurch.org/women-in-church-leadership/mary-of-magdala/hidden-sisters-recovering-the-stories-of-our-foremothers-in-faith/

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Americans (Don’t) Talk about Abortion with Tricia C. Bruce

Written on . Posted in Respect Women Series, Uncategorized, Women In Church Leadership.

FutureChurch welcomes sociologist, Dr. Tricia C. Bruce, Ph.D., to present on the findings of her qualitative study of American views on abortion. Using data from in-depth interviews with hundreds of everyday Americans, Dr. Bruce underscores the imperative of productive conversations about abortion in a post Roe v. Wade era. Her research exposes the limitations of available labels, assumptions, and boundaries separating Americans’ moral and legal views. Study insights help to forge pathways beyond polarization, making room for greater complexity, ambiguity, understanding, and cross-cutting collaborations. Learn more about and read the study here. 

 

Tricia C. Bruce, Ph.D. (University of California Santa Barbara) is a sociologist of religion with expertise in organizational, attitudinal, and generational change. Her award-winning books and reports include Parish and Place: Making Room for Diversity in the American Catholic Church(Oxford University Press, 2017), Faithful Revolution: How Voice of the Faithful Is Changing the Church (Oxford University Press, 2011/2014), and How Americans Understand Abortion (also forthcoming as a book with the University of California Press). She is also coeditor of Polarization in the US Catholic Church (Liturgical Press, 2016) and American Parishes: Remaking Local Catholicism (Fordham University Press, 2019). Her writing has appeared in Time Magazine, Science Advances, The Wall Street Journal, the LA Times, Religions, Journal for the American Academy of Religion, Review of Religious Research, and more.

She is an affiliate of the University of Notre Dame’s Center for the Study of Religion and Society and Director of Springtide Research Institute. Previous appointments include tenured associate professor of sociology at Maryville College and research assistant professor with Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). She serves as President-Elect for the Association for the Sociology of Religion and as Past-Chair of the American Sociological Association Religion Section.

 

Walking the Way: Following in the Footsteps of Our Black Catholic Foremothers in Faith – Pilgrimage Resources

Written on . Posted in Women Witnesses for Racial Justice.

Dear friends,

We are so glad you are joining our pilgrimage from May 2 – 7, 2024, “Walking the Way: Following in the Footsteps of Our Black Catholic Foremothers in Faith.”

We are confident that you will be able to take this experience and training and build new ministries in your parish and community to confront white supremacy and heal racism our church and in our world. It is our hope that you will find the resources you need to work for racial and reparative justice.

There will be a series of meetings prior to our departure, the pilgrimage, and a series of meetings after we return.  All are designed to support your learning and ministry of healing and hope.  We invite you to take advantage of all of them as we work together to develop the spirituality, educational resources, and ways to take action in our communities.

Below are the educational resources:

PRE-PILGRIMAGE RESOURCES & MEETINGS

THE PILGRIMAGE 

  • May 2 – 7, 2024 Pilgrimage
    • Gather together for our prayerful, educational, experiential pilgrimage to Atlanta, Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma, and New Orleans
    • Please bring a journal so that you can reflect on your experience as often as possible

POST PILGRIMAGE RESOURCES & MEETINGS

  • June 2024 Reflections and Gatherings
    • Online gathering for prayer, reflection, discussion, and project support/help
    • Sample project template for download
      • Date and time TBD
      • Link to join will be sent prior to meeting
  • July 2024 Reflections and Gatherings
    • Online gathering for prayer, reflections, discussion, and project support/help
      • Date and time TBD
      • Link to join will be sent prior to meeting
  • August 2024 Reflections and Gatherings
    • Online gathering for prayer, reflections, discussion and project support/help
      • Date and time TBD
      • Link to join
  • September 2024 Reflections and Gatherings
    • Online gathering for prayer, reflections, discussion and project support/help
      • Date and time TBD
      • Link to join
  • October 2024 Reflections and Gatherings
    • Online gathering for prayer, reflections, discussion and project support/help
      • Date and time TBD
      • Link to join
  • November 2024 Reflections and Gatherings
    • Online gathering for prayer, reflections, discussion and project support/help
      • Date and time TBD
      • Link to join

PROJECT LAUNCH

  • Online celebration – we will gather to share our final projects and celebrate your ministry!

Retiring director of FutureChurch praised as woman of spirit, spunk, hope

Written on . Posted in In the News.

Excerpt:

Colleagues said the persistence, collaboration, creativity and passion Rose-Milavec brought to the “Votes for Catholic Women” campaign are qualities emblematic of her past decade at FutureChurch.  

“Deb has made her mark as a leader, as someone who is always willing to help widen the table,” said McElwee, who organized the 2018 protest. “She is a brilliant combination of spirit and spunk and a serious work ethic to advance the church.” 

Gospel Women of Advent Retreat

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

FutureChurch welcomes award winning author and speaker, Kathy Coffey, who leads this beautiful afternoon of reflection to begin Advent. Using an ancient Midrash technique, we imagine the lives of women in the infancy narratives. They invite us to see the scriptures differently, with possibilities beyond the familiar. To what might they call us today?
Art Used:

About our Retreat Leader: 
Kathy Coffey is the author of many books such as Hidden Women of the Gospels, More Hidden Women of the Gospels, A Generous Lap: A Spirituality of Grandparenting (Orbis) and When the Saints Came Marching In (Liturgical Press).

She taught for fifteen years at the University of Colorado, Denver, and Regis Jesuit University. She has won sixteen awards from the Catholic Press Association, the Foley Poetry Award from America magazine, and several others. She has spoken at national conventions such as the LA and East Coast Congresses, NCCL, NCEA and many diocesan gatherings.

Her own spirituality has been shaped by 50 years of parenting and 12 years of grandparenting. A widow, the mother of four and grandmother of six, she lives in the Bay area, CA.

For more information, see her website: kathyjcoffey.com.

FutureChurch Thanks Deborah Rose for A Decade of Loving Leadership and Faith-filled Persistence; Board Appoints Russ Petrus Executive Director

Written on . Posted in Press Releases.

FOR IMMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

In a November 29th email sent to FutureChurch members and supporters, co-director, Deborah Rose, announced her retirement at the end of the year, writing “I want you all to know that it has been the honor of a lifetime to work for FutureChurch and with all of you.”

Rose came to FutureChurch in 2013, succeeding co-founder and founding executive director, Sr. Christine Schenk, CSJ. “God truly sent a successor I only dared to dream about when Deborah Rose agreed to become FutureChurch’s second executive director ten years ago,” said Schenk. “Her passionate energy, creativity and worldwide connections helped fuel FutureChurch’s international expansion,” she added.

Marie Graf, who served as chairperson at the time and is currently board secretary, recalls, “When FutureChurch transitioned from the founding director, we were delighted to hire Deb Rose. She came to us with experience in running a nonprofit organization while also bringing a passion for church reform.” Graf added that “under her direction, FutureChurch programming expanded, new audiences were reached; and the FutureChurch name and mission were taken to a higher level.”

Among the organization’s many accomplishments under her leadership, FutureChurch successfully advocated for greater and more diverse lay participation in worldwide synods; created engaging online programming spotlighting unheralded biblical, historical, and contemporary women; and founded the award-winning Catholic Women Preach which brings women’s voices and wisdom to the preaching ministry of the Church.

Board chair, Todd Ray, captures the consensus of his colleagues, saying, “Deb Rose has truly been a blessing to FutureChurch. She has been a delight to observe and work with for these ten years – a steady source of energy and creativity advancing the mission to bring meaningful change to the Church she loves.” Commenting on her indomitable spirit, he reflects, “Her resilience in sustaining her passion for the Church may be due to her irrepressible and playful sense of humor, and she was joyful in her work in the face of so much institutional resistance.”

During her time at FutureChurch, Deb became an Associate of The Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati. Linked by their common friend and mentor, Louise Akers, SC, she met Sr. Andrea Koverman, SC who later joined the board. “Deb is and has been a light in some times of great darkness for me and many Catholics,” says Koverman. “She takes seriously the Gospel message of embodying God’s love in our world. She has lifted up the voices of women, women of color, and those of all sexual orientations. For so many who felt the Church was telling them they don’t belong, Deb’s leadership has been a beacon that we can follow. Where doors are shut and hearts are broken, she flings them open again and says, ‘Come on in, this is your home and you are welcome!’”

Rose led the organization as executive director until 2019 when the board voted to approve a co-directorship with Russ Petrus who had previously served as program director and associate director.

“On behalf of the entire FutureChurch community, I thank Deb for her decade of service to FutureChurch. She has been an incredibly faithful steward of the mission and a true champion for all God’s beloved children,” said Petrus. “On a personal note,” he added, “she has been a caring boss and an empowering mentor, a trusted colleague and a steadfast partner – and she will always be my cherished friend. We will miss her daily presence, but we know the many gifts she leaves behind will continue to bless us and our work each day. We wish her the very best in her retirement.”

The FutureChurch board voted to appoint Petrus as executive director – effective January 1, 2024. “Russ is more than up to the task,” said Sr. Christine Schenk, celebrating the appointment. “His strategic, pastoral, and advocacy skills are extraordinarily well suited to the mission. His grounding in feminist theology, his pastoral experience, and his digital media skills along with his long-standing commitment to reforming the institution make him uniquely qualified to lead FutureChurch well and wisely into the exciting years ahead.”

Rose agrees, writing, “His compassion, vision, creativity, vitality, skill, and work ethic are a rare find. There is no doubt that he will continue to bless FutureChurch and all who are connected to this work with his bright mind, gentle spirit, and unrelenting determination to bring justice to the institution where it is lacking.”

“We have put together an outstanding team of talented, passionate, and bright people of faith who are deeply dedicated to our mission,” Petrus said. “And I couldn’t be more excited to continue working with Olivia Hastie and Martha Ligas on our staff; board chair-elect, Vickey McBride, along with the rest our visionary board; and our consultants, Ann Marie Nocella, Ariell Watson Simon, Tess Gallagher Clancy, and Ben Stegbauer to continue building upon the prophetic legacy of Sr. Chris Schenk, Fr. Louis Trivison, the founding communities and parishes, and – now – Deb Rose.”

FutureChurch will host an online opportunity for the community to come together and pray for Deb, Russ, and our community at this time of transition during its regularly scheduled virtual liturgy on December 17, 2023 at 7pm ET. All are welcome! Register here.

END

Deb’s Retirement Message

Written on . Posted in Press Releases.

Dear Friends,

Today, I wanted to share that I will be retiring from FutureChurch at the end of 2023 after more than 10 years of service. As the board has already confirmed, my devoted, respected, and gifted colleague, Russ Petrus, will begin service as the Executive Director on January 1, 2024. As you know, Russ and I have worked together for many years and it is certain FutureChurch will continue to build on the legacy begun under Sr. Christine Schenk, Fr. Louis Trivison, and the founding Cleveland parishes. Russ has been pure grace in my life and in the life of our beloved FutureChurch community and the work of justice-making within the institution will thrive and grow under his visionary leadership.

As I move into the next phase of my life, I want to tell you how much each one of you have meant to me as we worked together to open new doors for women in the Church, made Catholic women preaching a weekly reality, recovered our forgotten foremothers in faith, and called the institution to be just in the face of clericalism, corruption, clergy sex abuse, racism within, LGBTQ+ exclusion, and so much more. Together, we have opened new doors for all of God’s people to shape, lead, and minister in the name of the Gospel. Not one bit of this work could have been accomplished without your committed partnership and support. Many of you reached out to encourage both Russ and me with expressions of gratitude and care over the years — notes that made our hearts happy and our workload lighter.

There is no way to thank everyone who has supported me personally and helped guide the work that we have undertaken as FutureChurch, but I want to express my profound gratitude to some of the people who made it possible for me to carry out the work to the best of my ability.

First and foremost, I want to thank the FutureChurch Board of Trustees – an outstanding board who has made our organization effective, strong, and durable. After a lifetime of working for non-profit organizations, the Board of FutureChurch is the best I have ever known. Each member has gifted me and the organization with their passion for justice, their love for the Church, and their wise counsel. They have weathered storms coming from conservative Catholic strongholds and have stood strong as a prophetic Catholic voice in the face of considerable institutional criticism and castigation.

Marie Graf, who was President of the Board when I was hired, was not only a pillar for me as the new Executive Director, but deftly steered the organization through the range of challenges that arise when transitioning from a founding director to the next generation of leadership. Because of her skillful guidance, the changeover was assured, and the organization grew. I admire her immensely and am profoundly grateful for her continuing commitment to FutureChurch.

Board members like James Connell and Todd Ray have always been there, in person or at the other end of a telephone line when I needed advice or guidance. Their constant care for me, for Russ, and for all things FutureChurch has contributed immeasurably to the health and vigor of our organization. I am also deeply indebted to other board members who offered their wisdom, gifts and support during my early years including Rita Houlihan, Sr. Diane Culbertson, Mary Lou Hartman, Jocelyn Collen, Br. Tom Carroll, Bill Daly, Lisa Barczyk, Fr. Gerry Bechard, Arline Nosse, Jane Collen, Bill Wisniewski, Phil Marcin, Annie Burns, Barbara Guerin, Patti May, Gene Kramer, and Bishop Tom Gumbleton. And with the same deep gratitude, I will not forget the generous gifts and commitment of newer board members like Sr. Anita Baird, Joe Miller, Sr. Andrea Koverman, Nontando Hadebe, Sean Gargamelli-McCreight, Vickey McBride, Crystal Catalan, Rose Lue, Yuenen Trujillo, Fr. Andy Switzer, and other board members who have devoted so much time and energy to this important work. It has been a joy to plan, strategize, and work alongside each one of them.

Our weekly volunteers, Maureen Cerny, Fran DeChant, Kathy Rossman, Carol Anders, and Helen Brinich not only folded letters and stuffed envelopes, but they joined us as we witnessed and advocated for Vatican II reforms, women’s ordination, an end to the crackdown on the nuns, clergy sex abuse, and more. I will not forget their quick humor, their keen insights, and their dedication to justice within the Church. Along with these remarkable women are a whole host of other volunteers who serve generously at our online liturgies and events. I am grateful for each one of them.

Ann Marie Nocella and other FutureChurch staff persons have worked diligently behind the scenes keeping our daily operations flowing smoothly and supporting our constituents in all they need. I will miss our daily staff meetings where we not only talked about our long “to do” lists but entrusted our lives to each other as friends. Other colleagues on staff like Olivia Hastie and Martha Ligas are growing the organization with their brilliant, thought-provoking, and Gospel oriented programming ideas. They are an immense blessing to the organization.

My colleagues from Catholic organizations in the United States and beyond have inspired me and worked alongside FutureChurch to create significant change in the Church. The Catholic Organizations for Renewal, Nun Justice Collaborative, Catholic Women Preach initiative, Deacon Chat, Votes for Catholic Women campaign, International Catholic Reform Network, and We Are Church International are just a few examples of this outstanding work. Creating light all over the world, these Catholics have changed the face of the institutional Church and helped it live up to its Gospel mandate for a world in need.

More than any other person, the one who constantly encouraged me, counseled me, and drank a beer with me when I needed one was Sr. Chris Schenk, my predecessor and friend. Her decades of visionary, prophetic leadership and her struggles against the clericalist powers that would silence FutureChurch inspired me to carry on her legacy in whatever way I could. Her constant support, counsel, and encouragement kept me going when I doubted myself.

And lastly, I want to thank Russ Petrus who has been with FutureChurch and me for the last eight years. It has been pure joy to work alongside him as a colleague and co-director. His compassion, vision, creativity, vitality, skill, and work ethic are a rare find. There is no doubt that he will continue to bless FutureChurch and all who are connected to this work with his bright mind, gentle spirit, and unrelenting determination to bring justice in the institution where it is lacking.

Finally, I want you all to know that it has been the honor of a lifetime to work for FutureChurch and with all of you. I have loved this work with all my heart and am grateful that people like Marie Graf, Mary Lou Hartman, Rita Houlihan and the whole board took a chance on me. Everyday has been a gift. Truly.

Deb Rose

Dr. Phyllis Zagano Accepts 2023 Fr. Louis Trivison Award

Written on . Posted in Fall Event.

FutureChurch is honored to present Phyllis Zagano, Ph.D. with our 2023 Fr. Louis Trivison Award in recognition of and immense gratitude for her ground-breaking work researching the history of, promoting discussion and discernment about, and advancing the cause for women in the diaconate.

The Fr. Louis Trivison award is given to a Roman Catholic who exhibits outstanding leadership in advancing FutureChurch’s Vatican II mission or vision in one or more areas of: teaching, administration, research, publication, advocacy, and pastoral care.