Office of Presiding Bishop

Ecumenical Catholic Communion

10 West Lockwood

St. Louis, MO 63119

Bishop Paul Burson: BishopPaul@ecumenicalcatholics.net

Carolyn Sue Cecil: Admin@ecumenicalcatholics.net

Mary Vonderheide: Finance@ecumenicalcatholics.net

30 April 2024

Dear Beloved,

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all! 

As we rejoice in this season of Resurrection, I hope that our spirits are being renewed in our liturgical celebrations, by the love we share in our communities and in the witnessing of the magnificence of creation being reborn once again in this new Spring. 

As I travel around the country visiting our communities, I am always blessed by the goodness of who we are to one another as well as who we are to the world in need.  I find such loving communities who readily welcome all who walk through our doors.  I experience communities who seek to reach out to those who have been marginalized.  We have become places and spaces where all belong.  Truly our faith communities are an oasis where Living Waters are shared by all.



During this time between Easter and Pentecost I pray that we may spend time in the beauty of creation.  May we spend sabbath walking and sitting in silence in the beauty of creation so as to open ourselves to the Holy Mystery that permeates all and calls us to see ourselves as connected to all.  May we be open to the Spirit as She once again desires to anoint us with Her breath of new Life. 

Enjoy this reflection from Fr. Richard Rohr as you enter into this time.

https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-place-of-belonging/

Your Brother in the Vineyard....

Bishop Paul "Pablo" Burson, M.Div., L.P.C.

Presiding Bishop, ECC

BishopPaul@ecumenicalcatholics.net

Our Sympathy and prayers to St. Matthew's Community in the loss of their beloved Mother Diane Esther Smith. May she rest in peace.

Friends of Mother Diane gathered at St. Matthew's to remember her on April 5, 2024.

Please also consider this letter as a call to any legislative ideas. All proposed legislation should be vetted with the leaders of the Houses. I have asked George von Stamwitz to be a resource to help turn ideas into proposed legislative language. Please have any ideas submitted to the leaders of the Houses by June 30, 2024.

George can be reached at gvonstam@gmail.com.

Calling All Delegates

Each community eligible to attend is asked to confirm in writing the identity of their delegates to the leaders of the HOP or the HOL by May 10, 2024. It is very important that we have an accurate list as soon as possible as I know the leaders of the Houses will be providing an orientation to new delegates prior to Synod.

Send updated HOL delegate names and email addresses to:

Therese Gabriel: theresem40@gmail.com

Claudia Kilby: claudia.kilby@gmail.com

Send updated HOP delegate names and email addresses to:

Teri Harroun: pastor@lightofchristecc.org

Trish Vanni: trish.vanni@charisecc.org



Estes Park, Colorado

The mission community of Holy Questions ECC in Seattle has spun off to become its own ECC parish in the ECC Diocese of the Pacific Northwest! To celebrate, the Emmaus ECC community will be joining them on Pentecost for a joint liturgy. 

Holy Questions ECC is located in Seattle at 6532 Phinney Ave. N in the Phinney Community Center. They celebrate mass at 10:00 am. There is good off-street parking. You can find the entrance to parking off of 67th street. They meet on the third floor and there is an elevator. 

When you get off the elevator you will experience a welcoming gathering space with wooden benches. This building was once a school, so you will be going into a spacious classroom for mass. The view is amazing.

We extend our sincere “Thank You” to

Rev. Rick Klaich and Rev. Denise Roberts

for dedicated service in reviewing all applications for these grants and for their recommendations.  

We are proud to announce that a total of $12,200.00 in grants are awarded this year.

Clergy Scholarships totaled $5,700   

Besem Etchi

Azinwin Tentow

Gianni Passarella

James Berry

Trish Vanni

Betty Jerabeck

Mimi Maki

Youth Grants totaled $6,500 

Charis/Rev. Trish Vanni

Holy Trinity/Maria Budgett 

Holy Angels/Ricky Villareal

Light of Christ/Fr. Teri Harroun 

We offer much gratitude and thanks to all the individual donors and ECC communities that contributed to achieve this remarkable amount.  This is our collective ministry in action.

-- Mary Magdalene Advisory Committee



Mother Tammy Fuqua with Holy Angels Church and member of the Mary Magdalene Society Advisory Committee, sits down with Bishop Frank Krebs to talk about how the society started and its importance to the growth of the ECC.

You can watch the full interview here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqzoBfH3-C0 



Has your ECC Communion considered a study group about the 1619 Project? Contact us for more details:

Janelle McCormick

email: kathrynp_7@msn.com 

text: 970.250.7441 

The ECC Truth & Reconciliation Commission is planning a Communion-wide Pilgrimage in the Spring of 2025 to visit the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, AL. Our hope is to have at least a couple of representatives attend from each region or diocese of the ECC.

If you are interested, we would love to hear from you!

Janelle McCormick

email: kathrynp_7@msn.com 

text: 970.250.7441 

On February 25, Bishop Pablo was present in Largo, Florida for the ordination of Bob Pragano to the Diaconate. It was a blessed and joyful day for the entire Communion of St. Francis!

Deacon Bob Pragano and Bishop Pablo Burson

Many friends and family gathered to celebrate with Deacon Bob on this special day!

Back row from left: Fr. Jake Czarnik-Neimeyer, Rev Rosa Buffone from Holy Spirit ECC, Boston, MA, Bishop Paul Burson, Fr. Patrick Wenrick, Pastor of St. Francis, and Fr. Tom Wilt.

Front row: John O'Grady and Leo Champagne. 

All Souls Ecumenical Catholic Communion (ECC) Church, established in April 2009, celebrated its 15th Anniversary the weekend of April 13-14, with a gathering of family and friends, old and new, along with Bishop Pablo on his first visit to All Souls in Reading, Pennsylvania.

The Celebration started with an Anniversary Potluck Dinner in the Pine Room Saturday evening, with delicious food and wonderful fellowship!

On Sunday, April 14 at 12pm, the 15th Anniversary Mass was celebrated with main Celebrant, Bishop Pablo Burson and Con-Celebrants, Rev. Henry M. Pruski, Pastor of All Souls ECC and Rev. Denise Roberts, Pastor of Healing Shepherd ECC, Chester Springs.

As the Celebration Liturgy concluded, Fr. Henry spoke these words from his heart to his beloved congregation:

15 years is a short history and yet it is a long history.

We would not be in existence if it wasn’t for Dewayne and Ray 

establishing All Souls. We are grateful to them.

Over the years, people have come and gone.

We have lost a few parishioners through death.

What our future is….. is up to you.

I’m very thankful and appreciative of your support.

The Board members have done an outstanding job over the years.

We thank you in any way sharing your talents and your time.

That makes a difference.

That is something that money cannot purchase: your time, your talents.

Many, many times, I have shared….

I am so fortunate to be part of the ECC, to regain my ministry, my priesthood again and to be able to exercise it.

And that is why many, many times I say…..

I am so proud to be your pastor.

We have shared moments of joy and moments of sorrow.

We are small but we are like family.

We support each other and you have supported me.

I ask for your continued support.

I ask for your continued prayers.

I am so proud of you!

I am so proud of you because of your dedication to All Souls, to our outreach ministries, to all of us becoming better followers of Jesus Christ.

We are not perfect but we are a work in progress.

I am so proud of every one of you!

And it is an honor for me to serve you. 

In your unique way, you teach me how to serve others.

Thank you!

Rev. Henry M. Pruski, Pastor of All Souls ECC, Bishop Pablo Burson,

and Rev. Denise Roberts,

Pastor of Healing Shepherd ECC, Chester Springs.

https://fb.watch/ryXQmc1vuE/

A celebratory Reception and fellowship followed the Anniversary Mass

in the Heritage Room.

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