2008 Catholic Worker Gathering
The 2008 Catholic Worker gathering is in Worcester, Massachusetts. Please RSVP as soon as possible.
Dates
July 9 - 12, 2008.
Place
Our Lady of Mount Carmel/Saint Anne Parish Center, 23 Mulberry St., Worcester, MA.
Getting there
The parish center is only a short walk from Worcester’s Union Station, which is home to Greyhound/Peter Pan Trailways buses, Amtrak, and MBTA (Mass. Bay Transit Authority commuter rail) trains. The MBTA and the buses serve Worcester out of Boston’s South Station, which can be easily reached from Boston’s Logan airport on the Silver Line.
There is now a bus from Providence’s TF Green airport into Providence and from there to Boston and from there to Worcester. It’s a convoluted way to go and not recommended.
RSVP
For more information, contact Scott Schaeffer-Duffy: theresecw@gmail.com, 508-753-3588. Please RSVP as soon as possible.
We need to start getting a sense of how many will come and whether or not they can bring a sleeping bag and mat for sleeping on the floor. If people need a bed, we need to know as soon as possible to make plans. Please send us your arrival and departure times and dates so we can factor in how many people will be around for each day. People should also let us know if they have special dietary needs or allergies.
Catholic Workers have already RSVPed from Germany, Alabama, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, New York, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Vermont, Tennessee, and North Carolina.
Schedule
Wednesday, July 9th
- 3 PM Arrival: registration, setting up CW community displays and art.
- 7 PM Dinner
- 7:30 - 9 PM Welcome/ orientation followed by brief community introductions
Thursday, July 10th
7 AM Morning Prayer: led by Br. David Buer, OFM
7:30 - 8:30 Breakfast
9:30 - 11 AM The Person and Legacy of Dorothy Day: Robert Ellsberg, former editor of The Catholic Worker, editor in chief of Orbis Books, author numerous books including Little by Little: The Selected Writing of Dorothy Day, All Saints: Reflections on Saints, Prophets, and Witnesses for Our Time.
Noon-1 PM Lunch
1:30 - 3 PM Workshops:
CW Art- facilitated by Brian Kavanagh and Jackie Allen-Doucot of the St. Martin de Porres CW, Hartford, Connecticut, and Rita Corbin.
Restorative Justice- facilitated by Fred Boehrer of Emmaus House CW, Albany, New York.
Raising a Family in the CW- facilitated by Brendan Walsh and Willa Bickam of the Viva House CW, Baltimore, Maryland, Lenore Yarger and Steve Woolford of the Silk Hope CW, Siler City, North Carolina.
Green Revolution- facilitated by Beth Ingham of the Noonday CW Farm, Winchendon, Massachusetts, Betsy Keenan and Brian Terrell of the Strangers and Guests CW Farm, Maloy, Iowa, Sue Frankel-Streit of the Little Flower CW Farm, Trevilians, Virginia.
Shakers and the CW- facilitated by Michael Boover of the Mustard Seed CW, Worcester, Massachusetts and Walt Chura or the Albany, New York CW.
3:30 - 5 PM Workshops:
CW Journalism- facilitated by Tanya Theriault, an editor of The Catholic Worker, NYC, Mark and Louise Zwick, editors of The Houston Catholic Worker, Houston, Texas, and Jeff Dietrich, an editor of The Catholic Agitator, Los Angeles, California.
Fool for Christ: One-woman play about Dorothy Day performed by Sarah Melici, who has appeared around the United States to critical acclaim.
Confronting Racism- facilitated by Chris Allen-Doucot of the St. Martin de Porres CW, Hartford, Connecticut and (hopefully) Luz Catarineau Colville, of the Amistad CW, New Haven, Connecticut.
CW Healthcare: from Philadelphia to Haiti- Facilitated by Mary Beth Appel, CFNP And Johanna Berrigan, PA-C of the House of Grace CW, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Prayer and the CW- facilitated by Michael Boover of the Mustard Seed CW, Worcester, Massachusetts
5:30 - 6:30 PM Dinner
7 - 9 PM Peacemaking: Bishop Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit, Michigan, former President of Pax Christi USA and internationally recognized peacemaker, Claire Schaeffer-Duffy of the Saints Francis & Therese CW, Worcester, Massachusetts.
10- 11:30 PM Dance Party/ Showing of Claudia Larson’s marvelous documentary about Dorothy Day entitled “Don’t Call Me A Saint.”
Friday, July 11th
7 AM Morning Prayer: Led by Br. David Buer, OFM.
7:30 - 8:30 Breakfast
9:30 -11:30 Panel of CW Historians: Moderated by Catholic American historian David O’Brien of Holy Cross College, and including Mel Piehl , author of Breaking Bread: The Catholic Worker and the Origins of Catholic Radicalism in America, and the Dean of Humanities and History at Valparaiso University, Nancy Roberts, history professor at New York University, Albany, and author of The Influence of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement, and American Catholic Pacifism, Rosalie Riegle, Author of Voices of the Catholic Worker, professor emerita of theology at the College of Saint Benedict, and Dan McKanan, author of The Catholic Worker After Dorothy Day: Practicing the Works of Mercy in a New Generation, assistant professor of theology at St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict,.
Noon - 1 PM Lunch
1:30 - 3 PM Workshops:
Offering Hospitality to the Undocumented- facilitated by Mark and Louise Zwick of
Casa Juan Diego CW, Houston, Texas.
War and Abortion- facilitated by Mary Ryder of the Fr. Charlie Mullholland CW,
Garner, North Carolina.
The Miraculous Insanity of CW Finances- facilitated by Scott Schaeffer-Duffy of the
Saints Francis & Therese CW, Worcester, Massachusetts.
Conflict Resolution in CW Communities- facilitated by Will Raymond of the Saints
Francis & Therese CW, Worcester, Massachusetts.
3:30 – 5 PM Workshops:
Campaign to Stop Torture- facilitated by Matt Daloisio of Mary House CW, New
York City.
The Passion of Sacco and Vanzetti – A power point presentation, accompanied by the
music of Charlie King & Karen Brandow, explores the story of pair who whose
execution in 1927 drew international attention and continued to raise relevant issues:
dissent, immigrants, war, peace, and the death penalty.
Catholicism and the CW- facilitated by Tom Cornell of Peter Maurin CW Farm,
Marlboro, New York and Teka Childress of Karen House CW, St. Louis, Missouri.
Confronting the Unspeakable: Jim Douglass, author numerous books, including The
Nonviolent Cross and JFK and the Unspeakable: Why he died and why it
matters, of Mary House CW, Birmingham, Alabama.
5:30- 6:30 PM Dinner
7:30 PM – Talent Show/Party/More Dancing
Saturday, July 12th
- 7:30 AM Morning Prayer- Led by Br. David Buer, OFM
- 8:00-9:00 AM Breakfast
- 10:00 AM Mass- Celebrated by Most Rev. Robert McManus, Bishop of Worcester. Father Bernie Gilgun, of the Mustard Seed Catholic Worker, will be the homilist.
Catholic Workers: please bring copies of your newsletters and a display about your community.
Do you have ideas for discussion topics? Add them here.
The Worcester Art Museum is going to schedule a reception for Catholic Workers to see their exhibit of Tom Lewis’ work.
We are looking for volunteers to help with child care which we hope to offer for the morning and afternoon sessions on Thursday and Friday. Please contact Scott Schaeffer-Duffy if you can help.
Donations
Lastly, if people have money and want to contribute to the gathering they can send it to “SS. Francis & Therese Catholic Worker, 52 Mason Street, Worcester, MA 01610″ with “CW gathering” in the memo. Our ideal is to make the entire gathering free for all those who come. Since Worcester is quite far away from many CW houses, we don’t want Catholic Workers to have to pay money on top of transportation costs.
