by Don Wedd

Georgia - First meeting of a new CTA group in Atlanta drew 21 in late April. Many others asked to be kept informed. Follow-up meetings have taken first steps in affiliating with CTA as a local chapter. A dozen members already plan to attend CTA National in Detroit, and to hold a regional caucus to gather in more members from Georgia.

Michigan - After its first local conference in March, CTA Michigan continues to flourish. Though statewide, it has developed local groups in "areas" that now almost cover the state, each with a contact person: Grand Rapids, Lansing, Metro Detroit, Saginaw, Traverse City, West Washtenaw and Western Wayne County. The chapter is working hard on the CTA national conference, while also planning a state conference next March 27-28 in Lansing. Already confirmed speakers for the theme, "Reality of Justice: A Call to Risk" include two Michigan bishops, Thomas Gumbleton and Ken Untener, as well as Amata Miller, Jack Jezreel and Agnes Mary Mansour.

New York - Jane Fraser is heading an active group in the New Hartford, N.Y., area. They joined with Syracuse CTA in the collection of signatures for the Referendum outside the Syracuse cathedral in April. The Utica Observer-Dispatch devoted its front page and two following pages to a discussion of the priest shortage, including a profile of 68-year old Jane. Her parish, St John's, has sponsored a talk by Anthony Padovano, and has Maureen Fiedler scheduled Sept. 19. In November, as in 1996, Syracuse CTA will charter a bus to Detroit.

Missouri - New Wineskins is a group of Ozarks CTAers meeting monthly since May. Most come from Missouri, some from Arkansas. Meetings welcome anyone interested in spiritual growth, prayer experiences in new realities, relational dynamics rather than hierarchical structures, consensus decision-making whenever possible, social justice, and commitment to renewing the Catholic Church in the spirit of Vatican II, beginning with themselves. Their vision: Jesus said, "People do not pour new wine into old wineskins." We have been dependent on old structures. Some no longer serve us. We must dare to find lifegiving ways of being a gospel community.

In Kansas City, Mo., CTA members have met four times, and are considering affiliating with CTA as a chapter.

Ohio - Around Toledo and Findlay in Northwest Ohio, 25 CTAers hope to be an official CTA chapter by October. Nine Toledoans are the conveners. Marge Orlando from Michigan CTA came to discuss her experience of starting a local CTA.

CTA Dayton members have become involved in a labyrinth project -- a permanent labyrinth cut into a field at Bergamo Retreat Center. They are seeking a portable version so that more people can get to experience this meditative, metaphoric journey.

Pennsylvania - Regional meetings around Pennsylvania during July and August invited CTAers to consider forming a statewide chapter beyond Philadelphia. Philly already has a chapter that includes southern New Jersey and Delaware.