Community Life

InFormation Bulletins - InFormation 2019 No.3 Fall

"To surrender oneself to the total transformation of mind, heart and soul to which Paul refers is to choose a spiritual journey fraught with growing pains culminating in the incarnation itself. This is not a journey one makes alone. The gifted women and men who accompany one another through the ForMission experience and process remind me of the necessity and importance of bridgebuilders and tradition bearers among us."

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InFormation Bulletins - InFormation 2020 No.4 Winter

"Here are ten counsels for living when we are, in effect, housebound, that is, living in a situation wherein we don’t have a lot of privacy, have to do a lot of living within a very small circle, face long hours wherein we have to struggle to find things that energize us, and wherein we find ourselves for good stretches of time frustrated, bored, impatient, and lethargic."

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InFormation Bulletins - InFormation 2021 No.1 Spring

"When [Catholic Theological Union] CTU announced that it would offer its fall courses online, Together shifted to a virtual format. As a result, program participants were able to connect with each other via Zoom for community time as well as prayer and formation experiences. We were delighted with the success of this virtual format! As a result of this success, Together is pleased to announce the addition of a distance format for those wanting to participate in the program from afar."

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InFormation Bulletins - InFormation 2021 No.2 Summer

"Today, our lives continue to be shaped by a singular commitment to make God’s love known in our suffering world. We believe that each life is sacred; that all share in the common good; and that we have a responsibility to ensure a preferential option for those who are poor and marginalized."

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InFormation Bulletins - InFormation 2021 No.4 Winter

"Could it be that the profound disruptions that are taking place in our world and church, across all cultures and places, are harbingers of a resurrection and the hope that new life brings? Could it be that the breakdown of our systems and structures and the utter instability of this change of era - in every aspect of life, including institutional religious life, is actually a breakthrough to a new horizon?"

&quotTo consider hope in this way may provide an insight into the full flourishing of the human community in ways that we would never have expected and were not possible from our previously unexamined narratives, or collapsing worldviews."

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Contemplating the gifts received when called into the vowed life will be the focus of this webinar. Our vows are a gateway into discipleship and communion. The challenge is to see the depth of meaning offered by each vow. According to Ilia Delio (2011) “heaven is not a place of disembodied spirits but an embrace of love that transforms this present earthly life with its frailties and weaknesses into the divine presence of enduring love….Heaven is not another world but this world clearly seen.” Come spend an hour clearly seeing the transformative nature of our vows. 

Mary Lou Mitchell, SSJ serves as Congregational President for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Rochester. She holds a Ph.D. in nursing and completed two years of post-doctoral work in researching the mind-body connection in health and well-being. Prior to serving in leadership she was on faculty at Nazareth College and had a private practice in holistic health. Sr. Mary Lou has spent years personally and professionally growing in the contemplative practice of living in the present moment.

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Being resilient in the face of adversity requires us to look inward rather than outward and examine our approach, our expectations, and our reactions to situations. This webinar will focus on the following topics: the definition of resilience, the factors that enhance our ability to be resilient, the distorted scripts that lead to burnout, the difference between healthy vs. unhealthy self-sacrifice, and the importance of establishing a self-care plan. 

Eran Talitman, Ph.D., C. Psych. is a registered psychologist in the province of Ontario, Canada. He has provided assessment and treatment services to individuals, couples, and families in both a hospital setting and private practice. He has also been a consultant to individuals diagnosed with HIV, cancer, and traumatic brain injury. For the past 16 years, he has been at the Southdown Institute and has provided individual and group therapy as well as assessment services to religious and clergy. He has provided workshops and presentations on Intimacy, Healthy Sexuality, Developing Healthy Ministerial Boundaries, Keeping Our Soul Alive, Effective Leadership, and Working with Personality Disorders. 

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Every person encounters the mystery of suffering in his or her life and in the lives of loved ones. Those of us who minister in the Church come face to face with this mystery often, as we are called to be present to those who suffer in different ways. Vowed religious are affected by the reality of suffering within religious community. This webinar will address the challenges of talking about God and talking to God in times of suffering. We will draw upon four dimensions from the Judeo-Christian tradition that can serve as resources for us in grappling with the mystery of suffering.

Robin Ryan, CP, PhD is a Passionist priest and theologian who serves as Associate Professor of Systematic Theology and Director of the Master of Arts in Theology Program at Catholic Theological Union. He received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from The Catholic University of America. He is the author of numerous articles and recordings on theological and spiritual topics. He edited and contributed to the book Catholics on Call: Discerning a Life of Service in the Church (Liturgical Press, 2010). He is the author of God and the Mystery of Human Suffering: A Theological Conversation Across the Ages (Paulist Press, 2011). He recorded a series of CDs on the topic of God and the Mystery of Human Suffering for Now You Know Media. He is the author of the forthcoming book Jesus and Salvation (Liturgical Press, April 2015). He is also a contributor to and English-language editor of the forthcoming Diccionario de la Pasión (Madrid, San Pablo).

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For members of religious communities retirement is often seen as a signal to be ‘recycled.”  How do we respond to the too frequently asked question, “What do you do?” when ‘doing’ no longer fills our days?  What is the invitation embedded in this life event we call retirement?  We will consider some of the attitudes that impact our response, the ordinary phases that are to be expected, some suggestions on how to move through them and the potential of new life that lies beyond.

Paula Cooney is a member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Monroe, Michigan.  Using her background in gerontology, spiritual direction and leadership in her own congregation, she has developed programs and retreats for seniors on a variety of topics that impact the journey of aging.  Since the mid 90’s the core of her ministries have been with Elders, most recently as the director of a retirement center for a community of women religious.  Paula has been an eldercare consultant with NRRO for the past 12 years.

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In this complex time of ever-increasing diversity, we are continually faced with the possibilities of encounter and isolation. The natural tendency to relate only with people who share our cultural values and religious beliefs unconsciously reinforces ethnocentric isolationism, a room full of mirrors. Francis’ challenge to encounter the “other” – the one who looks, acts, and believes differently – moves us beyond our comfort zone to a greater self-awareness and the openness to see the world from another’s point of view. Intentional relationships with people of other races and cultures is the only way to diffuse fear, challenge stereotypes, and change prejudices. This webinar will examine the phases of this journey towards encounter and its implications for mission in today’s world, divided by walls of fear and mistrust. Join us in sharing the wisdom of our experiences and how we can together build bridges for respectful encounter and intercultural relationships.

Dr. Arturo Chávez is the President of MACC, the Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio, Texas. Since 2007, Dr. Chávez has led the organization into its current transition from a Cultural Center to a Catholic College that offers B.A. and M.A. degrees in Pastoral Ministry. The unique degree plans are offered bilingually to meet the growing needs of Latinos for higher education, especially for service in faith communities. Prior to MACC, he worked in a variety of ministries – as a teacher, youth minister, a chaplain to the incarcerated, and a community organizer. He founded a nonprofit youth organization called JOVEN and was instrumental in establishing other faith-based partnerships to address the urgent needs of families who are poor and disenfranchised. Nationally recognized for his efforts to combat racism and poverty, President Obama appointed him to the White House Council on Faith-based partnerships. In 2010, Catholic Charities USA recognized him as “…a national champion of the poor” with the “Keep the Dream Alive Award” in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. The National Association on Lay Ministry recently bestowed the San Juan Diego Award to recognize his years of service to the Church. Dr. Chávez holds a Ph.D. in Religious and Theological Studies, from the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology, with a focus on the relationship between religion and social change.

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From Center to Periphery: Relocating the Prophetic Witness of Religious Life at one of the locations throughout the United States listed below. In these gatherings, we will celebrate our heritage, reflect with expert and engaging presenters and with each other on the implications of our call to mission in the 21st century, and continue our lifelong formation as women and men challenged, in Pope Francis’ words, to fly from the nest to the frontiers, to wake the world.

Richard Gaillardetz, PhD, Joseph Professor of Theology at Boston College;
Presentation title: From Center to Periphery: Relocating the Prophetic Witness of Religious Life

Caroljean Willie, SC, PhD, NGO representative at the United Nations for the Sisters of Charity Federation;
Presentation title: Called to Live on the Margins of Possibility

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