Special appeal: Celebrating the spirit of Vatican II
In April I wrote to you about some of the changes Call To Action has experienced in recent months. Now, four months later, I’m excited to write to you with an update of how we’ve continued to grow during this time of significant change in our organization’s history.
As I told you last spring, we remain committed to reforming the Catholic Church because we believe that our Catholic faith is a source of liberation--and because we recognize that we have a responsibility as Catholics to undo the harm caused by the patriarcal, white supremacist, and rigidly clerical institutional Catholic hierarchy. We are called to use the best of our Catholic values to work for justice both within and outside the Church. To take this call seriously, we must build our community’s capacity for action.
Your ongoing support gives us strong roots that we need to do this crucial work.
Roots strong enough to continue building our Re/Generation project, where we recruit and develop cohorts of leaders for the future of progressive Catholicism. You can learn more about our Re/Generators and read their new blog, at cta-usa.org/re-generation2019.
Roots strong enough to launch a new project focused on centering our unique Catholic history even during this time of change. The People’s History of Vatican II is our attempt to harness the wisdom and experience gained during the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Throughout the next year and a half, we’re collecting video recordings, written reflections and art projects from people from the Vatican II generation. Here are a couple of the reflections that we’ve already received:
Vatican II happened in my formative years. You would not have been able to convince me, as a 7th or 8th grader, that I wouldn't be a priest today. In those days, in my little town, it was our practice to go to confession every Saturday afternoon. My “confessions” were often conversations with the priest. On one Saturday, I said something – I had an insight – which stopped the priest in his tracks. This was the moment I knew my call was real.
— Marion Flynn
When Vatican II came along, I was ready for it. I was ready for the windows to be opened and change to happen. I was 24, married with one baby and pregnant with my second. One day in the fall of 1964, the pastor told us about a workshop about changes in the Sunday liturgy… I continue to be a member of Call to Action and hold hope for the future of the church.
— Diane Lovegrove Bader
I hope that you’ll consider sharing your own reflection with us by filling out the survey enclosed in this letter. If you’re not part of the Vatican II generation, but are interested in helping out, email cta@cta-usa.org to learn about how to conduct interviews for the project.
Call To Action will always be a Vatican II community. The People’s History of Vatican II helps us strengthen our roots, passes on wisdom to future generations of Catholic reformers, and builds our long-term capacity as a Catholic social justice organization. Now is the time to ensure that these memories are preserved and centered.
Please consider sending Call To Action a special gift today to help us celebrate the spirit of Vatican II by organizing for the future.
Keep in touch with love and hope and solidarity,
Zach Johnson
Call To Action, Executive Director
