Council of the Baptized logo
 
LAY NETWORK 
CLAIMING OUR VOICES
in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
   


 
 Dear 
 

Bishop Selection
 
Thanks to you and everyone else who has come to the listening sessions held by Archbishop Bernard Hebda about our anticipated new leadership. The October sessions were held at St. Catherine's, St. Stephen in Anoka, and Pax Christi, Eden Prairie, and were well attended.
 
October 6 at Pax Christi was filled to overflowing with enthusiastic and outspoken folks. Numerous strengths were listed, but the challenges were more numerous-inclusiveness, communication, good seminary training, youth outreach, lay input, liturgical reform, women's ordination.
 
Amid the heartfelt and serious comments were some heartfelt and humorous, especially as the evening wore on: one table said for their third qualification that the new Archbishop should ride a Harley. Later, another table said they had one word for the new Archbishop: "Hebda." At that, Hebda said "You won't get me on a Harley." Lots of laughter.
 
The value of the listening sessions in our view is that the Archbishop can experience the spirit of the people and the people can experience whether or not the Archbishop has regard and respect for them. On both counts, the listening sessions seem to have been a success. It's about information but it is much more about Church. The words delivered from the people were repetitive, not surprising, and could have been gathered in a more efficient way, but the spirit of each personal session was unique and inspiring. Lay Network members were in attendance in large numbers and vocal. Archbishop Hebda thanked CCCR for its help.
 
The November sessions are:
Monday, November 2, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Saint Peter, Forest Lake
Tuesday, November 3, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Divine Mercy, Faribault
Wednesday, November 4, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Woulfe Alumni Hall, Anderson Student Center, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul
 
Look here for media coverage if you have not already seen it:


http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/st-paul-minneapolis-archdiocese-asks-input-about-new-archbishop

Healthy Sexuality
As we follow the coverage of the Synod on the Family in Rome, we are pleased to report that we did our best to get our opinions heard by the Synod delegates. The Council of the Baptized endorsed "Healthy Sexuality" program, led by Mary Ellen Jordan and Mary Beth Stein, gathered information and raised awareness of the issues to be discussed at the Synod. The listening sessions they held were reported to the Synod delegates and our own Archdiocesan administration. The report by Mary Beth Stein is on http://www.cccrmn.org .
 
The "Healthy Sexuality" program and Council of the Baptized sponsored an event on September 16 at which Drs. Barbara Frey and Massimo Faggioli discussed the need for Vatican policy change and the prospects for the Synod on the Family respectively. Read Kris Berggren's write-up in the National Catholic Reporter: http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/slow-and-steady-wins-family-synod-sexuality-issues
 
If you haven't read the Council of the Baptized position paper spelling out the principles for a healthy sexuality, you can find it at   http://www.councilofthebaptized.org/images/sexualitypaper.pdf  . The Mary Hanson show video with Mary Ellen Jordan and Mary Beth Stein is at 
 
Bulletin Board
Heads up: Important new video on food economics and the future of the planet:
 
Marita Bujold, St. Frances Cabrini parishioner, with Becca and Emma Kraskey, has produced a video entitled "A Message from Mother Earth" featuring a letter from Mother Earth thanking Pope Francis for his leadership and inviting partnership for healing (the earth) and building a foundation for the future. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd_i2N1hoQ0&feature=youtu.be   
 
It may also be found on the Mother Earth Alliance Facebook page. 
 
In the video you will find stimulating ideas on food economics and Mother Earth's recipe for working on the problems. If you want to talk more about these issues, reply to this email or email us at [email protected] . We will put you in touch with others who are discussing them.


 

In joyful hope,
CCCR and Council of the Baptized Lay Network Organizing Team