Giving Tuesday
This #GivingTuesday we have set a goal to raise at least $10,000 (celebrating our 10th Anniversary) to support this ministry and witness. And we are grateful for any contribution that helps us in our important work of raising voices and renewing the Church. When you make a donation to support our cause, you join with others who are investing in restoring our Church to what Jesus intended.
Listen to the recording of the presentation from Sr. Joan Chittister
While the 2023 Synod in Rome was going on inside the Vatican, just outside those walls was another event created by Root and Branch called Spirit Unbounded. Sr. Joan Chittister gave a presentation called “Living the Discipleship of Equals.” After listening to this presentation, breakout rooms were created to give everyone an opportunity to comment on how each of us could better live this discipleship and suggestions for how we might carry the synodal spirit back into our communities.
Save This Date: Next month same time, on December 16, Mary McAleese, former president of Ireland, will address Being Denied the Discipleship of Equals.
Recordings of the Presentation made
by Sr. Joan Chittister
1st session, November 25, 2023: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/n2_SPIC0bDo0pP2dCDWzdvAXvTDhg7XEGWbW0Ox0fcDx0PIUFh13VkZfKbTT9yLa.xlWfowc53xSI-xaB
Passcode: Oee2ULG=
2nd session, November 25, 2023:
https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/8CV3AgVLZr0YQtVvXuIfArEhht73YHHrcwAN7IlGaIa1mai3xUKZcnAbPlYGjyyD.8gthyoZVKU0tDzKe
Passcode: *3^U#&2q
For those who will be watch or rewatching Joan’s video, watch the second recording rather than the first. My recording skills improved by then.
Download the full transcript as an MS Word document; click here.
Corresponding Times for the next event
To join this gathering to hear Dr. Mary McAleese on December 16/17, click here:
Password is spirit.
You are encouraged to pass this information onto your networks and circle of contacts.
To accommodate the many time zones throughout the world, this program will be offered twice. Select the one that best suits you.
Here are corresponding times for the first gathering:
San Francisco (California) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 8:00:00 am PST UTC-8 hrs
Chicago (IL)/Mexico City (Mex) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 10:00:00 am CST UTC-6 hrs
New York (NY)/Louisville (KY) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 11:00:00 am EST UTC-5 hours
Sap Paulo (Brazil)/New Brunswick (Canada) Sat, Dec 16, 2023 at 1:00:00 pm BRT UTC-3 hrs
Tokyo (Japan)/Seoul (Korea) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 1:00:00 am JST UTC+9 hours
Sydney (Australia) Sunday, December 17 at 3:00:00 am AEDT UTC+11 hours
Auckland (New Zealand) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 5:00:00 am NZDT UTC+13 hours
Mumbai (India) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 9:30:00 pm IST UTC+5:30 hours
London (UK)/Dublin (Ireland) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 4:00:00 pm GMT UTC
Paris (France)/Rome (Italy)/Madrid (Spain)/Frankfurt (Germany) Saturday, Dec 16, 2023 at 5:00:00 pm CET UTC+1 hour
Nairobi (Kenya) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 7:00:00 pm EAT UTC+3 hours
Manila (Philippines) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 12:00:00 midnight PHST UTC+8 hours
Karachi (Pakistan) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 9:00:00 pm PKT UTC+5 hours
Adelaide (South Australia) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 2:30:00 am ACDT UTC+10:30 hours
Corresponding UTC (GMT) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 16:00:00
These are the corresponding times for our second gathering:
San Francisco (California) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 4:00:00 pm PST UTC-8 hrs
Chicago (IL)/Mexico City (Mex) Saturday, Dec 16, 2023 at 6:00:00 pm CST UTC-6 hours
New York (NY)/Louisville (KY) Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 7:00:00 pm EST UTC-5 hrs
Sao Paulo (Brazil),New Brunswick (Canada) Sat., Dec 16, 2023 at 9:00:00 pm BRT UTC-3 hrs
Tokyo (Japan)/Seoul (Korea) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 9:00:00 am JST UTC+9 hrs
Sydney (Australia) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 11:00:00 am AEDT UTC+11 hours
Auckland (New Zealand) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 1:00:00 pm NZDT UTC+13 hours
Mumbai (India) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 5:30:00 am IST UTC+5:30 hours
London (UK)/Dublin (Ireland) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 12:00:00 midnight GMT UTC
Paris (France)/Rome (Italy)/Madrid (Spain)/Frankfurt (Germany) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 1:00:00 am CET UTC+1 hr
Nairobi (Kenya) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 3:00:00 am EAT UTC+3 hours
Manila (Philippines) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 8:00:00 am PHST UTC+8 hours
Karachi (Pakistan) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 5:00:00 am PKT UTC+5 hours
Adelaide (South Australia) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 10:30:00 am ACDT UTC+10:30 hours
Corresponding UTC (GMT) Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 00:00:00
What we can do between now and the 2024 Synod
Speaking of the 2023 Synod report, undersecretary Sister Nathalie Becquart, XMCJ said: “The synthesis report creates a roadmap for discussion to take place around the world over the next eleven months. That report also has many concrete proposals and some of them can already be implemented. You don’t have to wait for change to come from Rome.” Amidst the mixed and diverse reactions that have come from the synthesis report of the 2023 Synod in Rome, this statement coming directly from the Synod office is most encouraging. The laity are encouraged to not wait for directives from Rome but to begin now to take synodality back into our local communities. Recognizing the good things that came from this Synod, lay involvement has been established and synodality is here to stay. But overall, progressive reformers are disappointed in the outcome of the Synod – that there are no specific outcomes particularly regarding:
• rejection of clericalism
• decentralization of decision-making to enhance co-responsibility of all the baptized,
• ordination of women to the deaconate or priesthood,
• treating the LGBTQ+ community members with the same dignity and respect as the rest of the community,
• optional celibacy for priests,
• the people having a voice in the election of their bishops,
• reformation of seminaries,
• education of the laity on assuming greater responsibility in our Church,
• ongoing education for the clergy in building a synodal community
• addressing the clerical sexual abuse head on.
Now is the time for us, the People of God, to turn to the Spirit for guidance on these and other matters, to share our reflections with others, to listen deeply to what they have to say, and ultimately to pass our insights onto the Synod office requesting that these issues be reopened and further considered in the 2024 Synod in Rome. Many are unaware that a consequential synod has even taken place this past October. You might begin by inviting two or three of your friends/fellow parishioners/members of your Small Christian Community and suggest that you familiarize yourselves with what happened at the Synod.
Click here for a few guiding steps to begin your own small synodal gathering.
To prepare, here is the English translation of The 41-page synthesis report.
Or if you prefer, here is a summary of the document that came from the 2023 Synod. Spread the word that you are bringing a small group together.
Your donations are most appreciated
YOUR GIFT – IN ANY AMOUNT – IS PRICELESS
This Giving Tuesday, when you make a donation to support our cause, you join with others who are investing in restoring our Church to what Jesus intended. If you are part of the movement to stop contributing to your local parish and/or diocese, you may want to take advantage of the end-of-year tax deductions by contributing to CCRI in its stead. The dollars we receive are used to run our programs and to reach a broad spectrum of the People of God. We are focused on reaching out to the Faithful, reform activists, young adults as well as those who feel abandoned by the Church, to mention just a few. Your personal contributions in offering your suggestions and your donations are most appreciated.
To remain silent is to be complicit with our Church as it is now. To remain silent could cause a repeat of Vatican II – where dramatic change occurred and was silenced by clericalism, by bishops who needed to have full authority. Let’s all do our part to step out of the pews, to come together and talk to one another. But none of us can do this alone. We need to join our voices together and be a synodal Church to stay abreast of what is happening with each stage of the Synod from now through 2024. Becoming a synodal Church will only happen if we, the People of God, stay involved in the process.
On behalf of the CCRI steering committee,
Rene Reid
CCRI director