Out and About - June 2009

The pleasant weather of June has meant that I’ve been spending a lot of time in not only my own garden (above and below) but the beautiful gardens of a number of friends.



For more garden photos, see the previous Wild Reed posts:
A Perfect Day
Mary Jo’s Lakeside Garden
Dragonfly
In the Garden of Spirituality - Diarmuid Ó Murchú



Above: Standing at right with my friends (from left) Michael Zieghan, Molly Culligan, and Brigid McDonald at the 24th annual Bloomsday celebration at the University Club in St. Paul - June 16, 2009.

The four of us entertained those gathered with a number of songs and even some recitations! To learn more, see the previous Wild Reed post, Celebrating Bloomsday in St. Paul (and with Kate Bush).

Right: With my friend Mary Vaughn at the 24th Annual Bloomsday celebration in St. Paul. Mary’s book, Pistol Pete’s Memoirs of Camp Pekin: A Federal Prison, has recently been published.

Notes Celebrations of Life Press:

Mary is a 77-year-old former nun, missionary, teacher, social activist, prisoner of conscience, and now author. She was arrested and sentenced to a six-month sentence at Pekin Federal Prison Camp in Illinois for peaceful protest against the School of the Americas (known as SOA or WHINSEC). While there she suffered a heart attack. Mary’s memoirs describe her experiences leading up to and during her time in prison.

Here’s a brief excerpt from Mary’s memoirs:

Sometimes in our lives, an opportunity opens to us like an epiphany. You can live only with the promise that there is fullness in living. With that, you must take the daily risk and choose life, even if it brings uncomfortable consequences.

Above: With fellow 2010 Synod study/work group members Ed Burg and Phyllis Evans - June 20, 2009.

I’m honored to be serving as the facilitator of the work/study group that’s focusing on sexual orientation and gender identity. There are fourteen people committed to being part of this particular work/study group, and there are ten other groups - each with their own focus - currently meeting on a regular basis throughout the Twin Cities.

To learn more about the rationale behind the establishment of these groups and about the Catholic Coalition for Church Reform's 2010 Synod, see the previous Wild Reed post, Preparing to Claim Our Place at the Table.



Above: Minnesota Senator John Marty, who was this year’s recipient of CPCSM’s Bishop Thomas Gumbleton Peace and Justice Award. Sen. Marty was presented with his award at CPCSM’s 29th Annual Community Meeting, held June 22 at St. Martin’s Table Restaurant and Bookstore.

Sen. Marty was the keynote speaker at CPCSM’s Community Meeting, and he spoke eloquently about his ongoing efforts to achieve marriage equality for all Minnesotans. To read more about what he shared, see the previous Wild Reed post, "We Can Make It Happen".



Above: Members of Dignity Twin Cities stand with theologian, poet, and author David R. Weiss (back row, third from left) and his wife Margaret (front row, left) - June 26, 2009.

For an inspiring reflection by David on his journey of coming out as an ally to LGBT people, click here.



Above: Standing at right with my friends (from left) Rick Notch and Brian Hutchins at the Twin Cities Gay Pride Festival - June 27-28, 2009.

For more photos and commentary on this year’s Gay Pride celebrations, see the previous posts: A Catholic Presence at Pride and Worldwide Gay Pride - 2009.



Above: Rev. Robert Caruso celebrates Mass in my home in St. Paul with members and friends of Cornerstone Old Catholic Community - Sunday, June 28, 2009.

Robert’s book on Old Catholicism, The Old Catholic Church: Understanding the Origin, Essence, and Theology of a Church that is Unknown and Misunderstood by Many in North America, has just been released by Apocryphile Press.

For my September 2007 interview with Robert about Old Catholicism, click here.