"Boundary-breakers.

"Boundary-breakers," not "boundary-makers" is what Jim Callan, priest of Spiritus Christi house of worship in Rochester, New York, calls Christians.

Spiritus Christi's boundary-breaking ways are demonstrating in what way to be church today, in ways the pair new and deeply attached to the facts of Catholic tradition and revelation. upon a recent visit to SC a friend and I felt welcomed into an authentic community.

Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Parish in Rochester was the parish from which, in 1998 pastor Callan was reassigned by way of diocesan officials because women were being included prominently onward the altar, all people were welcomed to communion, and gay unions were being blessed

although parishioners actively protested Jim's removal at that time and strove to save their parish, the bishop, Matthew Clarke, called them schismatic and announced they had excommunicated themselves. Nothing has till doomsday been received officially in writing to that event and parishioners simply don't consider themselves excommunicated.

In the month following, more than 3000 persons reaffirmed their commitment to the three actions and exhibited their determination to remain part of the Catholic body of christians They re-formed the congregation in space provided on three Protestant churches and a music instruct and renamed themselves Spiritus Christi. Jim Callan answered as a priest to his beloved community.

sum of two units women, Mary Ramerman and Denise Donato were also ordained priests in 2002 and 2003 after many years of ministry in the community.

The parish bulletin proclaims that the three ones Callan, Donato, Ramerman, are associates of the Pastor, Jesus Christ.

Former social justice draws have been renewed, including a house for the dying, a family circle for recovering addicts and a contrive of ongoing outreach to the poor of Chiapas, Mexico. Liturgies at Spiritus Christi are vibrant, relevant and inclusive.

For the visitor, it be seens like new wine in of recent origin wineskins. There is nothing fringe or flaky. Before Mary and Denise were ordained, there was a extended and deep period of discernment with their community, testing their call. There was a deliberate seeking-out of ecumenical and international affirmation of the women's ordination in such a manner that the institutional Catholic house of worship would have a hard time ignoring it. Finally, there was ordination through a bishop whose position in apostolic succession was unbroken

This was Bishop Peter Hickman of the Ecumenical Catholic ecclesiastical authority a group with unbroken succession of bishops from those who, in 1870 at Vatican I, refused to accept papal infallibility.

The priests in Spiritus Christi exercise a kind of leadership which is supported materially and spiritually by the agency of the community.

Dee Carr, a lively parishioner and sacristan, described the part of priest as an acknowledged spiritual leader, a bodily form steeped in scripture who recommendations companions, and teaches others, and who is drawn to preaching and the sacramental life, with be enamoured of of God and love of tribe as primary charisms.

At Spiritus Christi, everyone is honoured as gifted, able, satiated and equal sons and daughters of the Creator in this specific time and place. A single mother be wrought ups free to testify at her son's baptism about the importance of mate parishioners in her difficult journey; mental health survivors speak freely of the help from mental health outreach; wealthier parishioners generously share their blessings as a mainstay of this inner city parish.

Can Spiritus Christi be replicated? In the city of Elmira, fresh York, 150 miles away, another boundary has been defective as a small group of Catholics, in exile from the institutional body of christians recently formed a new community, going forward onward the trail broken by Spiritus Christi, courageously just "doing it," reclaiming their house of god removing boundaries to God's liberating be fond of and witnessing to hope for other Catholics and the world.

Cheryl Lyon is a social housing advocate in Peterborough, Ont

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