To Archbishop Sartain, February
9, 2011.
Letter of welcome
February 9, 2011
Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, D.D., S.T.L.
Archbishop of Seattle
710 Ninth Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98104-1323
Dear Archbishop:
Welcome to Seattle! As the leadership team of a relatively
small group of lay ecclesial ministers, sisters, deacons, and
presbyters of the Archdiocese, who call ourselves Catholic
Ministers for Church Renewal, we extend our sincere appreciation
to you for coming to lead and to serve among us.
Our group formed in 2002, following a celebration at Seattle
University of the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Second
Vatican Council, at which Archbishop Hunthausen asked: “Where
are we today as the people of Vatican II?” Out of that
experience, we sensed the need for a unique common ground, where
archdiocesan ministers could come together to discuss ministry
and church, and to be a healing voice and energy in service of
implementing the Council’s vision.
Our collaboration is one of a kind wherein those serving our
archdiocese come together from the across the various states of
lay, religious and ordained. We gather on Fridays five times
annually at Seattle University for common prayer and to
encourage mutual support and collaboration in ministry, to be
agents for renewal, to be responsive to the present realities in
our church and world, and to be a strong voice in proclaiming
the gospel. We would be delighted to have you join us at
one of our meetings at Casey Hall, Room 517, Seattle University,
10:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Remaining dates this program year are
Mar. 11 and June 24. If those don’t work, perhaps dates
starting next October would. We’d be happy to work with
your calendar.
You can learn about our mission, our history, and why we gather,
as well as about our programs, activities, and
documents/statements on our website:
www.catholicministers.org We enclose an
informational brochure, as well as a major policy statement
developed in 2006: A Prophetic Stance of the Heart:
Collaborative Ministry Today.
Additionally, we warmly invite you to join us April 1 for a
workshop at Seattle University led by Dr. Richard Gaillardetz,
who was deeply appreciated last year by over a hundred
participants from the Seattle, Portland, Yakima, and Spokane
dioceses, and beyond when he addressed, Surviving in a Polarized
Church: Spirituality for Living with Ecclesial Tension.
This year he will focus on the relationship of lay and ordained
ministries, and their grounding in the community of the
baptized. A flier is enclosed. If you can see your
way to be with us, for even part of the day, please notify us;
we’ll assure you (gratis) registration and a registration
packet. Hopefully, you could join in the Opening or
Closing Prayer. It would be an opportunity to meet the
range of ministers who affiliate with our mission; they would
consider it a grace to meet you.
We appreciate how full your days must be in these initial
months, and want you to know our appreciation for your gentle,
personable, pastoral ministry in our midst, with your repeated
calls to deeper and ongoing conversion. In our far-flung
parishes and close-knit communities, may you be blessed by the
variety of God’s work in our midst. Please be assured of
our prayers for you.
May God bless you and strengthen you.
In the Lord,
Luciann MacDonald
Rev. Roger G. O’Brien