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E-Bulletin:
January 17, 2021
"Backs Against the Wall"
Filmmaker Martin Doblmeier will give an address for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:
Monday, January 18
10:30 AM EST
Andrews University
The talk is based on the award-winning documentary film, "Backs Against the Wall." It will highlight the influence that theologian Howard Thurman had on King and how faith was the foundation of the greatest non-violent movement in America's history. The talk will also draw parallels to the current political unrest.
The public is invited to view the address at Andrew University's YouTube channel:
CLICK HERE.
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Visit the AUSCP Facebook page and invite your friends to like us:
AUSCP Facebook page
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Prayer for Christian Unity
In peace let us pray to the Lord:
Lord, you are the vinedresser who cares for us with love. You call on us to see the beauty of each branch united to the vine, the beauty of each person. And yet, too often the differences in others make us afraid. We withdraw into ourselves. Our trust in you is forsaken. Enmity develops between us.
Come and direct our hearts toward you once again. Grant us to live from your forgiveness so that we may be together and praise your name.
World Council of Churches
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity for 2021.
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2020 Assembly Presentations Online
Assembly presentations by Sr. Carol Zinn, SSJ, John Carr, Archbishop John Wester, Sr. Carol Keehan, DC, and Sr. Simone Campbell, SSS, are now online. The links can be found on the AUSCP website:
https://auscp.org/2020-assembly-report/
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Invitation to Become "Friends" of AUSCP
The AUSCP Friends Group now has 226 members. Please take time to invite your friends to join us!
The majority of those who have become Friends have done so because of a personal invitation from an AUSCP member.
Brochures are available. Send a request to: office@auscp.org
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Help us continue the important and critical work of the AUSCP with your financial assistance!
You can click below to donate.
Thank you!
Parish Tithing
If your parish tithes its Sunday collection and sends a monthly donation to various places please consider putting the AUSCP on the list of recipients. Thanks!
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Membership Renewal
If you received a reminder about your annual dues, please renew by clicking on the BECOME A MEMBER button below, or send a check to:
AUSCP
PO Box 676
Tiffin, OH 44883
872-205-5862
Consider setting up an auto-renewal on your bank account.
For more information, visit the AUSCP website at:
AUSCP - HOME
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To access the latest information on immigration reform and Action Alerts, click on the JFI logo below:
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To access information on care of creation and Laudato Si', click below:
Catholic Climate Covenant
Direct link to Homily Resources
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Amazon Smile
If you shop at:
http://smile.amazon.com/ch/45-3307327,
Amazon donates to Association of Us Catholic Priests.
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Website, Email, and Mailing Addresses
The website address is: www.auscp.org.
The office email address is: office@auscp.org.
The mailing address is:
P.O. Box 676,
Tiffin, OH 44883.
Please use these addresses for communication with AUSCP. Thank you!
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The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, January 18 - 25, 2021, provides an opportunity to begin our work to heal the divisions of our nation and our Churches. AUSCP Friend Frank Manning provides a helpful resource for pastors and preachers. His reflection is available HERE.
AUSCP Speaks Out!
On January 11, the AUSCP Leadership Team issued a statement in response to the violence at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. The statement said, in part:
"...We, the members and associates of the Association of the United States Catholic Priests abhor the incidents that occurred last Wednesday in our nation's capital. The direct destruction of property, the killings, and the enormous stress and possible harm to our elected officials by our own citizens of the United States are unacceptable, immoral, and totally opposed to our the structure of our democratic republic.
We recommit ourselves to Love of God and Love of neighbor, even as we acknowledge that these despicable actions cry out for justice. We must not be left with broken windows and a broken faith. Our God of Mercy is a God of Justice, and those who are guilty must be judged."
"...We challenge ourselves and all religious leaders to model a discernment whose foundation is Catholic Social Teaching and assists the faithful in making judgments based on facts and the interests of the common good. We need to alert the faithful to the temptations of demagoguery and personality cult. It is our judgment that religious leadership has fallen short in not sounding the alarm of what would visit our nation. We have got to do a better job in the role and responsibilities we have."
The entire statement can be found on the AUSCP website HERE.
La Croix referenced the AUSCP statement on January 12.
Time to Renew!
Beginning now, January of 2021, all AUSCP members are asked to renew in the month of January for the calendar year. Membership dues for Priest-members and Associates are $60 per year. Friends may still join with or without a donation.
Priest-Members must pay dues to continue recognition of their status as AUSCP “Members”. Priests who decline to pay dues will continue to be welcomed and retained as “AUSCP-Friends”.
To pay dues online, go to: AUSCP - HOME
To pay dues by check, send to:
AUSCP, PO Box 676, Tiffin, OH 44883
Priest Labor Initiative
For nearly a decade, the Priest-Labor Initiative has brought together priests to explore themes of worker justice in Catholic Social Teaching and to bring them into encounter with workers seeking justice in today’s America. For 25 years the Catholic Labor Network has done much the same for clergy, religious and lay Catholics across the United States. Now in light of today’s new challenges the Priest-Labor Initiative and the Catholic Labor Network have teamed up to create a short program for priests on “Ministering to Workers in the Time of COVID.”
As a member of the steering committee that developed the program, I would like to invite you to attend, participate and offer feedback as we pilot-test the program on Wednesday, January 27 at [noon PT/1pm MT/2pm CT/3pm ET]. Ministering to Workers in the Time of COVID will feature presentations by brother priests who have ministered to workers in financial or health distress during this difficult time, testimony by workers themselves, and discussion with colleagues about how you are responding at the parish level. Won’t you join us?
- Message from Fr. Bob Bonnot, AUSCP Executive Director
To register, CLICK HERE
Sunday of the Word of God
SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD will be celebrated on January 24, 2021. In preparation, the recording of the December 3rd webinar on this topic is available at:
SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD
Panelists who shared their pastoral and liturgical experience during this webinar were: Fr. Bob Bonnot, Fr. Bob Byrne, Rita Ferrone, and Fr. Tom Collins.
In Memoriam
AUSCP member Fr. Bruce Byrolly, (age 88), Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware, died on Christmas Day. According to his obituary, "He faithfully and compassionately served the diocese of Wilmington for 62 years. An energetic and active member of society up until his last breath, he loved his calling and celebrated masses right up until he was stricken with COVID-19 in mid-December."
"...Bruce would want all to celebrate his life well lived with a loud and heartfelt Amen and for those left behind not to mourn his passing, but to celebrate that he is at home with the Lord where he has always wanted to be and where all the mysteries he has faithfully and passionately pursued for 88 years have finally been revealed."
May he rest in God's eternal love.
Annual Appeal Progress
The matching challenge during the month of December was a resounding success!! An anonymous donor offered to match up to $5,000 on donations given, then raised the offer when we reached $5,000 before the end of the month. We reached $11,420 to be matched. Thank you to all who helped us to exceed our goal!
Although the matching grant is over, the Appeal continues. Our goal is to reach $150,000 from 500 donors. We are now at 432 donors giving a total of $96,371.00. Thank you for whatever support you are able to offer! We are counting on your generosity to help us move forward.
Click on the angel to donate online!
AUSCP Upcoming Webinars 
Please register for the webinars that are of interest to you and we will send you the Zoom link. All webinars are free at the present time. The next webinars are listed below. You can register for any of the webinars by clicking HERE.
Webinar topics - If you have suggestions for future webinar topics, please send them to Fr. Bob Bonnot: auscpbonnot@gmail.com
Mondays, 7pm to 8pm ET, beginning November 30th: Anti-Racism Discussion Series on Caste by Isabel Wilkerson:  We will meet on 6 Mondays - November 30th, December 7th & 14th; January 4th, 11th, & end on18th, MLK Day. Toni Pitts, a retired African American professor, and Lorraine Kim from our AUSCP Gospel Nonviolence Working Group will facilitate the study. You only need to register once for this series and you will receive the Zoom link for the series.
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Tuesday, January 19, 7:00-8:00 PM ET - Is Pope Francis Really Creating A More Incisive Presence for Women? From Vatican II and Pope Saints John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, to Pope Francis today, Deb-Rose Milavec will trace the start and stop steps. Deb is disappointed and sad that more has not been done yet she see hopeful steps that have been taken and the prospects for further progress in the coming years.
Deb-Rose Milavec, serves as Co-Director of Future-Church, a thirty year old national organization seeking changes that will provide all Roman Catholics the opportunity to participate fully in the life, ministry, and governance of the Church.
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Wednesday, January 27, 4:00 pm ET - Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton: Woman of Yesteryear, Saint for Today - Model, Intercessor, and Citizen of the World; January 4 of this year marked the 200th Anniversary of her death. Presented by Betty Ann McNeil, D.C., Vincentian Scholar-in-Residence, DePaul University, Chicago, and Rob Judge, Executive Director, The National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, Maryland. Come learn about the first native-born Saint of the United States and experience a virtual tour of her home and final resting place in St. Joseph’s Valley. Recommended for reading prior to the Jan. 27th webinar, Elizabeth Seton: American Saint by Catherine O'Donnell, available on Amazon hard cover ($25.39), Kindle ($13.49), or audio ( $24.42):
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Wednesdays, 4:00 pm ET, February 3,10,17,24 - Evolution of Catholic Social Teaching at the Deep Level of Civilization
Over time, civilization has given rise to various social dimensions -- economy, culture, myths, religion, etc. In the last 130 years Catholic Social Teaching, from Pope Leo XIII to Pope Francis has greatly evolved into today’s Regenerative Postmodern Global Ecological Civilization. Dr. Holland will help us understand where we are and where we are headed thru a 4 session webinar series. Six (6) days prior to each session you will receive an email with a brief description of the session as well as suggested readings, with 2 additional reminders and the Zoom log-in credentials.
Presenter: Joe Holland, Ph.D. in Theology, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy & Religion. St Thomas University, Miami Gardens, FL, author of several books
You can register for the above webinars by clicking HERE.
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Other Webinars/discussions that might be of interest to you:
Mondays 7:00 - 8:15 PM, February 15, 22; March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; April 5 – Fratelli Tutti Discussion Series led by Sr. Edna Michel, osf, Director of St. Francis Spirituality Center, Tiffin, OH.
Registration: email peace@franciscanretreats.org
Indicate that you are registering for the 8 week discussion series on Fratelli Tutti. Request an electronic copy of the Franciscan study guide (provided without charge) and indicate if you wish to purchase the Fratelli Tutti book through SFSC at $9.95 plus shipping. Deadline for ordering books through SFSC is January 18.
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The following past webinars are available for viewing:
Choosing Peace: Vision and Practice
Caring for People and Our Planet: Living Laudato Si - Ecological Justice and Ecologically sinful Footprints, Part 2
Race Superiority and Fascism: Is Fascism a Threat in and to the U.S.? Is the current U.S. struggle with racism and white superiority laying the ground for a Fascist future?
SUNDAY OF THE WORD OF GOD
Celebrating Dorothy Day’s 40th Anniversary
God's Own Vintage - Dr. Marc DelMonico - January 11, 2021
Mark your calendar!
The 10th ANNUAL AUSCP ASSEMBLY
Minneapolis, MN: JUNE 21-24, 2021
Where do we go from here?
2021 Retreat Day will be led by Jan Michael Joncas.
Speakers include: Michael Sean Winters, Dr. Shannen Dee Williams, and Bishop William Wack
Contemplative Reflector: Sr. Margie Klein, SSND
(A decision on whether this will be an in-person Assembly will be made in February. No reservations will be accepted until after March 1, 2021.)
For links to articles of interest on various topics, visit the AUSCP Facebook page
For more information and photos, visit the AUSCP website at: AUSCP - HOME
©2017 Association of U.S. Catholic Priests (AUSCP)
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