Taking It to the Streets

. . . to St. Clair and Snelling in St. Paul to be exact!

As I think most readers of The Wild Reed would know, I'm part of the Twin Cities-based Catholic Coalition for Church Reform (CCCR) - an independent coalition of reform-minded individuals and groups dedicated to "facilitating courageous and honest dialogue; assuring full participation of all the baptized in the life of the church; promoting justice and reconciliation within the church; exploring Christian/Catholic identity; and bearing witness to the unity of all people of good will while valuing diversity." Accordingly, CCCR is committed to aligning church practices and culture with the gospel message of love, as we believe that such alignment will realize "a church fully alive, locally and universally, that radiates Jesus' core teaching of radical equality, unabashed inclusivity, and transforming love."

Although CCCR is not officially recognized by the clerical leadership of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, a major upcoming event within the local church that is undoubtedly generating much excitement is CCCR's September 18 Synod of the Baptized: "Claiming Our Place at the Table."

Yesterday, my friend (and fellow CCCR co-chair) Paula Ruddy and I visited the corner of Snelling and St. Clair in St. Paul to view CCCR's first billboard - one that features the beautiful artwork of Ansgar Holmberg. For the next six weeks this billboard will not only serve to get the word out about both CCCR and its 2010 Synod, but let hundreds of thousands know that there are Catholics who love and are concerned enough about their church to work to reform and renew it. And what that all comes down to is the sharing of a much needed message of hope in our church today.





To learn more about CCCR and Synod 2010, see the following (chronologically-ordered) Wild Reed posts:
The Catholic Coalition for Church Reform
Many Voices, One Church
"Something Exciting and Joyous"
Preparing to Claim Our Place at the Table
CCCR Responds to Censure by Chancery
An Exciting Endeavor
A New Phase
The Spirit of Pentecost is Very Much Alive in the Church of St. Paul-Minneapolis

See also the following Progressive Catholic Voice posts:
In What Sense Are We Progressive Catholics? - An Offering for Reflection and Discussion
CCCR Work/Study Groups Underway
CCCR's 2010 Synod: A Progress Report
Chancery Issues Statement on CCCR
CCCR Responds to Censure by Chancery
A Point of View
CCCR's 2010 Synod: A Second Progress Report
Let Our Voices Be Heard!
Rosemary Radford Ruether on Creating a Liberating Church (Part 1)
Rosemary Radford Ruether on Creating a Liberating Church (Part 2)