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A Call for National Dialogue on the
Future of Priestly Ministry
and DIALOGUE PROJECT SUPPLEMENT!
In this project, we explore the future of our Catholic sacramental life if nothing is done about the priest shortage. Our intention is to urge Catholics to start talking about what the priest shortage means to them and their parishes. We particularly encourage the formation of dialogue groups in parishes and small faith communities. Materials address the scope of the priest shortage, trends in ecclesial ministry, and related issues, such as the history of celibacy in the Church, and communion services and worship in the absence of a priest. We also provide materials on organizing and media relations.
The supplement to the Dialogue project includes statistics on the priest shortage from the U.S. Bishops' Conference, articles on the Eucharist and on Sensus Fidelium, or the spirit working through the faithful,the rights of Catholics in the Church and women and the deaconate.
We also have prepared a "Parish Celebration of the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ," which calls for reflection on the true meaning of the Eucharist and prayers to commemorate our Eucharistic identity. The Corpus Christi service can be ordered separately or with our FOPM packet.
Celebrating Women Witnesses: A Project to Rediscover Women Leaders in the Church
Since we first published materials about rediscovering the true Mary of Magdala, we've been asked for other resources on women in Church history. The result was this compilation of 13 profiles of women who defied the patriarchy of their day to witness to the gospel of Jesus. Expert writers created biographies of women such as Clare of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, Theo Bowman, Dorothy Day, Julian of Norwich and the Beguines. Prayer services to accompany their feast days also are included in this package.
Women in Church Leadership
This project grew from a desire to provide practical resources for women and men who wish to implement the far-reaching recommendations of the 1996 Benchmarks projects published by the Leadership Council of Women Religious. The project packet contains educational, advocacy and organizational materials. Its brochures include "Women in the New Testament," "Women in the Lectionary," ""Women Ministers in the Catholic Church," "Jesus and Women," and "Catholic Women Who Changed the World."
Some 70 Women in Church Leadership "anchors" have organized dialogues in various parts of the country as a result of this project. They have continued to keep the conversation about the roles of women in the church on the front burner, even as talk about the ordination of women has been officially hushed by the Vatican.
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