Voices of Inclusion

Voices of Catholic Inclusion

American Catholic Council, 6/10-12/2011

Jim and I attended the recent American Catholic Council gathering in Detroit along with some two thousand other wandering Catholics. The breath of fresh air let loose by Pope John XXIII blew as strong for us this past weekend as it had for the attendees of that fabled call to awakening & reform in Rome fifty years ago this week, the Second Vatican Council.

We rejoiced hearing noted ACC speakers authoritatively voice the ancient and deep realities of what it means to be a Catholic, as modeled on the inclusive and loving practice of our founder. We were reminded of how Jesus warmly welcomed everyone at his table, how in particular he spoke to the essential role both women and men play in facilitating the community of faith.

We were brought back to the reality of an early church which all the people of God helped to govern, one never known as well to cease welcoming its married clergy.

Two clear points of emphasis emerged over our weekend: the role of experience in our church that down through the ages has always influenced and informed Catholic teaching. And the right & responsibility of every Catholic to develop and act on his/her own conscience.

Swiss theologian Hans Kung, American theologian Anthony Padovano, author James Carroll, long time Dominican and activist/mystic Matthew Fox, and Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister, all fired our spirits as they brought us back to our authentic Catholic roots and updated us on numerous issues plaguing today’s church, including an inexcusable bias against both women’s ordination and full membership of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters.

The gathering was only a beginning. As Detroit’s own Cardinal Deardon long ago remarked, “We are trying to begin a new way of doing the work of the Church in America. We may fail, but let us try and let the people say, ‘They cared enough to try!’ ”

Even so, how glorious to resonate again with a sound we can believe in, voices of catholic inclusion -- expression of glaring redundancy if ever there was! For us the weekend amounted to nothing less than a holy rebranding, a Baptism. Before the first day’s events concluded we’d been drowned in another gift of the spirit. There is hope. Change can't be far!