Saturday, September 26

OUR THEME: PROPHECY
Today we focused on women in religious orders who are being "investigated" by the Vatican and who are our modern day prophets. They hold the vision of Vatican II. And they remind us what a discipleship of equals means. We heard heard the good news from India that the Catholic Bishops Conference of India will soon come out with a policy that recommends equal representation for women at every level of the church to "redeem" centuries long "injustices." We looked to the prophets in our midst, Trudy and Lynn, who were celebrating the 14th anniversary of their committed relationship [see picture above], and Victoria and Kathryn who celebrated their 1st year anniversary of being legally married [though they have been life partners for over 20 years!]. We wondered out loud together how each of us is called in our daily lives to being prophets, as we work to re-create the Roman Catholic Church as accountable, transparent, inclusive, and just. Evelie inspired this mood for change with her selection of "The Times They are A-Changing!"

Saturday, September 12

SONGS OF PEACE, BEING PEACE, PEACE ALL AROUND

Since this was the day after the anniversary of 9/11, our music director Evelie Posch chose the theme of Peace. Instead of a spoken homily, she selected many songs of peace. This was our musical meditation and greatly deepened our experience of the Eucharist.

August 22: Health Care For All

In looking at the Book of Ruth today and noticing the caring that transpires among
the characters of Ruth, Naomi and Boaz, it occurred to me that as Christians
this is the same ethic of caring that is involved in putting into place health care
for all in our own country. As someone said in our shared homily, when the health care discussion begins with money, that flavors the entire discussion. But when the conversation begins with caring, and connectedness, with faith and hope and believing in the mystical body of Christ, then the health care discussion proceeds into a very different discussion. Certainly a more humane one. As Christians we are called to have this clarity now.

Sojourners Magazine published "A Christan Creed on Health Care Reform." This was our second reading after the Book of Ruth. I include it here for you to read and reflect upon.

A Christian Creed on Health Care Reform: from SOJOURNERS

As one of God's children, I believe that protecting the health of each human being is a profoundly important personal and communal responsibility for people of faith.

I believe God created each person in the divine image to be spiritually and physically healthy. I feel the pain of sickness and disease in our broken world (Genesis 1:27, Romans 8:22).

I believe life and healing are core tenets of the Christian life. Christ's ministry included physical healing, and we are called to participate in God's new creation as instruments of healing and redemption (Matthew 4:23, Luke 9:1-6; Mark 7:32-35, Acts 10:38). Our nation should strive to ensure all people have access to life-giving treatments and care.

I believe, as taught by the Hebrew prophets and Jesus, that the measure of a society is seen in how it treats the most vulnerable. The current discussion about health-care reform is important for the United States to move toward a more just system of providing care to all people (Isaiah 1:16-17, Jeremiah 7:5-7, Matthew 25:31-45).

I believe that all people have a moral obligation to tell the truth. To serve the common good of our entire nation, all parties debating reform should tell the truth and refrain from distorting facts or using fear-based messaging (Leviticus 19:11; Ephesians 4:14-15, 25; Proverbs 6:16-19).

I believe that Christians should seek to bring health and well-being (shalom) to the society into which God has placed us, for a healthy society benefits all members (Jeremiah 29:7).

I believe in a time when all will live long and healthy lives, from infancy to old age (Isaiah 65:20), and "mourning and crying and pain will be no more" (Revelation 21:4). My heart breaks for my brothers and sisters who watch their loved ones suffer, or who suffer themselves, because they cannot afford a trip to the doctor. I stand with them in their suffering.

I believe health-care reform must rest on a foundation of values that affirm each and every life as a sacred gift from the Creator (Genesis 2:7).

Amen.

August 8, Earth Wisdom Eucharist

Sophia in Trinity is beginning something new. On the second Saturday of each month, members of our community will offer the homily, which is always responded to by the entire community. On the 4th Saturday of each month, Victoria will offer the "shared homily." We hope that this will give everyone in the community an opportunity to creatively share their thoughts and visions.

Judy Liteky offered and insightful homily on August 8. She chose the theme "Earth Wisdom" from the work of Thomas Berry, and combined this with reflections from her recent trip to Paraguay. Here are a few of the key ideas that she used in her homily:

I am part of Sacred time and space
I am part of a Sacred Universe.

Thomas Berry in “The Dream of the Earth” and “The Great Work”.....
We are supported by a power, energy, a dynamism.

Being an activist with consciousness:
Women’s experience and consciousness: 1965 on with the Immaculate Heart order
Global personhood: traveling internationally from 1960 on to Europe, Asia, the Americas
Speaking and working for human rights: 1970’s on in anti-nuclear movement, Sanctuary, SOA Watch

Paraguay and Peru: sacred time and space
Zooming in to commune with the sky, land, water
Zooming out to experience a unity in the diversity
Returning to San Francisco renewed with the sense that I/we are supported by a power, energy, a dynamism and invoking this wisdom to create our future.

Evelie Posch took this theme and wove songs of Mother Earth throughout the liturgy.
As always her insights grounded and inspired our prayers.

Following the liturgy, Judy showed slides from her journey.

July 25, Celebration of Mary Magdalene, and Women Leaders in the Early Church

Our liturgy began with a community special blessing written by Michael Busk to honor the 4 year anniversary of Victoria's ordination as a priest. All gathered around and in true ordination style, laid hands upon Victoria in blessing and consecration. Joy indeed!

And in the sunshine of this lovely day, Sophia in Trinity celebrated the Liturgy of the Word in true incarnational style--with theatre and movement. Our own Susan Fox presented a monolog of Mary Magdalene while Claire Blackstock enacted a movement/dance as Magdalene. From this it was very clear that we were all celebrating women's leadership in our church. The question asked by Magdalene to us all was "What is the truth you would weep for? Live for? Die for? Love for? What is the truth that grows...quickens..lives and moves and has its being insisde youk readying for the day when you will give it birth? What is the truth that you alone bring here this day?" And just as Magdalene danced with a rose colored shawl, each of us took up her mantel, and spoke our truth to one another.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist concluded, and we shared a communal blessing of going forth. Susan Fox brought Mary Magdalene's symbol of a red egg to share in our community hour following the Eucharist. Hence the photo above where we are holding red eggs. Also, fruit pies were enjoyed as Victoria showed slides from her ordination on the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Our next Eucharist celebration will be August 8. Victoria will preside and Judy Litekey will offer the homily and afterwards show slides of her recent trip to South America.

Catching Up With This Blog!

Dear Readers,
Sophia in Trinity continues to gather for Eucharists on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month. For the past month and a half, however, life has been busy for me, thus I have not been able to keep up with this blog since the end of May!! My apologies to you all.

On June 13, Janice del Fiacco led a lovely meditation service, since I was presiding at a wedding in Baltimore.

On June 27, PRIDE weekend in San Francisco, we gathered for Eucharist and a celebration of all
our LGBTQ sisters and brothers. We are also inspired by our Episcopal sisters and brothers who at their General Convention took clarifying and affirming steps to further support LGBTQ leadership in the Episcopal Church.

July 11, our Eucharist took the theme "do not be afraid: what I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light!" As a Catholic community, Sophia in Trinity's members have the courage to speak in the light, worshiping with a "valid but illicit" woman priest, and knowing that at the grassroots of our church, there are many faith-filled people like ourselves finding more expressive and inclusive ways to worship and to be church.

Unexpected Grace : May 23 & 24

Sand dollars are gifts from the sea. Unexpected graces. And that is what Sophia in Trinity, in gratitude, gave to Trinity Episcopal Church this last Sunday, May 24 at their 11am Mass. It is through Trinity's creative generosity that we worship twice a month in Mary's Chapel--Mary's womb. The day before, Saturday May 23, during our Eucharistic Celebration, Sophia in Trinity members created cards of blue with sand dollars attached and wrote of our gratitude to Trinity. They are in so many ways our "Unexpected Grace." An Episcopal community that invited a new Catholic community to be born in its midst. Thank you indeed! After the Mass at Trinity, members of their community, placed some of the sand dollars on their side altar--their healing altar.

On Saturday May 23, Lucy and Greg Garcia created our beautiful space for Eucharist. Felipe brought flowers. Evelie offered music with the theme of gratitude woven throughout our Eucharist: "Breathe Through Me, Blessed Spirit," "The Ocean Refuses No River" "Song of the Flower" [K.Gibran, adapted & arrg. by Evelie] and "This is my Thanksgiving Day." And Felipe brought a pan of his famous cheese puffs for our community hour following the Eucharist.
As you can see, the morning celebration was full of "unexpected grace!" Sophia is truly among us, guiding us, inspiring us.

June 13, 10:30am, will be our next gathering. It will be a special worship service, coordinated by Janice Del Fiacco, since Victoria must be back east to preside at a wedding.

We also want to thank Kathleen Kunster for being our guest presider on May 9 at Sophia in Trinity. It's was a wonderful opportunity for Sophia in Trinity to experience the many different gifts of the organization: Roman Catholic Womenpriests [www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org] of which Victoria is also a member.