Inspiring Catholics: Nita & Steve Powers

ALBANY, NY

Nita and Steve Powers are leaders with Capital District CTA (the Albany branch of Upstate NY CTA).  They live in Scotia near Albany, NY,  where Steve worked as NYS Director of Training for Probation Officers.  Nita is a retired school teacher.  They have three grown sons and a granddaughter.   Steve, a former seminarian, and Nita, a former Sr. of St. Joseph of Rochester, met during Vatican II and married in 1969. Everyone said it wouldn’t last because they are so different.  They’ve been married 45 years and still can’t agree on anything!

Discovering CTA in 2005, they have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the effort to give voice to the people of the Church.  Though the institutional  Church provides no avenue for its people to communicate with each other or be heard by the clergy, Steve and Nita are happiest when Catholics gain trust in each other and stand up for necessary changes.

Nita believes Call To Action is Church.  She says, “ As the People of God we have a responsibility to be our true selves and to show this truth to others.”

“There is such a disconnect between the business of the Church with Law firms, investment agencies, the political structure and its institutional presence and Church members who are seeking the presence of Christ in their lives,” says Steve.  “We must keep insisting that the concept of the priesthood needs to be re-thought. We must own the sacramental life rather than asking that it be administered to us by an institution.”