September 2002 Call to Action News

Getting Around

Voices initiates "Iraq Peace Team"

Voices in the Wilderness, the Chicago-based organization which has sent 40 humanitarian and peacemaker delegations to Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War (April CTA News), has established an "Iraq Peace Team." Plans are to send seasoned nonviolent activists to take up residence in Iraq before and during any U.S. attack that may occur. Voices needs donations to finance such expeditions.

Iraq Peace Team also has a new website, with current news updated daily, a steady stream of news analysis, and ways you can get involved. Kathy Kelly and other leaders of the Team urge CTA members to check the website regularly, and take action to say "No" to an attack on Iraq. www.iraqpeaceteam.org

CAFOD fears human toll

CAFOD, the U.K. Catholic aid agency, issued a detailed report Aug. 12 that describes the humanitarian catastrophe that will befall the Iraqi people in any pre-emptive military strike. An attack will exacerbate the dangers of terrorism in the Middle East and undermine the authority of the U.N. www.cafod.org.uk/iraq

Reform groups host "Challenge the Church" events during Toronto Papal Youth Days

As World Youth Days brought 500,000 Catholic youths to meet with John Paul II July 23-28 in Toronto, a coalition of international church reformers conducted alternative events in a downtown Episcopalian church. Dubbed "Challenge the Church: For a Just World Youth Day," the coalition events included a workshop with the Young Feminist Network of Women's Ordination Conference (WOC); a youth panel with Catholics for a Free Choice Canada on birth control, abortion and conscience; a discussion of clergy sexual abuse with the Canadian affiliates of the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) and Link-Up; a celebration of St. Mary of Magdala led by Canada-based Catholic Network For Women's Equality; and a celebration of Eucharist at which Rev. Mary Ramerman of Spiritus Christi in Rochester, N.Y. was presider.

WOC's Young Feminist Network and We Are Church Youth handed out Challenge the Church leaflets and WOC's new"Ordain Women" temporary tattoos. They knew we were getting through when a high school student from Boston exclaimed, 'Having a woman priest would be so cool! It would mean our church believes in equality!'"

Steinbergs to perform "Masterpiece in Progress."

CTA's Arts in Ministry referral program brings performing groups together with appreciative audiences. Here's a profile of two artists who will perform at the CTA National Conference in Milwaukee this November.

Jeff and Ellen Steinberg travel across North America sharing a message of hope, humor and encouragement, telling every person: "You are a masterpiece in progress." Since 9/11, that word is needed more than ever. Jeff is a singer, humorist and evangelist proclaiming that even in suffering, God is good. He was born without arms and hands and with legs deformed. Of Jewish parentage, Jeff grew up in hospitals and a home for the disabled. He took Jesus as his Messiah at age 11. He defines a handicap as "anything that keeps me from being or becoming all that God has designed for me to be." Ellen is a wife, mother and teacher with a special ministry to hurting women who have suffered abuse, the pain of divorce or the loss of a family member.

A Catholic Call to Peacemaking

That's a national campaign since October urging the U.S. bishops to revoke their 167-4 vote supporting the war on terrorism, asking all to "return to the nonviolent Jesus." Over 2,000 have signed the statement - a project of the Agape Community in Hardwick, Mass. Agape representatives also demonstrated at the bishops' June meeting in Dallas. Please consider adding your support saying, in the words of Pope Paul VI, "War no more; war never again!" To sign go to www.agapecommunity.org or call 413 967-9369.

Dignity/USA gathers testimony on same sex unions

Shortly after Cardinal Bernard Law told a World Youth Day audience in Toronto to boycott same-sex union ceremonies as "offensive and unacceptable," Dignity/USA launched a campaign to gather testimony from Catholics about their experiences of same-sex commitment ceremonies. Their accounts will go into a report to the bishops and to theologians working in areas of sacramental theology and homosexuality in the Church. "Vatican II said there are times when the laity must teach the leaders," said Patrick McArron, Dignity president. "This is one of those times."

Marianne Duddy, executive director, who with partner Becky Burke has spoken at CTA about their marriage at a Catholic Mass, commented: "We firmly beleive that we celebrated the sacrament of marriage. Many other gay and lesbian couples and their families have experienced the same thing." Duddy will again speak at the CTA Conference this November. Dignity/USA has regularly performed same-sex union rituals, also called Holy Unions, Commitment Ceremonies and Same-Sex Weddings, throughout its 33-year history. To learn more or to submit testimony, contact Duddy at 617 361-9512. www.dignityusa.org

Rome rejects English liturgy texts

The Vatican has rejected two major new English liturgy translations submitted by the International Commission for English in the Liturgy (ICEL), including revised translations of the Roman Missal and the Rite of Ordination. ICEL has also apparently yielded to Vatican pressure and installed a new leadership team compatible with the Vatican's traditionalist approach to translations. At the summer meeting of ICEL in Ottawa, Scottish Bishop Maurice Taylor outgoing ICEL chair and a strong opponent of Vatican views, spoke ruefully: "The bishops of the English-speaking conferences, voting by large majorities to approve texts prepared by ICEL, have been judged to be irresponsible. The labors of all the priests, religious and lay people for ICEL over the years have been called into question."

Australian archbishop implicated in sex case

Archbishop George Pell of Sydney has been accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old boy 41 years ago while Pell was a seminarian. Pell, now 61, denies the allegation, but has stepped down from his post while a church panel headed by a retired judge investigates. Pell, the top ranking prelate in Australia, is an archconservative who has refused communion to homosexuals, and once called homosexuality "a greater health hazard than smoking." He recently admitted that he offered a family thousands of dollars in exchange for their promise not to sue the church over claims that two daughters were sexually abused by a priest for six years.