In solidarity, all are invited to pray the following prayer as a preparation for the June Assembly, whether attending or not:

Inspire in each of us the willingness to silently listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit within ourselves, and to listen to each other without judgement.

Calm our fears of going in deeper to discover our Dreams in the light of the Resurrection.

Continue to give us courage to collaborate and to act in, through, and with our communal discernment.

We pray this through the intercession of Mary, with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Faith in Action says: "On Sunday, we celebrate Juneteenth. Although it was only recognized as a federal holiday last year, Black people have been celebrating Juneteenth as our “Freedom Day” since 1865.

It’s a bittersweet holiday. We sit in tension with its central truths: We must recognize and celebrate our ancestors’ freedom, and we are not yet fully free.

In the decades since the end of the Civil War, we have learned that to decree freedom is not enough. Our liberation can only be won through struggle. And the good news is that we have not given up the fight.

Though we have borne the brunt of white supremacy and continue to live with the violent depravity of anti-Blackness, we continue to join together to push toward our collective liberation.

Because my liberation is inextricably tied to yours. None of us are free until every single one of God’s children is free. That struggle is what we commemorate on Juneteenth.

Faith in Action affiliates across the country are celebrating Juneteenth with prayer, cookouts, voter registration drives, and fellowship."

June 20 is World Refugee Day. On this day, we commemorate the hardships faced by refugees and displaced people. The world now has the highest number of displaced people on record, especially with the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Afghanistan.

The Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns offers the following resources for honoring this day:

Take action in support of refugees. Contact your members of Congress today to urge them to rebuild the refugee resettlement program and related initiatives, especially in light of the emerging crises in Ukraine and Afghanistan.

Read about the work of Fr. Mike Bassano, MM, in a camp for forcibly displaced people in South Sudan. “In Maryknoll, we believe we should be with people at the margins, and you don’t get any more marginal than this,” he says. “I’m in love with the people here.”

Read an article about the response to Ukrainian refugees amid a global refugee crisis: “Ukrainians are Latest Wave of Refugees,” Maryknoll Magazine, Summer 2022.

New Series on Thursdays at 4:00 PM EDT in June!

Catholic Discordance: Neoconservatism vs. the Field Hospital Church of Pope Francis by Massimo Borghesi - Discussion leaders, Michael Lawlor and Leo Jacoby.

Not everyone is a fan of Vatican II or of Pope Francis. How do we understand the differences among us? How do we bridge the gaps and communicate in the synodal spirit of listening and walking together?

We offer an opportunity to discuss what one reviewer describes as “an essential read to comprehending the Catholic Church in America and a neoconservative trend within it that rejects certain magisterial teachings." Weekly titles:

June 9 Chapter 1 – The Fall of Communism and the Hegemony of Catholic Americanism (72 pp, plus notes)
June 16 Chapter 2 – The Pontificate of Francis and the Crisis of Globalization (65 pp, plus notes)
June 23 This is an “Open Mic” session to share secondary resources we will suggest during our first two sessions. We honor AUSCP who concludes its 11th National Assembly this day.
June 30 Chapter 3 – A Church That Goes Forth and a Field Hospital: The Missionary Face of the Church (32 pp, plus notes); plus Introduction: Beyond the Theological-Political Model: Pope Francis’s “Mobile” Church (pages 1-35) and Conclusion: Theo-populism, the United States, and the Future of the Church (253-264)

Places to get the book: Liturgical Press, The Pastoral Center, Barnes & Noble, Amazon; Email Michael Lawlor - michael.lawlor@gmail.com or Leo Jacoby - leopjacoby@gmail.com to request a PDF ProQuest copy of the book or for more information about the book discussion. Or, borrow from a library.

You can register for the webinars by clicking HERE.

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Other webinars/opportunities that might be of interest to you:

Thursday, June 30 at 2:00p EDT - Longterm Effects of Covid: Join clergy and other faith leaders from across the country to explore the long-term physical, mental and emotional impact of COVID on congregations and communities, featuring insights from Dr. Céline Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist who served on the Biden-Harris Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board. This dialogue will provide an opportunity to think more deeply about the ongoing needs that congregation and community members will have due to long-COVID and future variants - and how faith communities can respond. Please register here.

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Discerning Deacons is offering a unique pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, August 31-September 5, 2022. Plans ar to visit the Basilica on the feast day of St. Phoebe (September 3) for a private Mass and veneration of the Tilma. The prigrimage also inclludes visits to the birthplace of St. Juan Diego, the Church of the 5th Apparition, and the Pyramids of Teotihuacan to learn more about the indigenous history and culture of Mexico. Click HERE to learn more.

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Maryknoll 2023 Pilgrimage Retreat to the Sites of the Central American Martyrs: Maryknoll has offered this retreat for 21 years. Many priests, deacons, religious brothers, and a few bishops have participated in the experience. The retreat visits San Salvador, Santiago, Atitlán Guatemala and Guatemala City. It offers a tremendous opportunity for clergy to witness those areas that impacted the Church in the 1980s. It also affords a concrete opportunity for priests, deacons, and religious brothers to understand why so many migrants are fleeing Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. For more information, please visit: https://maryknollsociety.org/annual-pilgrimage-retreat-central-america/

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The following webinars of 2022 are available for viewing:

(Links to past videos can be found on the AUSCP website: www.auscp.org)

V2 and Our Mission: Leavening Humanki nd

Session 1 - Our Lens for Reading Vatican II

Session 2 - The Community of Humankind

Session 3: - Human Activity Throughout the World

Session 4 - The Church's Role in Today's World

Session 5: Fostering Marriage, Family, and Culture

Session 6: Socio-Economic and Political Life

Session 7:The Life of the Political Community

Session 8: Role of Individuals and Dioceses; GS Part II Wrap-up