Salvation Jane

NW Women's Convergence

The NW Emergent Women's Convergence was great. However, losing my voice and having a serious flare-up of my gallstone symptoms made my own contribution to the event a bit embarrassing. Regardless, it was a *fantastic* time meeting with so many other Christian women (many of whom are feminists). Like all of the Emergent Church conferences/workshops I've been to, I was again the only Catholic present, but I didn't feel odd-man-out. I connected with many of these women on many different levels, from being in an alternative subculture, to our education, our politics, our willingness to step outside the box of conventional Christian thought and practice, and our attitudes about other spiritual paths.

I'm really looking forward to the next gathering. I plan on staying in touch with this group for a long time.

In other news: if anybody is looking for a laid-back, funky place to have a vacation, you could do far, far worse than the Edgefield Manor. The beds are comfortable, the food is superb, and the staff is friendly and pleasantly informal. Art covers almost every square inch of the walls, and each room has its own theme. The European style of the rooms might not be to everyone's taste, since the individual bathing rooms are down the hall, but they also have a few rooms with private baths.

Emergent Church

Last week I attended both the "New Monasticism Learning Party" and a conference on the Emergent Church called "The Church Has Left the Building", sponsored by Mustard Seed Associates. Both were incredible events to attend. The majority of attendees were from Evangelical backgrounds, with a few Lutherans and Episcopalians thrown in for leavening (hee!). I think I was the only Catholic at either of them, so my own "take" on monasticism, contemplative practice, and social justice/ecology issues were a bit different. The Evangelical denominations are really new to some of these concepts, and it showed a bit. Every so often I would have to gently remind people that "no, the Christian Church DOES have a modern contemplative practice. Look over there at Catholicism and Orthodoxy, who never gave them up." And the monasticism that everybody calls "new" is, in many ways, quite old. Still, I think the Catholic Church could really learn something quite profound from these "old-made-new" monastics. Quite a lot, actually. In fact, I think that more cross-pollenization would really benefit everybody.

It's been a very long time since I had to remind people that Catholics ARE Christians, and that even though we aren't on the average Protestant's radar doctrinally, we're the largest Christian group in the world. One out of every five people on this earth is Catholic, for Pete's sake. Ignoring us--except for wanting to convert us to some other flavor of Christianity--is a really foolish thing to do.

Still, I really enjoyed the weekend, and was stirred deeply. I am more committed than ever to this "old-made-new" conversation of the Emergent Church, however I fit in.

Sanctorum Mass

The Sanctorum mass went well last night. I hosed it as thurifer once, since it was following the Anglican rite, and not the Roman Catholic or Russian Orthodox ones I'm more-used to. Hopefully only those "in the know" noticed this. But it was powerful, and exceedingly well-done for a first time. Fr. Travis celebrated beautifully, and I found myself tearing up a few times---and it wasn't just the incense smoke. ;-) However, I'm going to buy the parish a box of the large "Three Kings" charcoal. The small Greek charcoals are for home use, and they go out FAR too fast when you attempt to swing the thurible.

My Guadalupe statue was a big hit last night. I'm so glad I brought her and the votive rack. Just before the Mass ended, they did "Hail, Holy Queen", Fr. Travis standing before her, with Ray (crocifer) and I (as thurifer) on either side of the shrine. A lovely ending.

I'm coming to be more and more impressed with the clergy here. Talk about people who have taken a HUGE step back from clericalism. It's a bit difficult for me, since I grew up being taught the "difference" between the ordained and the laity. Even when priests encouraged folks to see them as "just one of the people", we had all been raised with such a strong idea of that "difference", that it was not easy to overcome. Rev. Karen and Fr. Travis have managed to breach that wall.

I'm still hesitant. I want to help, and be helpful, but I'm afraid of stepping on toes.

I really like these people. A lot.