For the week of Sunday, January 16, 2022
Dear Friends,
I was watching TV recently and on came a commercial featuring Ron Reagan, son of the late president. He was promoting membership in some sort of American atheist society, which is apparently organized to "keep people free from religion." Reference was made to the conviction of our country's founding fathers that there be a separation or wall between church and state.
I don't know whether the founders as a group carried that belief. I only know that Thomas Jefferson did, because he is the one who coined the phrase in one of his writings. That phrase is not found anywhere in the U.S. Constitution. What that document does say is that there is not to be any singular official religion in this country that is established by the government. This allows any and all religions freedom to express themselves without running afoul of the law. That's quite a bit different from the way Ron Reagan was putting it out there. Recall that the framers of our Constitution were resisting a single-state religion such as they had known it in England, where the monarch was also the head of the Church of England (Anglican). Technically that's still true today; Queen Elizabeth is, at least in official title, head of the church in Britain. (By the way, the American version of that church is known as the Episcopal Church.)
Anyway, back to Ron Reagan. He ended his pitch by stating proudly, "I'm Ron Reagan and I'm not afraid of hell." It seemed to me to be a very strange way to end a TV ad. And it raises a lot of theological questions. Do atheists automatically go to hell by that very fact? The Catholic Church would not say that (although it did for hundreds of years during the Middle Ages).
Vatican II was very nuanced and very careful in reflecting upon the hope for salvation, even for atheists. The council said that it's not enough to put a label on someone and then determine his/her eternal fate. It teaches that it is necessary to inquire WHY a person self-identifies that way. There can be several reasons. For example, perhaps a person has been given bad information about who the true God is. In rejecting that, they are not rejecting God at all, but merely the bad information. Or perhaps they have been witness to a little too much hypocrisy among self-identified "Christians." Rejecting that is not the same as rejecting God.
So it's not as simple as Ron Reagan suggests, and it would be interesting to know just what sort of God he believes he is saying no to.
Fr. Mike
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PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
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PAX CHRISTI PRAYER WALL
Pray for the Pax Christi Community! One of the ways we can care for each other as a faith community is to pray for each other. Pax Christi has an online Prayer Wall for people to share their prayer requests and also to let people know that they are heard and we are holding them in our prayers. Please view the prayer wall and pray for the needs of fellow Pax Christi Community members by CLICKING HERE.
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HOLDING UP THOSE EXPERIENCING LOSS
- Mary Marx, mother of Sharon Marx
To see a full list of all upcoming funerals being held at Pax Christi along with an obituary if the family chooses, please CLICK HERE.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
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A CALL TO STAND TOGETHER FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
Letter from Birmingham Jail
Monday, January 17, 7:00 at Pax Christi Catholic Community
Join us for an inclusive event on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 17, 2022 at Pax Christi Catholic Community at 7:00pm: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. All people are welcome to join in this event!
We start with a public reading of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail followed by an opportunity for sharing in small groups. It is our express purpose to build relationships of individuals and religious institutions in the Twin Cities dedicated to working together for racial justice.
WINTER BOOK CLUB VIA ZOOM
Meister Eckhart: A Mystic-Warrior by Matthew Fox
Mondays, starting January 17, from 6:30 to 8:00pm, via Zoom
Though he lived in the thirteenth century, Meister Eckhart’s deeply ecumenical teachings were in many ways modern. He taught about what we call ecology, championed artistic creativity, and advocated for social, economic, and gender justice. All these elements have inspired spiritual maverick Matthew Fox and influenced his Creation Spirituality. Here, Fox creates metaphorical meetings between Eckhart and Teilhard de Chardin, Thich Nhat Hanh, Carl Jung, Black Elk, Rumi, Adrienne Rich, and other radical thinkers. The result is profoundly insightful, substantive, and inspiring. The discussion will take place online via Zoom. There is no charge to participate, though all participants are responsible for obtaining a copy of the book.
CLICK HERE to register.
GRIEF COALITION WINTER SERIES
Mondays, starting January 24, from 6:30 to 8:00pm, at Pax Christi
The Southwest Grief Coalition (SWGC) is a partnership of local churches working together to provide support and education for those who are grieving. A six-week winter series, Living and Growing Through Loss, will be hosted here at Pax Christi beginning on Monday, January 24. The evening will include a large group education session as well as small group supportive sessions designed to offer listening and care to your type of loss. We are offering a hybrid model so sessions can be attended in person or via live stream. The off-site small group will be held via Zoom. There is no cost to participate, but you must register in advance. For more information, look for the SWGC brochure in the resource rack by the reception desk, or SWGC website www.swgriefcoalition.org - CLICK HERE, which includes links to local grief resources and suggested bibliographies about death. Questions can be directed to Kyle Finken, 952-405-7231.
JOIN US FOR CHAIR YOGA
Finding Wellness Throughout the Cold of Winter!
Mondays, starting January 31, 1:30-2:15pm, via Zoom, $40
Join us for Chair Yoga. The eight-week session begins on January 31. Classes are held from 1:30pm-2:15pm via Zoom. The cost is $40. Denise Bunch, a popular yoga instructor will lead the class. Classes fill quickly! If you are unable to attend one of the sessions, classes are posted online for a brief time.
CLICK HERE to register.
AN INVITATION TO SHIFT ONE TINY THING
Join Us For A Retreat That Could Change Everything
Saturday, February 5, from 9:00am to 12:00pm, Doors Opening at 8:30am
Saturday, February 5, from 9:00am to 12:00pm, Doors Opening at 8:30am
Pax Christi invites you to take a pause during this extraordinary time of uncertainty as we continue to navigate the changes that the pandemic has brought into each of our lives. Join us for a retreat led by Ellie Roscher to renew your mind, body, and spirit on Saturday, February 5 from 9:00am to noon at Pax Christi. Doors will open at 8:30am.
With all of the changes people are experiencing, many people are now considering how they have spent their time in the past and how they want to move forward into the future. Amongst the chaos, God is calling us to continue to grow and thrive! We are excited to welcome every member of the community to come together to consider, to pray, to commune with God, and learn some spiritual practices to support us through this process.
Ellie is a wise teacher who will share practices to find God in the tiny and ordinary moments of our lives, to awaken joy, reflect, and renew. We will share stories, move, savor music, journal and pray as we work to deepen gratitude in our hearts. Join us to find inspiration for your life, work, and call.
This retreat is offered free of charge! Participants are asked to wear comfortable clothes and bring a water bottle as we will be doing some easy movements as a part of the experience.
Please note, space is limited. To register for the retreat, CLICK HERE. This event is made possible through the generosity of Pax Christi community members, and Communities of Calling in Collegeville. For more information, contact Maura Schnorbach in Development and Engagement at mschnorbach@paxchristi.com.
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