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Call
To Action 2006 National Conference Invites you to Milwaukee! |
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| “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO AM… This is what you will say to the sons (and daughters) of Israel: ‘I AM sent me to you.’” This passage from Exodus inspires the theme for our conference this year: “ I AM! Rise Up, People of God!” It calls us to recognize the divine in ourselves and in all those around us. It calls us to act on this consciousness of our own dignity and to expect others to treat us justly and with respect. It demands we act justly toward others and respect their dignity. Thirty years ago the U.S. Catholic Bishops convened the first Call To Action conference in Detroit. We celebrate that historic event when 1,351 lay, religious and clergy delegates, appointed by their local bishops, voted for an inclusive church, open to women and married priests, with shared decision-making and greater social justice. That Call To Action was the culmination of a two-year national consultation involving over 800,000 Catholics in 125 dioceses. Cardinal Dearden hailed this collaboration as “a new way of doing the work of the church in America.” The energy from that meeting has been inspiring the reform movement within the church for 30 years. Increasingly we see lay Catholics in parishes around the country confronting unjust actions by their own church. In Boston, Catholics refused to accept the closing of their parishes and some continue to maintain 24-hour sit-ins in their parish churches. In St. Louis, parishioners refused to turn over the title for their parish property to the archbishop and have now hired their own pastor. In McAllen, Tex., parishioners continue to fight for the just treatment of parish employees. In New Orleans, parishioners opposed the archbishop's decision to close their parish, the oldest African-American parish in the country, and succeeded in negotiating a compromise to keep the parish open. These are just a few examples where Catholics have come to understand that “We Are The Church.” All of us, lay, religious, priests, bishops, deacons…all of us are the Church and have the right and duty to work to make our church more just and inclusive. Representatives from some of these parishes and dioceses in struggle will be with us this weekend to share their stories. (See box, page 5.) Our presenters represent many aspects of the reform movement that are shaping the church that is emerging. We invite you to share your own story and to be inspired by the stories of others. The CTA Conference gathers thousands of individuals, faith communities and organizations working to renew our church from all parts of the United States. CTA has 53 regional chapters and links to similar renewal movements in many other countries. Opportunities for caucuses and networking are extensive. The conference is packed with variety. Choose your own level of participation. If cost is a problem, apply for limited income registration. If not, consider making an extra donation to support those who need such assistance. If you can’t come, be part of the movement. If you haven’t joined CTA, join now. Send a donation. Stay in touch.
Dan
Daley Co-Directors, Call to Action |
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