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God Space: A Space of Welcoming and Belonging for All Seekers

Written on . Posted in Emerging Models of Parish & Community Life.

If you’re in the greater Cincinnati-area and seeking a faith-sharing community, you don’t have to look very far. While through her work as a campus minister Sr. Leslie knew faith-sharing opportunities were available for students at the Newman Center at the University of Cincinnati, she realized that after students graduated many of them experienced a longing for the spiritual community they once knew. Seeing this need, Sr. Leslie worked with her order, the Sisters of Divine Providence, to form a community of belonging called God Space. “It really is a community of people coming together to talk about God,” shares Sr. Leslie. “That’s pretty much what we do. It’s kind of like a seeker space, and a questioner space. We are seeking together to grow in our spirituality and to connect with each other as we grow.” And now, God Space has expanded beyond the Cincinnati area to include virtual small groups, too! 

Like many Spirit-driven initiatives, when Sr. Leslie began formulating the idea of God Space she wasn’t quite sure what it could become– she just knew that there was a need for greater community, both in her own heart and in the folks she encountered in her neighborhood. When thinking about those first days back in 2017, she reflects, “we had a dinner and we weren’t sure if anybody would come. But we actually had a house full of people– we had to bring out more chairs, which was awesome! And I thought I might cry a little bit because I was so happy.” And since then, God Space has grown much beyond dinner gatherings. From faith-sharing groups to social activities, from newsletters to podcasts, God Space is spreading its wings in Cincinnati and beyond. Sr. Leslie is consistently awed by the way the Spirit has been working through her ministry. When asked about the blessing of GodSpace in her life, she shares: 

“The spirituality of my community is about trusting God– surrendering to God’s Providence. I’m not super good at it…but starting this ministry and inviting people and trying to grow it, I’m learning. I guess what I’m learning is that God always shows up. And God takes things in a direction I might not know, or that we might not predict. But God keeps working and I see that I really can trust. It’s helping me to really trust in deeper ways what the Spirit is doing in this very uncertain time in our church.” 

God Space is not a church, but Sr. Leslie shares that many of the members belong to a parish. Others would identify as more spiritual than religious. There is no requirement that one must be “churched” to be part of the God Space community, only that you be open to search for God and respect one another along their respective journeys. Sr. Leslie shares that in the Cincinnati area, merging parishes has resulted in an exodus of many folks from traditional parish life. When thinking about this exodus, Sr. Leslie shares thoughtfully, “it’s hard, and we’re losing people. And so if a side effect is that other little communities are springing up as a response to people’s needs and desires and calls, I think that’s a good side effect.” And though Sr. Leslie herself belongs to a parish and is member of the Sisters of Divine Providence, she adds, “God Space is a loosely affiliated ministry, [which means] we can kind of color outside the lines in a way that is a little bit freeing.” This freedom, says Sr. Leslie, can really help attract folks who may otherwise feel like they don’t have a safe space to dive deeper into their spirituality. She shares, “I feel like there are people who are searching who are struggling with loneliness and disconnection, who might have questions about God or want to seek God but don’t know where to go with that, and I want to be able to help them to find us. I would like us to be a landing space for people who maybe don’t feel welcome in other ‘churchy’ spaces.”  As Sr. Leslie dreams about the future of God Space, she hopes it continues to be a soft, non-judgmental landing place for seekers to encounter one another on their quest for God– and is open to the creative ways that the Spirit will lead it there. 

If you are interested in learning more about God Space, you can check out their website or tune into The Providence Podcast. 

Focus Questions

  1. Sr. Leslie shared that God Space is a “seeker space” and a “questioner space.” How does your community leave space for unanswered questions? 
  2. While some God Space participants belong to parishes, others do not. Where do you find places of encounter and spiritual growth outside of the walls of a church building? 

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

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.

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Stations of the Resurrection

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

Stations of the Resurrection According to John

Art by Laura James. Copyright Laura James, Rita L. Houlihan, FutureChurch. All rights reserved.

For reprint or posting licensing, please contact FutureChurch at info@futurechurch.org

  • “Mary Magdalene Discovers the Empty Tomb – John 20:1”

  • “Mary Magdalene Tells Peter and the Beloved – John 20:2”

  • “Peter and the Beloved at the Empty Tomb – John 20:3-9”

  • “Peter and the Beloved Leave, But Mary Stayed Weeping – John 20:10-11”

  • “Mary Magdalene Meets Two Angels in the Tomb – John 20:12-13”

  • “Called by Name – John 20:14-16”

  • “Jesus Commissions Mary Magdalene – John 20:17”

  • “Mary Magdalene Proclaims Resurrection – John 20:18”

  • “Pentecost – Jesus Sends Them Out – John 20:19-23”

  • “Blessed Are Those Who Believe – John 20:24-29”

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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

A Prayer for the Feast of St. Mary Magdalene by Cameron Bellm

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

Mary Magdalene did not look away, did not flee.
She stayed and she wept
And she fixed her gaze on the cross, on the tomb.
And because she did not look away,
Jesus, who told stories, became her story, too.
And because she did not look away, she heard him
When he said that the story hadn’t ended,
That despite a terribly tragic turn,
The story was really only just beginning.

 His story was her story, and her story is our story—
A story of abiding, a story of prophetic witness,
A story of love unfathomably deep.
When we carry spices for anointing,
When we carry wine for celebration,
When we bear witness to love,
May we lift our voices, as she lifted hers—
Tell our story, tell her story, tell his story—
May we say, too, “We have seen the Lord.”

Amen.

by Cameron Bellm | https://www.cameronbellm.com

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 for Synod offers hope for progress but limits true synodality by curtailing conversation of ordination

Written on . Posted in Press Releases.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Russ Petrus, Executive Director
russ@futurechurch.org

 

On July 9, 2024 the Vatican released the Instrumentum Laboris – or working document – which will guide conversation and discernment at the October 2024 General Assembly of the Synod on Communion, Participation and Mission in Rome.

While FutureChurch sees much hope for progress in the document, we also cannot ignore the fact that true synodality cannot be realized if certain topics – such as the ordination of women to the diaconate – are excluded from conversation.

Entitled “How to be a missionary synodal church,” the document reflects Pope Francis’ desire for a cultural shift toward a Church that is more dialogical, open to a diversity of perspectives and experiences, and where discernment and decision-making is the common work of all the People of God – lay and ordained alike. And in compiling the interim reports from around the globe, the writers have put forward requests for further consideration that, if realized, will enable lay people – and particularly women – to take an important role in catalyzing such a culture change.

Recommendations made in paragraphs 16 and 18 such as lay preaching at Mass, the use of more inclusive language and imagery in preaching and Church teaching, a greater role for women in seminaries, wider access for women to take up decision making roles in dioceses, and an increase in the number of women serving as judges in canonical processes are all helpful and hopeful.

However, the working document fails to fully live out its own vision of synodality and proclamation that “by virtue of Baptism, [women] enjoy full equality, receive the same outpouring of gifts from the Spirit, and are called to the service of Christ’s mission” (13) by curtailing discussion of the ordination of women. Of the dozens of concrete proposals made by delegates in the synthesis report from October 2023, continued discussion of women deacons appears to be the only one explicitly taken off the synodal table (17) and instead entrusted to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith (see Group 5).

It must be said: true synodality will not be realized if certain topics remain off limits and there can be no real equality in the Church as long as women, whom “God chose…as the first witnesses and heralds of the Resurrection” (13), are denied access to the ordained ministries to which God calls them.

FutureChurch has been fully engaged in the synodal process – most recently submitting the synthesis of our own interim stage listening sessions to both the USCCB and the General Secretariat of the Synod in Rome and hosting two listening sessions with synod delegate, Dr. Cynthia Bailey Manns, this month.  And we will continue to press forward toward a Church that is alive with the wisdom, gifts, and vocations of all its members.

Our “Mary Magdalene Goes to the Synod” Project to Expand the Lectionary calls on the global Church to take up the necessary work of including more biblical women in the readings for Sunday Mass and increase awareness that women were – and still should be – ministers, leaders, and proclaimers of the Gospel.

FutureChurch will hold a virtual overview and discussion of the Working Document and Study Groups on Thursday, August 1, 2024 at 7pm ET. Details and registration.