AYA/ATF: Call To Action and Catholic Worker in Asia
Joe and I presenting on Catholic Worker and CTA
Radical Grace in Thailand
On Wednesday, Joe and I gave our presentation on the Catholic Worker and Call To Action, and our involvement with Black Lives Matter and the School of the America’s Watch.
During the presentation, I touched on Equally Blessed and other LGBTQI-inclusive initiatives, as well as the Roman Catholic Woman Priests we support, and was really unsure how these ideas would be received. I had nothing to worry about. Overwhelmingly, the response was positive and inviting. I am absolutely blown away by the participants and theologians attending the conference, and am so humbled to be among such incredibly prophetic speakers from all over Asia.
My favorite speaker of Thursday was Ms. Kochurani Abraham, who gave the presentation “Gender Equality for Promoting 2030 Agenda for Ending All Forms of Discrimination in Churches and Societies in Asia”
Ms. Abraham spoke of feminist theology and transgender equality, and the importance of equality and freedom when doing all work within the Church. I’ll leave you with some of her fabulous quotes:
“I listened to a transgender woman who gave a brilliant talk, and realized my feminist struggle is nothing to her struggle to be human.”
“Feminist consciousness is a critical consciousness, imperative for bringing about transformation.”
“We want every human being to live, to grow up, to become free.”“After meeting Jesus, all people were affirmed, they were liberated.”
Radical Grace comes to Thailand!
Thursday also brought Radical Grace to Thailand. After viewing our favorite radical nuns, I was thrilled to witness a wonderful discussion on the importance of the film. I’ll upload a video when returning to the US showing some of the reactions. Here’s a teaser: a Thai priest said we need to get closer to indigenous shaman views of priests—that the female shaman were more honored than the men—and a Vietnamese nun who said she supported women’s ordination—greeted by cheering from participants! The spirit is alive in the Church of Asia!
