April, May & June 2014 Volume 25; Edition 2 The ARK, A Publication of the American Association of Interchurch Families International Standard Serial Number: ISSN 1943-6467 (print) ISSN 2160-682X (online) THE ARK A Publication of the American Association of Interchurch Families AAIF IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA Earlier editions of the ARK may be found at http://www.interchurchfamilies.org/ Select “Other Publications” ~ Then scroll down to find the ARK AAIF is an official affiliate of the Interchurch Families International Network - IFIN The ARK© Copyright 2014 AAIF all rights reserved Interchurch Families: “Listen with the ear of your heart” - Carrying Forward the theme from the 2012 AAIF Interchurch Families: Conference held in Christian Unity Made Visible in our Households Minnesota until we gather again in 2016 All That Sustains Us Theme: Exploring All "Day by day, God is made known to us in the simple things that sustain our That Sustains Us and lives--some bread, some love, some breath, some wine--all those Hope...... absolutely essential things that are here today and gone tomorrow." ~Barbara Brown Taylor, from Bread of Angels Hope is both a verb and a noun. As a verb it means: To wish for Hope: something with expectation of its fulfillment; To have confidence; "We hope for things unseen, but I also think we hope for things in plain trust. or To look forward to with sight. I hope for my family, for friends that I know are facing difficult confidence or expectation. As a times, for the community in which I live, for the corner of this Earth that noun, hope means: A wish or I call home. My hope is rooted. It is grounded in reality. I hope for what desire accompanied by confident I can touch and feel, what I share in every day, what I see in the eyes expectation of its fulfillment; of others. Hope is what we have when we have little more. It has to be Something that is hoped for or desired; One that is a source of or seen. It has to be tangible. So yes, I do hope long distance, but I also reason for hope. hope up close and personal, hope so near to me I never lose sight of it." ~ The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, Choctaw Page 1 Contents Page 1 ..... The Things That Sustain Our Life: Hope; Interchurch Families: Christian Unity Made Visible in our Households; Interchurch Families: “Listen with the ear of your heart” - Carrying Forward the theme from the 2012 AAIF Conference Page 2..... Contents Page; AAIF Contacts and AAIF Officers Pages 3 & 4 Pastoral Care Needs for the Family as of 2014 - Based Upon the building block concept of the need for having “ A Profound Connection Between Two People.” by M.J. Glauber Page 5............ Pastoral care of the family: Will Interchurch Families’ needs be considered by our s churches? (With a link) e li Pages 5 - 7.....When ‘The Promise’ is a Problem’ by William P. McDonald i m Page 7 Hope Comes From Inspiring and Dedicated People ( Who Have Been Guided by a F God); inspiring quotes for all of us by famous Americans h c Page 7 Marcus Borg Examines What It Means To Be Christian; The Implications for r u Interchurch Families and Ecumenists: The Questions by M.J. Glauber h c Page 7 ......... The Recognition of Something Greater than the Self; This is the Hope We All Seek r e 2t Hope and Faith; Some Short Quotes Filled With Great Inspiration n nI Page 8 .........What is Your Experience of God? A Discussion by M.J. Glauber of the Blog “Spiritual of ditin o Stuff” written by Father Terrence P. Ryan, CSP Eo Pages 8 - 11...How do we Raise Children in Inter-Church or Interreligious Families? 5; ati by Daniel Olsen with Implications for Interchurch Families and Ecumenists by M.J. 2ci Glauber e o ms Page 11..........”God Is Calling Us to Follow” by Barbara Brown Taylor with Implications for s uA Interchurch Families and Ecumenists by M.J. Glauber oln Va Pages 11 - 12 Our Town, Our American Life Examined, Thornton Wilder’s play discussed with c ri questions inspired from the play for all of us by M.J. Glauber e m Page 12......... Getting Lost in Our Lives and Discovering the Meaning of Christ’s Resurrection in A a Personal Way with implications for interchurch families and ecumenists by M.J. he Glauber t Page 12 .........Marriage Moments: by Saint James Roman Catholic Church, Louisville, KY f o 4 n Pages 15 - 20.. Is Having A Goal To Achieve Christian Unity Enough? What Will Christian Unity 1o Look Like When It Is Finally Achieved? A discussion of the implications of the 0ti 2a Ecumenical Council of 1439 in Florence, Italy for Interchurch Families and c e nli Ecumenists in 2014 (with links and titles for doing further research on related topics) b u Ju Page 20......... A Dictionary Definition for Prophecy, with questions by M.J. Glauber P &A Page 21 ......... Practical Tips for Actions That May Help to Sustain Our Lives; and Give Us Hope; y aK, Input from Dr. Dale Atkins with Implications for Interchurch Families and MR Ecumenists with two Bible Verses that show that it is God’s love for us that sustains us. , A rile ~ M.J. Glauber ph AT Page 22 Many Thanks AAIF Contacts: AAIF 2014 OFFICERS: CO-CHAIR = Libbye & Guy Montgomery [email protected] VICE CO-CHAIR = Lynne & Doug Wragge [email protected] SECRETARY = Diane & Lamar Burton [email protected] TREASURER = Elaine & Clint Hall [email protected] The current term of office will be from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2014, at which time another election will be held. Please contact any of the above mentioned officers if you Page 2 would like to have information about how to become more actively involved with AAIF. Pastoral Care Needs for also post advertisements online church communities where and on television for those people pastoral care will be needed and the Family who will not consider even the perhaps how it may be needed. as of 2014 - Based possibility for meeting someone Upon the building block who is from outside of their own Jayson points out that the concept of the need for faith group. We have no further match.com and the Rutgers details for how successful these research regarding current having religious online meeting sites are American trends also uncovered “ A Profound at this time nor how they compare that “Some things are ‘not fine’ Connection Between with match.com. with most of the more than 5,000 singles 18 and older in the Two People.” Sharon Jayson, in her Gannett nationally representative survey, On Thursday, February 5, 2014, article of February 2014 entitled done for the dating website Gannett’s USA Today published “Singles Embracing Once-Taboo match.com.” Those include an article entitled, “Singles Choices” says that “Today’s sexually open marriages, in which Embracing Once-Taboo singles are an accepting bunch partners agree that each may Choices”. This is the kind of title - up to a point” according to a have extramarital sexual that is sure to catch readers survey done by match.com with relationships.” The disapproval attention. The writer of the article, the help of Rutgers University’s rating was at -78%. The mentioned above, Sharon Jayson researchers. In the survey, they disapproval ratings for long- discusses the findings of asked about sex, dating behavior distance marriages in general was match.com, which provided the and What’s OK, that is what is at - 58%.” Perhaps this data base, and the research that acceptable, in a relationship in our percentage rating allowed for the was done by a Rutgers University society as of February 2014. fact that some employment social anthropologist. Jayson states that “Most singles requires spouses to be separated. say some relationships once The example that comes to mind Match.com didn’t exist 40 years considered taboo are ‘fine.’ This first is military families who must ago so I did an on-line search to includes interracial marriage be separated when a spouse is learn more about match.com. It which now has an + 86% deployed, and it is well known that was founded by Gary Kremen in acceptance rating. Interfaith this kind of separation does place 1993. And you may wonder who is marriage has an + 80% an added stress on those families. Gary Kremen; I did. According to acceptance rating while same- Also considered to be “not fine” Wikipedia, Gary Kremen, who sex marriage has a 65% were married couples sleeping in was born in 1963, is the acceptance rate.” What is key for different bedrooms at - 56% or entrepreneur who invented Online us though is that pastoral care living in different homes at -75%. Dating and who founded the will be needed for all of these personals site match.com, as well groups because this is society Jayson states that the as founding Clean Power as it exists. anthropologist, Helen Fischer of Finance. Gary Kremen was born Rutgers University, who helped in the Chicago area, he graduated Jayson points out that most other Match.com to develop the survey, from Niles West High School in relationship choices that had once had concluded that the Skokie, Illinois in 1981. Then been deemed to be unacceptable “everything that is ’not fine’ had Kremen graduated with bachelor's are also considered to be “fine.” one element in common: a degrees in both electrical Jayson gives the example of disruption of that profound engineering and computer “long-term unmarried partners connection between two science from Northwestern living together that has an people.” It can be inferred then University in 1985, and an MBA acceptance rate of + 76%; the that our societal building block at from Stanford University in 1989. acceptance rate of having children this point in time relies on the Match.com is apparently one of outside of marriage has an health and well-being of society the online sites where many acceptance rating of + 53%” at when people have or feel “a young people go to meet each this time in history. I must profound connection between other at this point in history. It is a highlight that these statistics two people.” business venture created by Gary simply serve to point out for our Kremen. Various religious groups Page 3 Continued on the next page These are the lived conditions as “The simple fact is that the family member who may have we find them and as they exist environment has changed,” he had the best intention to be whether we favor them or not. said. This was “in no way” a call helpful, but who has no concept They simply exist. It from this to change canon law on his part, that ecumenism has been point then that the pastoral care he underlined, but he wanted to embraced by most of our and nurturing of the family must show how difficult it was to bring churches of origins, even before begin if that pastoral care is to be the ideal family model into line Vatican II happened. I have effective in any way. Although we with reality.”To clarify his point, witnessed rules being bantered have no data available at this the cardinal warned that “The about as if they actually existed time from the religious matching Church must adopt a more when they don’t, and I have found services provided on line, we rational, down-to-earth approach myself feeling happy to come s e strongly suspect that even there as far as the reality of life was from another perspective that i l mi that the fundamental building concerned.” There is a call for didn’t require me to make up a a block would still be based on improved pastoral care of the bunch of rules while feeling F h having the ability to create a families as we find them. equally sad for those who felt c r profound connection between two they must know and follow rules, u h people. As interchurch couples and as even if they have to make up the c r interchurch families, many of rules on the spot. There is really e 2t n Christa Pongratz-Lippitt writing for whom were created before there only one rule and that is to love nI of The Tablet in the U.K. (http:// was an internet, we were already our neighbor as we love io ditn www.thetablet.co.uk/news/383/0/ meeting and marrying across ourselves. The Rutgers research, Eo 25; ciati cchou-hrcahb-itmatuiosnt--addivjuosrtc-eto-a-rneda-lity-of- hTihsitso rcich adnegneo mthienraetfioornea li sd nivoidt es. uas vinegry m haetlcphfu.cl orems oausr cae s boeucrcaeu,s ies it e o remarriage-says-cardinal) caused by the internet. One doesn’t have a church agenda of ms s reported on the family recently, as interchurch couple, whom I met its own hidden somewhere in the uA oln well; noting that “The Pope had many years ago, had met and background, and if that agenda is V a c spoken of his observations of fallen in love while studying simply to fill their own pews on eri marriage in Latin America and theology at Louvain in Belgium. Sunday mornings then it fails to m underlined that it was the The gentleman was an Anglican, address the pastoral needs of the A e Church’s duty to accompany who may have been an very people the church indicates th people on their way through life.” ecumenical exchange student, they intend to serve. of and that “People are on the way. and the lady who would later 4 n They live together, have children, become his wife was a Roman Church attendance should be a 1o 0ti some then get married in a Catholic Theologian. Their bond profoundly nurturing experience 2a e c register office and later perhaps was based on a profound sense for those who may be brave i nl ub in church. The important thing is of connection that began with enough to attend and to find out u J P to accompany them on their way,” their interest in theology and their for themselves just what all &A Austrian Cardinal Schönborn, own personal faith journeys. Both church is really about. We are y aK, MR reported that “Ninety-five per cent had wished to become closer to back to the basic need in our , A of Austrians who had filled in the the church. It appeared to me that society for us to nurture and give prilhe Vatican questionnaire on the their connection and love for each pastoral care that addresses our AT family were in favour of allowing other nurtured not only their basic human need to feel remarried divorcees to receive marriage, but the concept that profoundly connected to another the sacraments, Cardinal being interchurch as a family was person. Schönborn said, adding that the a gift for both of them and their Austrian bishops would be church communities. They met Profoundly Connected To handing over the questionnaire long before there was match.com Another Person is the key results in Rome.” Cardinal or anything like it. phrase here upon which the Schönborn explained, “ ‘We in the pastoral care of the family should Church tacitly live with the fact Not all potential interchurch begin. The lived experience of that the majority of young people, families are able to become truly interchurch families is an example including those who have close interchurch because often they of profound connectedness on a ties to the Church, quite naturally are quickly and rudely met with very human level live together.’ and added that rules, often times presented by a ~ M.J. Glauber Page 4 http://www.socon.ca/german-and-swiss-bishops-publish-synod-survey-results-why-not-canada/ Pastoral care of the family: Will Interchurch Families’ needs be considered by our churches? We shall be very fortunate if our situation, which is being in an interchurch marriage and being an interchurch family, does come up for discussion on the Synod agenda when it wasn't specifically included in the questionnaire, so please let's all pray fervently for that. ~ Interchurch spouse from IFIN  When ‘The Promise’ is a Problem by William P. McDonald Associate Professor of Religion,Tennessee Wesleyan College, Athens, TN And, Ecumenical Covenant Pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA), Vonore, TN The starry-eyed couple sits in Beloved Strangers: Interfaith why, followed by a modest the priest’s office. Premarital Families in Nineteenth Century suggestion. counseling has been helpful, even America (Harvard University enriching...so far. That is, until Press, 2001) a good place to The Roman Catholic in an Father hands the Roman start.1 There is much to be interchurch marriage signs a Catholic of the two a paper to sign learned about the subtle changes document (or otherwise declares) while he explains the document’s in marriage preparation across that he or she will do “all in his/her words “that I time. We can give thanks for the power” to see that children are am prepared to avoid the dangers provisions effected in the 1983 raised Catholic. Whatever latitude of abandoning the faith and to Code of Canon Law, relaxing or in interpretation (more later), the promise sincerely to do all in my suppressing the more stringent language is unfortunate. Marriage power to see that the children of requirements of the 1917 code. is a tough proposition, even for the marriage be baptized and Still more positive guidance is the starry-eyed. For the church to educated in the Catholic Church.” offered in the 1993 Directory for suggest that one party is to use Suddenly the love boat hits a the Application of Principles and “power” in a way that may shoal. Though the two have quite Norms on Ecumenism (DAPNE). magnify and exacerbate division likely already discussed the The liberating breakthroughs in the name of fulfilling an matter privately, made possible by Vatican Council obligation recalls old legalisms at the document comes as an II are also echoed in subsequent best, and invites guilt, awkward and jarring reminder of papal pronouncements on manipulation, anger (on the part their differences. If they weren’t marriage, beginning with of both) and inequality at worst. It before, they are now well aware Matrimonia Mixta in 1970. hearkens back to the days when of their ecclesial situation as a Matters have improved drastically the Roman Catholic party was to Catholic and non-Catholic pair. for interchurch couples preparing “do all in his or her power” to work Why must this part of Catholic for marriage. Perhaps the for the conversion of the non- premarital counseling with churches--Catholic and Catholic spouse. “Power” interchurch couples be so Protestant--are catching up to the language delegitimizes the non- troublesome? Is there a better Spirit. However, there are still Catholic partner’s tradition, way? obstacles that keep the premarital implying that, were the children to counseling of these couples end up, say, Lutheran, that the It is beyond the scope of this vestigially juridical and not fully Catholic would have “lost” a battle article to recount the painful pastoral, especially where the church expected him or her to history of interchurch marriage promises to raise children fight and win. Marriage, by preparation, though the reader Catholic are concerned. Here is definition, is no place for one to may find Anne C. Roses’s Page 5 Continued on the next page be unilaterally doing anything to facilitate in most dioceses-- one’s power” by way of a with all one’s “power”! should allow the couple to coercive promise fails to describe their respective recognize the particular nature To be certain, the promise religious histories, what each of the domestic church that being solicited is not absolute. means to them, and the extent ecumenical families create. That is, were the promise to to which they believe they The Spirit calls interchurch become a threat to the well are prepared to nurture future couples to lead the way in being of the marriage, or were children in it. The clergyman taking responsibility for their other extenuating circumstances should listen carefully, and help children’s spiritual formation. in place, such as the devotion of the couple move toward a How that will look will the non-Catholic spouse to his workable arrangement. necessarily differ from couple to or her church, then it should not Sometimes the result will be the couple. All churches stand to s e be carried out. Catholics who do traditional approach, wherein learn something about the i il so will not be penalized. This is the Catholic party plans to raise mystery of holy matrimony from m a certainly a humane, pastoral children primarily in the Catholic these differences. F gesture on the part of canonical Church, though always with the h c requirements. In fact, this is non- Catholic’s consent. Or, the Postscript: As Rose recounts r u h spelled out in DAPNE, noting conversation might conclude in her book, few details of c r that non-Catholics come with an with another arrangement being Protestant opinion on e 2t equal sense of duty to catechize the wiser. How children might be interchurch marriage survive n nI of children in their faith exposed to both traditions from the nineteenth century. io ditn (Article 151). should be thoroughly discussed. Even now, discussions of Eo At the end of the premarital children’s faith do not occupy 5; ati However, the question counseling, the priest or deacon much time in most Protestant 2ci e o remains: How can premarital signs a document that he has premarital counseling of ms s counseling for interchurch interviewed the couple and is ecumenical couples. After all, if uA oln couples be improved upon at satisfied that they have few eyebrows raise V a this point? First, remove all intentionally thought through the altitude over Catholic-Protestant c ri suspicions of an ecclesial questions and have (or are on marriages, it would be a e m promise with legal overtones by their way toward) a “plan” surprise if any go up e A discontinuing the promise should the blessing of children when a Presbyterian and a h altogether. No more quasi arrive one day. The clergyman’s United Methodist tie the knot. t f “oaths.” Erase the language of signed statement goes on file in Perhaps inter-Protestant o 4 n power. True, there has been the local diocesan office. There premarital counseling curricula 1o 0ti latitude in interpretation of the is no document for one or both should take note of the attention 2a c document, ranging from the of the couple to sign. Roman Catholics give to the e i nbl older approach of binding the subject, so that the starry-eyed u u JP conscience with an obligation This would be a small, but of every confession &A over against the other partner to significant adjustment. It would may be ready if and when y aK, the much improved, more render premarital counseling children are welcomed into their MR , A sensitive notion that the Roman completely pastoral and not future homes. rile Catholic is to find ways to share juridical at the point where it ph AT his or her faith with future can become most gut Footnotes: 1. For an excellent children. If the latter view wrenching. Even more, it allows survey of the problem, with comports with the Catholic the ecumenical couple, examination of statements by Church’s gradual movement who, after all, are the ministers interchurch couples, see Ray toward a more pastoral of the sacrament, to lead the Temmerman’s thesis, approach in this matter, then the way as ministers of “Interchurch Families as language used should better unity, not pack-mules forced to Domestic Church: Familial reflect it. carry a sign of the church’s Experiences and Ecclesial division. To do “all in Opportunities,” which argues A structured conversation-- more comprehensively for the the duty of the priest or deacon change I suggest. Page 6 Continued on the next page http://interchurchfamilies.org/ Marcus Borg - Can you cite examples where STM/Thesis- Christ asks for a transformation Examines What It InterchurchFamiliesAsDomestic from the Bible or in the lives of Church.pdf. saints? Means To Be ****************** Christian I have found this idea to be very interesting and I hope that you William P. McDonald is an Please read the thoughts,and do too. I would like to hear your ordained United Methodist the questions in their original thoughts about the underlying Minister who is serving as the format that Marcus Borg poses principles behind what it means pastor of an ELCA parish, too, in to all of us at the following links: to be a Christian and about the addition to his work at role of hope in your lived Tennessee Wesleyan College. What is the Gospel? experience. He is the spouse of a Roman November 9, 2013 By Marcus Borg Catholic (Carolyn) and they are I have many questions about the parents of 4 children. http://www.patheos.com/blogs/ what it means to be a Christian marcusborg/2013/11/what-is- in the 21st Century. I would like **************** the-gospel/ to hear your thoughts as Interchurch Families and as Hope Comes From Ecumenists. What Is a Christian? God, Who Has - How does our Christian November 5, 2013 By Marcus Borg message of hope translate into Created Inspiring how we live our lives in the 21st and Dedicated http://www.patheos.com/blogs/ Century? marcusborg/2013/11/what-is-a- - Does being transformed into People Who Serve: christian/ the likeness of Christ resonate with you? “Darkness cannot drive out ~ M.J. Glauber “Marcus Borg Examines darkness: only light can do that." What It Means To Be ~ Martin Luther King Jr ************************ Christian” - Implications Hope and Faith “It is a great blessing to have for Interchurch Families lived in a time of Martin Luther and Ecumenists: “Optimism is the faith that leads King Jr., when forgiveness and Actually, I would like to hear to achievement. Nothing can be generosity of spirit encouraged from you regarding what the role done without hope and our citizenry to work for a better of Christianity is and about our confidence.” ~ Helen Keller world for everybody.” efforts toward creating some ~ Maya Angelou form of Christian Unity. “Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the - Does Marcus Borg’s belief that God will do what is How far you go in life depends explanation of the transformative right.” ~Anonymous on your being tender with the aspect of Christianity resonate young, compassionate with the with your understanding of being The Recognition of aged, sympathetic with the Christian in an “Interchurch” Something Greater than striving and tolerant of the weak family and/or being Ecumenical? the Self; This is the Hope and strong. Because someday in We All Seek your life you will have been all of - How does Christ’s message "Reverence is the recognition of these. apply to our own personal something greater than the self-- ~ George Washington Carver transformation? something that is beyond human ***************** creation or control, that Continued on the next page Page 7 transcends full human This article originally appeared http:// understanding." What is your experience of that www.paulist.org/ evangelization/how-do-we- ~Barbara Brown Taylor, of God at work in your life? raise-children-inter-church-or- from An Altar in the World ~ M.J. Glauber interreligious-families and at http:// www.paulist.org/ecumenism/koinonia Father Terrence P. Ryan, CSP Issue 50, Winter 2014 ******************** “Spiritual Stuff - Tell me what It is being reprinted here with permission What is Your you believe, not what to from Daniel Olsen and from Father Thomas Ryan, CSP who publishes believe!” can be read in its “Koinonia” Experience of original and complete form at http://www.paulist.org/blog/ s As interchurch and e God? father-terrence-p-ryan-csp? i interreligious marriages l i page=1 m become more and more a Father Terrence P. Ryan, CSP F common in the United States, in his article, “Spiritual Stuff” h Father Terry Ryan, CSP, the need to explore how to c wrote that “A catechism answer ur travels throughout the United educate and evangelize h that is not lived out, is shallow. c States offering workshops, children in these homes r Young people are dropping out e missions, retreats and evening becomes ever more urgent. n 2Int of religion that is all about reflections on the Recognizing this reality, on of ideas, and very little about io Contemplative Experience. St. Saturday, October 19, 2013, ditn shared experience.” Thérèse of Lisieux, the great members of the Archdiocese of Eo 5; ati I remembered reading in a mystics, and the spirituality of Chicago’s Ecumenical and 2ci the 11th step of a 12-step Interreligious Parish-to-Parish e o recent Pew Study on Religion ms recovery program provide the Learning Community gathered s which had noted that the uA frameworks for Father Terry’s interchurch and interreligious Voln numbers of unaffiliated was the discussions of the couples, pastoral staff and rica fina stthees tU gnriotewdin Sgt a“dteesn.omination” Contemplative Experience. He other interested participants to e has been blogging on "Father discuss the opportunities and m e A Father Terrence P. Ryan, CSP T2e0r0r8y.'s Spiritual Stuff" since crahiasilnlegn gcheisld prerens ienn itn ftoerr cthhousrceh / h prefers to respond to questions t Note: Step 11 of a 12 Step interreligious families. 4 n of beyx paesrkieinngc,e “ Toef lGl mode, oofr yJoeusru s, Program states “Seek 1o through prayer and Three questions initiated 0ti who, whoever, whatever.” 2a meditation to improve our the dialogue: c e i conscious contact with God nl - What does the Catholic b Father Terrence P. Ryan, CSP u u as we understand God, JP explains, “If people tell us Church teach about &A simply what we are supposed praying only for knowledge interchurch and MayRK, to think, believe, do, we might opfo Gwoerd ’tso wcailrl rfyo rth uast aonudt. ”the interreligious families? ril, e A cwoem gprloyw w uhpe,n w wee d arorep yao luont go.f As ****************** - How can both traditions ph be honored in order to AT this. If people come to me with How do we Raise foster a healthy family a problem, I may have a Children in spirituality? solution that I think will help them, but if I simply say do this - How does God’s love Inter-Church or or that, it has only a short term shine in these families? effect. If I tell them what I Interreligious actually did, what my Conceived as discussion Families? experience with the problem/ primers, the questions lead to solution is for me, that goes a by Daniel Olsen a robust dialogue about the lot further.” unique pastoral challenges Page 8 Continued on the next page faced within these families, while overcoming the pastoral fostering a sense of their The questions ultimately turned challenges of passing on the giftedness. from Catholic teaching regarding faith in interchurch/interreligious interchurch and interreligious homes. A common sentiment Issues/Challenges family life to how one might was that the education needed effectively communicate it. The to come from the children as The discussion began with a group perceived that discussing much as from the adults or the reminder of the Catholic the challenges these families church itself. Children, especially commitment to ecumenism and encountered on a daily basis their accepting and trusting interreligious dialogue as well as might actually serve as the best nature, were seen as exhibiting an awareness of the mode of communication. In other the welcoming spirit required to sacramental nature of Christian words, the need to “tell our move forward as a unified family marriage. This dual focus gave stories” became apparent. Some amidst confessional or religious the group a sense of the saw their mixed reality as a diversity. Education was also inherent holiness and specific “painful spur” which caused viewed as a mainly experiential ecumenical mission of the them to come to a clearer sense process, flowing out of interchurch family. How might of what they believe and how participation in shared service the shared baptismal and marital they should express it to their projects, joint celebrations of commitments of interchurch children. “Children pick up on the secular and religious holidays, parents undergird the Christian pain we experience,” one and working together to solve education and formation of participant stated, seeing this as pressing social issues. The children in relation to two a catalyst for growth because relationships established and Christian traditions? How might “this is not what God wants.” fostered through these this “church of the home”, rooted Another marveled at how kids encounters were seen as in two diverse expressions of more easily recognize diversity grounding the faith lives of the Christianity, coalesce positively as a gift, even while they are family members in positive ways. for the benefit of educating “caught in the middle” of a children about life in Christ? struggle not of their making. Some participants wondered Answering these important why more was not done for questions not only led to a A common refrain was that their specifically interchurch and wonderful consideration of union as a family taught them interreligious marriage/family shared sacramental life, but the value of working out religious enrichment. One couple asked suggested that many questions and confessional differences by why interchurch couples, who remain unanswered. building bridges instead of are often told that their marriage erecting barriers to mutual offers more opportunity for Catholic teaching about the growth. Thus, it was ultimately tensions and inherent holiness of family life springing found that: a) the challenges challenges, were not offered from interreligious unions was interchurch and interreligious additional support to live out also examined. As these families families overcome can, and their vows harmoniously. Rather come to learn about one often do, strengthen their faith than pursue the myriad reasons another’s religious traditions and their commitment to for this pastoral conundrum, from the context of a loving Christian unity and interreligious those gathered constructively relationship, the exchange can dialogue, respectively, and b) the decided to move forward with be a great boon to grassroots solution to this state of affairs planning an interchurch/ interreligious dialogue. Respect, ultimately resides with God, thus interreligious dialogue group. mutual growth and being beyond their control, but This peer-led and supportive understanding, as well as justice not beyond their influence. community is now being initiatives were noted as means developed as a future pastoral by which these families could Provisional Solutions resource for these families in the effectively live out their religious Chicago area. convictions as a home united in Unsurprisingly, education was love and fellowship. seen as the primary key to Continued on the next page Page 9 How Does God’s Love Shine or Interreligious in These Families? Daniel Olsen serves as the Families? - Assistant Director of Implications for What was evident throughout Ecumenical and Interreligious this session was that God’s love Affairs for the Archdiocese of Interchurch can and does shine forth in Chicago. He received his Ph.D. Families and these families. The Catholic in Constructive Theology from understanding of the Christian Loyola University Chicago in Ecumenists family as a domestic church, re- 2008, with his research Every opportunity to share our introduced at the Second focusing on the pastoral gifts stories and to highlight the gift Vatican Council and further and challenges to be found in that being interchurch is for developed within Pope John the experiences of Christian those who are interchurch and s e Paul II’s theology was seen as interchurch families. He also for our communities should be i mil an important framing element in serves as an adjunct professor taken and explored as it is an a this regard. Parents in these at St. Xavier University and The educational opportunity for the F h small communities of faith College of Saint Scholastica interchurch families and their c discern each day how to put (MN). r communities. True growth in u into action their beliefs and h Christ’s love for us all will come c traditions, while forming their and r from these kinds of exchanges. e 2t children to do the same. The n onf I experience of two traditions Father Thomas Ryan, CSP, ditin o within the fabric of the spiritual directs the Paulist North The Interchurch Families’ Eo lives of interchurch/ American Office for Ecumenical Conferences, Dialogue Groups, 5; ati interreligious families may make and Interfaith Relations in and Meetings that we have e 2oci the unity harder to discern at Washington, D.C. attended, beginning in the early mss times. However, gracing the The Paulist Office for 1980’s have helped to nurture olun A children and all members of this Ecumenical and Interfaith us, and our children so that we Va family with a sense of unified, Relations serves as a concrete had the correct information to c ri grassroots ecclesial life bound expression of the Paulist share with others when it was e m to the unwanted reality of Community's commitment to needed. he A Cinh oriusrt iwano raldn dc arenl ingoionuesth deivleissiso nbse wfoollrokw feorrs u onfi tCy harmisot n(Egc tuhme enism) I felt very proud when our f t instructive, constructive, and and to build bridges of children could navigate o 4 n grace-filled. understanding, respect, and between two church cultures 01tio collaboration with members of and clarify any misconceptions 2ca Interchurch/interreligious other world religions (Interfaith that others may have regarding e nbli children come to experience the Relations). the nature of being interchurch. u JPu contemporary religious situation Their work can be summarized Many other interchurch parents &A landscape as it is; not how it in three words: Information, have reported similar stories. y aK, should be. This perspective, Representation, Action. Father Our interchurch children are not , MAR born of experience, can serve Thomas Ryan, CSP publishes at all confused. They are quite rile to form conscientious “Koinonia” which can be found bilingual and bi-cultural that is ph AT ecumenical and interreligious at the following link: our interchurch raised children dialogue members from birth. http://www.paulist.org/ have become truly interchurch. Thus, these children can ecumenism/koinonia uniquely grow up to speak Being interchurch isn’t the eloquently about God’s *************** scandal. The real scandal is a transformative and boundless church divided. However, love love, while inviting further can heal all wounds, even an dialogue about unity, How do we Raise historical wound between forgiveness and mutual concern church denominations. Children in Inter-Church among all. Page 10 Continued on the next page