2016 Conference: Keynote Speakers and Schedule
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2016
Richard Rohr, OFM – In the Beginning is the Relationship
Fr. Richard Rohr is a globally recognized ecumenical teacher bearing witness to the universal awakening within Christian mysticism and the Perennial Tradition. He is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico Province and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Fr. Richard’s teaching is grounded in the Franciscan alternative orthodoxy—practices of contemplation and self-emptying, expressing itself in radical compassion, particularly for the socially marginalized.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2016
Kaya Oakes, MFA – Finding Faith: A Young Adult’s Journey (Plenary Panel)
Kaya Oakes will facilitate a panel discussion that includes Phillip Clark, Joe Kruse, and Rev. Donneau Snyder. She is the author of four books, including Slanted and Enchanted: The Evolution of Indie Culture (Henry Holt, 2009); Radical Reinvention: An Unlikely Return to the Catholic Church (Counterpoint Press, 2012); and the The Nones Are Alright: A New Generation of Seekers, Believers, and Those In Between (Orbis Books, 2015). Kaya is currently working on a long form project about gentrification in the Bay Area and a series of essays on religion and feminism.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2016
Greer Gordon, Ph.D. – Compassionate Catalysts: Being Christ in the World
Dr. Greer Gordon is a Roman Catholic theologian, author, and lecturer known for her work in the field of apologetics, evangelization, and catechetics. She’s served in administration at the University of Massachusetts and at Regis College in Weston, Mass., and was diocesan director in Washington D.C., Oakland, Boston, and Baton Rouge, LA.
PRE-CONFERENCE SEMINARS
Friday, November 11, 2016 • 9:00am to 3:00pm
FURTHER UP & FURTHER IN C.S. LEWIS: NEW HOPES FOR LAY MINISTRY; MEGAN MCKENNA
This of a spiraling circle–as the image of lay ministry in the church today. It is spiraling to new heights and depths in the midst of swirling eddies and currents that both carry us to new vistas and services and toss us about in cross winds. How will our ministries be bold speaking and clear witness to the Good News to the Poor in-house Church and as believers in the world? Time for some leaps of faith!
WHERE LOVE & JUSTICE MEET: AN EMERGING SEXUAL ETHIC OF OUR TIME; SR. FRAN FERDER, FSPA & FR. JOHN HEAGLE
This workshop explores ‘sacred eros’ as the relational energy of human loving. It reclaims the profound connection between relationships and biblical justice, sexuality and systems of power. In the gospel accounts, Jesus has little to say about the biology of sex, but he speaks decisively about the qualities of authentic loving: respect, responsibility, covenantal faithfulness, and mutuality. How will such a radical and demanding vision challenge and transform our lives and our community of faith?
INTERSECTIONALITY: LEADING CHANGE AT THE CROSSROADS OF OUR IDENTITIES; DENICIA CADENA
Often times we are asked to come into spaces as a person of faith, person of color, LGBTQ person, yet all of us exist at the intersection of multiple identities. Through this workshop we will deepen our understanding of intersectionality and recognize ways intersectional approaches can strengthen our work for justice. Denicia and Micaela will lead this workshop from their own lived experiences as Chicanx Catholic New Mexicans, as well years of organizing, policy, and culture shift experience working as staff members of Young Women United (YWU). YWU understands that each person has their own unique experience navigating the world that is shaped by identities they carry—the identities they were born into, their chosen identities, and the identities assigned to them by people and institutions over their lives. Each of us exist as whole people who live gendered, raced, classed, sexual, disabled, and/or abled lives and more. By recognizing the complexities of who we are and how we arrived at our current lived realities we are able to organize across issue areas and collectively envision better conditions by and for ourselves, our families and loved ones, and our communities. This will be a highly interactive workshop with varied activities for including conversation, writing, drawing, movement and more. People of all faiths, ages, genders, sexualities, abilities, races/ethnicities are welcome.
RETREAT FOR LGBT CATHOLICS; DR. ARTHUR FITZMAURICE
Jesus said that a tree is known by the fruit it bears. We LGBT Catholics bear good fruit, because we are good. Spend an afternoon in reflection and community with other LGBT Catholics and allies. Through guided meditation, speaker witnesses, and quiet prayer, we will look at the seeds God has planted within us, learn to recognize the fruit we bear, and fertilize one another’s souls for the journey beyond CTA conference weekend.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY PUEBLO CULTURAL IMMERSION; PUEBLO INDIAN CULTURAL CENTER
We are excited you have chosen a visit to our beautiful center. Upon your arrival you will be pleasantly greeted and separated into groups of 12-15 participants preparing with The Original Instruction Tour to enhance your Guided Experience Tour “We Are Of This Place” A Pueblo Story. Groups will be staggered 10 minutes apart and you will then be guided through our newly renovated permanent collection. This will be general information about our Culture and Exhibits. Once the Guided Tour is complete you will have some time on your own to go back through the museum to further explore the interactive exhibits of your interest. When exploring on your own, docents will be available throughout the exhibits to answer any questions you may have about The Pueblos and Culture. To further enhance your experience there will be weaving with facilitator in the elders and children area. Once your journey is complete you will take a break for lunch scheduled by your group coordinator. When lunch is complete and you choose to participate with another Guided Tour you will see 9 Pueblo Murals and their stories obtaining more Pueblo specific art and culture information. The Mural Tour takes an hour to complete. When your tour is complete please feel free to visit our Shumakolowa Gift Shop and take home something special from the collections available for purchase created by our local artists. Registration fee includes transportation and Indian Taco lunch buffet.
PRAYER SESSIONS
Saturday, November 12, 2016 • 7:30 to 8:15am
Dancing with the Spirit of Mother Earth; Roman Catholic Womenpriests
The Persistent Call for Justice: A Eucharistic Celebration; Ecumenical Catholic Communion
Praying with Catholics in the Diaspora: Living Baptism; Owen Borda
A Prayer for our Daughters, A Prayer for our Church; FutureChurch
Following the Radical Message of Jesus: Celebrating Mass with Spiritus Christi
WORKSHOPS
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Workshop Block A
Decolonization & Spirituality: The Gift of Shadow Work; Leny Strobel
Telling Lived Narratives of Environmental Violence and Transforming Toxicity of Mind, Heart, & Spirit; Kathy WonPovi Sanchez
You’re Not a Wave: You are Part of the Ocean!; Paul Coutinho
Remembering Daniel Berrigan: Life, Legacy, & Lessons of a Peacemaker; John Dear
Authentic Selves: Experiencing Gender as a Call; Justin Tanis
Wisdom, Resilience, & Spirituality: Testimonies from Latina Leaders; Theresa Torres
Workshop Block B
Altars, Bathrooms, Communion: Disability & the Theologies of our Bodies; John Noble
Complementarity: Catholicism’s “Separate But Equal” Agenda; Deb-Rose Milavec
Sexual & Spiritual; Rita Cotterly
The Transformative Power of Mercy, Compassion, & Restorative Justice; Joanne Blaney
What the Bible Says in Support of the Transgender Experience; Linda Herzer, Gabrielle Clairborn
When Do We Stop Caring & How Do We Start Again?; Christina Benardo, Shylah Addante
Workshop Block C
Asian Youth Exchange; Asian Youth
Dialogue of the Heart: An Inter-religious Conversation; Br. Joseph Kilikevice, OP
Eliminating Statute of Limitations (SOL) of Sexual Abuse of Children; Deacon Tony Jannotta, Sandra Stilling-Seehausen, Doreen Jannotta
From Deficiencies to Strengths: An Appreciative Approach to Milennial Catholic Leadership; Ryan Clavelle
Mary’s Pence & the Kitchen Table; Katherine Wojtan
Robed in Mercy: Spiritual Grounding Toward an Inclusive Community; Winnie Sullivan, Margaret O’Gorman, FSM
Workshop Block D
Decolonization & Spirituality: The Gift of Shadow Work; Leny Strobel
Telling Lived Narratives of Environmental Violence and Transforming Toxicity of Mind, Heart, & Spirit; Kathy WonPovi Sanchez
You’re Not a Wave: You are Part of the Ocean!; Paul Coutinho
The Nones Are Alright; Kaya Oakes
The Vocation of Gender; Justin Tanis
Wisdom, Resilience, & Spirituality: Testimonies from Latina Leaders; Theresa Torres
CONFRONTING RACISM ACTION
Call To Action is committed to recognizing and breaking down the structures of racism and oppression within our own organization, our communities, and the institutional church.
In 2004 Call to Action recruited and trained an Anti-Racism Team, and since has been working to recognize and challenge these structures to create a welcoming space for all Catholics. This work touches all parts of our mission, including campaign strategies and conference themes. Recognizing our own internalized privileges and oppressions and combating the racism we have been taught by our society is work that never ends, but we are confident that it is of utmost importance in our goal of creating a more just Church and world, where everyone’s voices, experiences and gifts are celebrated.
One step in this work is the connections we are able to make with grassroots groups doing the work of justice and creation of antiracist communities in the local areas where we gather.
We in CTA are working with Strong Families New Mexico to take a stand for Public Safety.
What: Public Safety Rally and Press Conference; Communities united across faith, race, gender and sexuality take a stand.
Who: Call to Action, National progressive Catholic membership organization, joins with the New Mexico Public Safety Project
When: Saturday, November 12 at 1:00-2:00pm
Why: The hyper-punitive, tough-on-crime policies of the last several decades have unfairly targeted poor people, people of color, LGBTQ, and people living with disabilities. These failed policies all too often create many more problems than they solve. Today, Call to Action and the New Mexico Public Safety Project unite across faith, race, gender and sexuality to demand that policy makers move toward a new model of criminal justice – one that is substantially smaller, smarter, and committed to the personal safety, health, equity and dignity of every individual and all communities.
Strong Families New Mexico, a state based action site of Forward Together, works to shift culture and create new policies that recognize the many kinds of families in our state. We are a network of over 20 partner organizations and thousands of individuals working in alignment to build a better life for all our families and generations to come.
Strong Families New Mexico started in 2012, each year growing into a more powerful force for state-wide and local policy change. SFNM is now building leaders and growing a base of supporters in Bernalillo, McKinley, Dona Ana, and Rio Arriba Counties. Strong Families is working to ensure that all families have the rights, recognition and resources they need to thrive—from strong schools to safer neighborhoods to comprehensive healthcare and language access.
To change policy and build power together Strong Families take the concerns of communities into the Roundhouse during the legislative session and into the ballot box during election season. Strong Families is leading and supporting campaigns in its communities year round.
