Taking our cues from the 2021-2023 Universal Synod, and with the guidance and support of Monsignor Tolentino, St. Michael’s is launching a continuing discussion group on The Future of the Catholic Church in America. The goal of the group will be to discuss a series of critical, and difficult, Church Issues and to share our thoughts on each issue for Monsignor’s awareness and consideration.

Members of the Catholic Church across the globe are asking important questions and raising concerns about a variety of issues our Church is facing in the early 21st Century. These issues are both global and local in nature: Vatican directives affecting Catholics throughout the world while members of local parishes explore their uniquely personal and spiritual feelings about these issues. Examples include:

• Improving our ability to communicate our concerns to the both the Diocese and the Vatican as it makes global decisions affecting the Church in the U.S. 
• Speeding the pace of reform as the Church continues to deal with pedophilia among its clergy and laity
• Addressing the sanctity of life from conception to death with a focus on racism, sexual assault, domestic violence, trafficking, gun violence, poverty, mental health, suicide, imprisonment, the death penalty, and issues of profound importance to women and men including birth control and abortion
• Paving the way to ordination of married men to the priesthood?
• Paving the way to ordination of women to the deaconate and the priesthood?
• Rethinking how the church thinks about, speaks to and welcomes members of the LGBTQIA+ community
• Honoring the gay clergy in the Church by allowing them to acknowledge their sexual orientation  

These and any other issues that group members bring forward will be the focus of the group’s work. There is no expectation of consensus on any issue. The only important outcomes will be learning about and thinking through a set of critical and complex Church issues. John Firman, a long-time member of St. Michael’s Parish and a Professor at American University has volunteered to lead this new discussion group.  

Throughout history, people asking difficult questions, having the difficult conversations that come with those questions, and sharing their thoughts and opinions have created opportunities for positive change. We hope you will consider joining this new group as it begins a series of meaningful discussions to address positive changes within our Church.

The inaugural group meeting will be on Wednesday, March 22nd from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Williamsburg room). Please RSVP to Professor Firman at [email protected] if you would like to attend. Monsignor Tolentino will make opening comments. Light refreshments will be served.