We began our conference call with a prayer read by Mary Scaine from Bill Cleary:

God of All Creation, when our hearts are cold as stone and our minds numb, still we know our prayer is heard, the prayer that is our past, our present and our future.   Our very life prays, communicates, to you.   The faithful sun, seemingly still, moves steadily from east to west, and everything living cries out to it for vitalization.   Similarly we all look to you, Creating Intelligence, in gratitude.   We are alive, chosen to exist today, and we give thanks.   Amen.

We then had a moment of silence remembering and embracing our members who were sick, Alan Moore, Mary Alice Charpentier and Ralph Pinto. We called into our circle of prayer Francis McGillicuddy who “passed over” and his beloved wife and soul friend, Elaine. We remembered the people of Haiti and the following conversations flowed:   Several people have requested that we probe more deeply into the new cosmology (New Story)    as a basis for our next discussion.  Please notice that Patricia Fresen suggests that reformed groups are beginning to understand “that our faith will be reformulated to fit in better with humanity’s present and future understanding of cosmology and the universe story.”

We will start our New Cosmology discussions with an article from the July/Aug. ’09 CORPUS REPORTS entitled “Spirituality for a Third Millenium” wherein Dick Scaine situates the three commitments within the context of the New Cosmology. This will be followed by the Jan/Feb 2010 CORPUS REPORTS article entitled “Spirituality: Feeling at Home in the Universe.”

Discussion Questions:

1. 
   
   What did you find most liberating in this article?  Why? Most challenging? Most insightful? What did you find most disturbing? Why? Please be specific.   
   
   

Conference Call Community of John XXIII   Jan. 17, 2010

Tony began the discussion with the observance that the article was certainly liberating for him and was helpful in discerning how to work out the way to live his life. That does get to the heart of what the commitments of the JohnXXIII Community mean as we go about our daily lives. As Pat said, it calls out to the living spirit in each of us into something  better, breaking through any isolation we may be in.

The discussion revolved around an overriding theme of cosmology which is “relatedness.” How apropos as we celebrate the birthday of Dr. King who often used the phrase, “All life is interrelated.” How wonderful that we were able in such a caring way, to express our willingness and openness to connecting to the 3 commitments of relatedness, justice-making and mutual collaboration, especially when faced with  a tragedy like the earthquake in Haiti. Our very discussion and internal prayer expression reaches out to the people of Haiti in a positive prayerful embrace.

Terry and Fred Quinn

Every month our focus becomes clearer and this time it was very clear and very +-special. Sad to say, the disastrous situation in Haiti was the backdrop for the successful time we spent together. The particular urgency there was an occasion for us to identify more closely with cosmic reality as it is unfolding in Haiti, and where we were able to understand and relate and adapt our specific John 23rd spirituality to the situation. As a result we felt closer to each other as we identified with the victims of the tragedy. This is my personal opinion, which I am sure is shared by all who were present.  I would also say that in my own case I gained more from the experience because I have further to go in applying and living out the goals of our group to specific situations. Tony

The image that comes to mind when I think of the whole Haiti crisis is that of an open wound in the body of the earth or the Body of Christ --- the whole world. Like the immune system in the body, the whole world is rushing to the site of the injury, trying to heal and make whole and healthy again.  We mourn all the dead and work to bring new life to the living.  Health will come only when a more just world works together to heal this terrible wound that is Haiti.

Therese Padovano

In preparing for today's conference I was also following the events of  devastation in Haiti. The values of the article paralleled with the  reality of Haiti's  situation. Interconnectedness.  Interdependence. "Seeing one in  all" ,this is our challenge NOW of belonging to the world. A people  reduced to the most basic needs in front of our eyes are our community  in need of care as well as protection from all levels of materialism,  abuse of power as well as patriarchal, hierarchical and institutional  injustice. Caring, respect and financial support are opportunities to  co-create with the Spirit toward a new unexpected future of greater  equity and financial justice as opposed to control and domination.  Pat We felt energized in our relationship to each other and to the world  as we were searching and discerning, e.g.: we saw the consequences of  an empirial director "Duvalier" providing a country club for the elite  and we opted for an "Aristide", who could plan for an agriculturally  self sustained island-nation & eventually share this paradise island  with ecotourists of the world.

Nick & Pat

Community of JohnXXIII Conference Call Nov 15, 2009

The community met to discuss the following: Mary Scaine led us in prayer.

Community of JohnXXIII November 15, 2009 Thoughts for Discussion and Opening Prayer

1.      What did you find most exciting in Patricia Fresen’s article? Why? Most challenging? Most insightful? What did you find most disturbing? Why? Please be specific.

2.      In addition to the thoughts Patricia Fresen makes, what are some of the other ways to face the question “what now?”

We are receiving requests, and referring inquiries into our JohnXXIII website. Please do not forget to write a paragraph of appreciation/reaction for posting on the website. It is a main source of information for those who want to pursue our identity and history. Your submission need not disclose personal material but should be briefly informative. Thanks.

SOARING At Daybreak

By William Cleary

www.clearyworks.com/about.html

When my mind is far from concentration and my heart unfocused,

still my being speaks to you, God of life, God of promise.

There is hope for me because you are a caring creator,

and have filled our experience with caringness:

links of concern and love for those around me,

and energies of caringness from others to me.

In such a circle we can survive,

and with imagination can find joy in the mysterious dance of daily life.

Amen.

Terry and Fred Quinn wrote:

We began with Nick’s poignant description of his recent visit to Croatia and his sadness at meeting a former classmate, a nun, still bound by the restrictions and submission of women of the church of yesteryear. Echoes of that feudal system in the church remain, but Patricia Fresen gives us reason to hope, as she speaks of a better understanding of the mission of Jesus and what he revealed about God. As she says when she writes of the language spoken by Jesus, Aramaic—“nethqudash smath”---“Focus your light within us, make it useful.” ---which is what we are striving to do by living our commitments. Hopefully, at Pat’s suggestion, we will be able to share this vision in person at a retreat gathering in the Spring.

Pat and Nick commented:

     As the new "kid on the block", I hope the retreat ideas were not too  forceful. We loved Patricia Fresen's article.Agreeing with the quote of Don  Cozzens " The Church will submerge before it will emerge", we looked  at the realities of classism, clericalism,  sexism as they have  existed but are being challenged and rejected today. Presently we are  bridging from what already dominates to a new paradigm where  democratic principles,collaborative self ministering communities  closer to the vision of Jesus will exist. Insight is not enough to  give voice to these practices. How do we , the Community of John  XX111,move toward a global cosmic experience and share in such a way  that we can relationally affirm each other to help us live out these  beliefs. We would love to come together as a group for a weekend of  praying together and getting to know each other while we explore the  content of our communal committment.

We discussed the possibilities of having an annual retreat whereb current members  could renew their commitments and new members would be welcomed into the community.  The discussions are ongoing at this point. We plan on having our next conference call on December 20, 2009 and will re-visit Patricia Fresen’s article again as our participants were few in number.

                                                                                    Mary Scaine  

The Community of John XXIII gathered for a Conference call on Sunday, October 25^th. Present were: Linda Pinto our Moderator, Mary and Dick Scaine, our Facilitators.  Also joining us were: Fred and Terry Quinn, Bob Charpentier, John Warner, Allen Moore, Barbara Ryland, Theresa Padovano, Pat and Nick Mosunic and Tony Marotta (on Skype computer connection from Italy).

Mary Scaine invited all present today as participants in the Community of John XXII  to begin with a moment of silence as we welcomed and embraced  and sent our healing vibrations toward Francis and Elaine and Mary Alice and Bob and other members of our family and friends.

Into Your Silence…..

God of this creation, of this day,

of this moment, we speak words into your silence –

but with profound reverence.  

Our heads are spinning with astonishment at the universe

which we find ourselves in, living our lives within the phenomenon of evolution, an unfolding,

changing, unfinished reality.  

To be part of it is an honor.  

We give you thanks as we look into the abyss of your energies.

Amen.

William Cleary (We Side with the Morning)

We began our session with the following:

John XXIII October 25^th Thoughts for Discussion

1. From chapters Eight through Ten of James Carroll’s book, what events, personalities, struggles or admissions most parallel your own growth as an adult concerned participant in the Community of John XXIII. Please be specific

In the Embracing Spirit of the Community John XXIII

Where do we go from Here?

1. Where does each of  us stand in terms of implementing our three commitments: 

1.  Commitment to Relatedness

2.  Commitment to Justice Making

3.  Commitment to Mutual Collaboration

2. Do we wish to continue with written submissions for posting on the website?

Suggestion: For November discussion, read Patricia Fresen’s article (pp. 31-35) in September/October Corpus Reports, 2009.

PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU CAN BE PRESENT AT THE OCTOBER CALL, IF NOT, SHARE WITH US YOUR IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS ON THE LISTSERVE….

Mary and Dick Scaine 10/4/09

The responses were as follows:

Fred and Terry Quinn

We began with a prayer and moment of silence in loving concern for Francis McGillicuddy and Mary Alice Charpentier. We included in that positive prayer energy their spouses and caregivers Elaine and Bob.

Our discussion revolved around thoughts brought about by James Carroll’s book Practicing Catholic. Pat talked about her surprise at the traditional approach to the Catholic church of her classmates at a class reunion. We feel that even the well educated are not always well educated in theology, the true history of the church, the principles of Vatican ii or even what canon law actually says.(think freedom of conscience). As we said, when the populace is unknowing and still walks in lock-step with what they were taught as children, the fear factor still takes over. The magic ability to take away sin and allow entrance into a place called heaven is the power wielded by the hierarchical church. Confronting the fallacies and almost childlike obedience to church teaching involves responsibility for one’s own actions and a response to what was the true mission of Jesus, embodied in our commitments to Relatedness, Justice-Making and Mutual Collaboration. For those interested in the article from America magazine (listed in the last Mirabile Dictu) that we mentioned the link is:

http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=11905

Tony wrote:

The conference dealing  specifically with the last chapters of Carroll's

book, and  generally with the whole book

1)  gave me the occasion to  revisit many years of my own  life,

2) helped me clarify various theological positions, and has been an aid in

the course I am preparing to teach on  recent American Catholicism for the

University of Warsaw and 3) most importantly  helped me deepen the  ( still

new to me) spirit of our progressive community. It was another moment in

meeting our silent and mysterious God. And this was/is good.

I welcome our decision to reflect and send this post -conference note,

especially because in my own case, I am convinced that it keeps me alert to

the need to implement our commitments. In contrast to most of the members

of the group, I do not have many other chances to do this.

Due to technical difficulties, many members could not hear one another and so our responses this month are of a limited nature. We adjourned and set a date for November 15, 2009.

We agreed to read, Patricia Fresen’s article (pp. 31-35) in September/October Corpus Reports, 2009.

                                                                                                Mary Scaine