Report on the Second West Coast Call to Action Conference, Belmont, Cal., July 31, 1998

More than 300 people gathered in Belmont at the College of Notre Dame to pray, listen, learn discuss, and celebrate together. Twenty-two speakers covered topics including spirituality, church history, social justice, the role of the laity, scripture, and many others. Our Keynote speaker, Diana Hayes told us that WE are called to minister in the church. Bishop Tom Gumbleton from Detroit highlighted some of the most critical justice issues around the world and called us to take action. All in all, it was a wonderful place to be and wonderful people to be with for the weekend.


Fr. Jon Pedigo started off the weekend with his Early Bird presentation, "Creating Liturgy for Social Justice". At least one person rushed up to me after the presentation to tell me that his presentation alone made the event a success!
One of the real gems of the weekend was Lynn Werner's presentation, "Los Vientos de Marzo (The Winds of March)", a very personal drama touching on some of her experiences as a survivor of torture and strife in Columbia. Lynn is a Jewish woman who went to Colombia as a teacher for privileged children and ended up as a Catholic social worker teaching drama to the poorest and eventually fleeing the country as the military closed in on her friends. She is still very traumatized by the experiences. Lynn would love to hear from any of the folks who attended her presentation, as encouraging words from you can help her continue her recovery. Also, Lynn's employment situation is not ideal and your prayers, and references,  might help her find the right job.
At the conference speaker Terry Dosh divided the last 2,000 years into 3 epochs. The 1st epoch (33 - 150) ended with Constantine as the early church became "official" and hierarchy developed. The 2nd epoch (150 - 1960) was Euro-centric, centralized, mono-cultural, and patriarchal. The 3rd epoch (since Vatican II) is characterized as a world-wide church, multi-cultural, decentralized (wait 20 years, he says), and adding feminine attributes. We are the "swing generation" responsible for the transition of the "church of our parents" to the "church of our children and grandchildren." Young people need to discover in church values that they cherish. Vatican II issued the first document on the laity since medieval times. If you don't think our church documents have come a long way, just imagine what they were like before Vatican II!

Recommended books: "The Future of the Church", and "Refounding the Church".


Bishop Tom Gumbleton challenged us to transform this earth into as close an image of the Gospel reign of God as possible." "If you're not transforming the world, you're not a disciple of Jesus Christ." "The majority of the people of this planet," he said, "have no real human life. And the majority of the wealthy people do not see structural social injustice as sin". "The rich man was not mean to Lazarus - he just ignored him. " Over 1 billion people live in absolute poverty. Food and this planet are not ours, it's theirs, it's God's. No one has a right to keep beyond their need when others don't have the barest necessities. "

"The rich have organized the world so that poverty gets worse and worse (exploitation for their benefit). In Iraq 5,000 children a month die because of the embargo - so we can have cheap oil." Our embargo against India and Pakistan for nuclear weapons development was just a sham. "The U.S. has just removed that embargo so we could sell them wheat."


Sabbath Economics by Ched Meyers
Ched Meyers talked about "Sabbath economics", highlighting the different approaches to society (economically) in Hebrew time, Jesus' message, and capitalism. From 1976 to 1995 (just 20 years) the division of the world's wealth has gone from 19% for the top 1% of the people to 40% to the top 1%. Meanwhile, the bottom 90% of the people have gone from receiving 51% to 29%. This is a radical redistribution of wealth from the poor to the wealthy. Ched noted "It's OK to talk about everything in church now, even sex -- but not economics." In the Exodus story, the Egyptians were building storehouses when the Israelites left. God gave the Israelites manna but, more importantly, God laid out a Hebrew "economics" -- gather only enough manna for a day's meals; don't store any; share it. (Naturally, some did store it and it rotted.) On the sixth day they were to gather enough for two days only so that they could rest one day out of seven. This is known as Shabat (Sabbath) and Ched termed it Sabbath economics. Sabbath economics has three rules:
     1) distribute equitably,
     2) don't accumulate,
     3) set limits (keep the Sabbath)
The principle of Sabbath economics is that there is enough for all. Capitalism is based on the principle that there is a scarcity and one should accumulate.

In ancient times, a Sabbath's Sabbath (7 x 7 = 50 years) was a Jubilee and debts were forgiven, land was given back to the people. Wealth was redistributed equitably. Ched says we need to resurrect something like this to correct the radical redistribution of wealth from the poor to the wealthy.

In Ched's new testament workshop he related the story of Zacheas. (Luke 19 - This story is one of the last before the passion narrative - Luke is summing up the teachings of Jesus. ) Zacheas, a wealthy tax collector, Experienced a conversion as a result of Jesus' call. Zacheas gave half his wealth to the poor and repaid any unfairness four times over (which probably was the rest of his wealth) - a radical redistribution of wealth.

"All the ingredients for bread (water, earth, sun, and seed) are gifts from God - not man made - and we don't own them. So bread does "fall from heaven". We organize God's gifts to privatize them, like special hybrid seeds and special planting mixes."


The following six people were on the justice panel after Bishop Gumbleton talk. Please contact them for more information on how you can get involved. Through your generosity at the closing liturgy each organization received $390. Thank you for "walking your talk".

Emergency Housing Consortium of San Jose
Pat Bowles
1177 Ruth Drive, San Jose, CA 95125

Social Justice Advocate
Father Bill O'Donnell
St. Joseph the Worker Church
1640 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94703

Catholic Parents Of Gay and Lesbian Children
Ted Johnson
1871 Darwin Way, San Jose, CA 95122

Death penalty activist
Meg Leusch
73315 Country Club Drive, Apt. N 203
Palm Desert, CA 92260

Elizabeth House & Catholic Charities
Sister Martha McCarthy
Elizabeth House
6423 Colby, Oakland, CA 94609

St. Vincent de Paul Society
Mr. Paul Vavuris
3202 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306


We had many requests for a copy of Declan Deane's homily from the closing liturgy at the conference so we got permission to reprint it here.

Homily from closing liturgy, 1998, West Coast Call to Action Conference

What a startling contrast between the treatment Jesus gets in heaven and the treatment he got on earth!

In heaven, according to the Book of Revelations, the blessed sing praise to the One who sits on the throne, singing, "To him be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever." But on earth, as was the case with Isaiah's Suffering Servant, "We spurned and avoided him and held him in no esteem." In Mark's simple but stunning summary of how Jesus of Nazareth was received in his native place, "They took offense at him."

And so I allowed myself to fantasize about what it might be like if Jesus were to return today. How would we receive him? How would I receive him? My reverie went something like this:

Jesus landed at SFO. He was to address the Commonwealth Club: the scheduled lecture by Deepak Shupra, entitled 'Finding Peace of Mind', was postponed to next year. Jesus asked how much the lecture fee was to be - he was told $25,000. "Go and disperse it among the poor and homeless in the street", said Jesus. In his lecture he said: "If you want to find peace of mind, avoid greed in all its forms. The best thing you can do is sell what you have, your homes, your cars, your property; liquidate your assets and give everything to the poor. Then you will truly find peace of mind." At the end of the lecture the people were shaking their heads in bafflement. "What a strange man," they said. "Precious little comfort he had to offer. We should have stuck with Deepak Shupra."

The Archbishop of San Francisco invited him to dinner with all the religious leaders of the city. Jesus said he would be happy to come the next evening, but that he had a prior commitment - he planned to dine at a restaurant in the Castro with some of his friends from the gay and lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. He invited the religious leaders to join him, but they politely declined. From then on Jesus was picketed wherever he went by members of the Christian Coalition. They carried signs saying: "This is not the Christ. He welcomes sinners and dines with them."

Jesus visited San Quentin and spent time with the prisoners there. He called a press conference and stated, "All human life is sacred, from the unborn child in the womb to my humble friends on Death Row. Each one of them has an angel that worships day and night before my Father in heaven." By the things he said and did, Jesus alienated both liberals and conservatives. Day by day the number of his followers decreased.

Among those followers were some faithful women who seldom left his side. Their presence was a great boon to the hordes of paparazzi who trailed Jesus everywhere. The Papal Nuncio approached Jesus and tactfully suggested that he should tell the women to go home: "They are giving a bad impression", he said. "People are beginning to say that women can be your ministers equally with men." To which Jesus replied: "Go read in your Scriptures. There it is written by St. Paul that in Christ there is neither male nor female, but that all are one in him." Whereupon the Papal Nuncio retorted indignantly, "Do you think you know better than the Holy Father?" To which Jesus replied, "Before the Holy Father was, I am." Later that day it was announced that Jesus was being investigated by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. A spokesman for the Sacred Congregation said that they were not yet ready to make an infallible pronouncement, but that they were warming up to it.

Jesus was asked to address the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion. The learned theologians and doctors of divinity wanted him to answer the question, "What is the great theological task of our time?" As he rose to speak he looked out the window and saw a young kid going by on a skateboard. He was wearing a baseball cap and whistling a merry tune. "The great theological task of our time", said Jesus, is for you to learn to whistle like that young kid." The academicians complained bitterly that Jesus had trivialized their concerns. "He wants us to become like little children," they protested.

As he walked along the street, a man identified as a member of the Cosa Nostra - a leading member at that - was eager to see him. The man, known as the Godfather, was small in stature, so he climbed in a tree. As Jesus walked past he looked up and said, "Come down, Godfather. I plan to dine at your house today." Delightedly, the Godfather invited all his friends to his mansion: FBI agents went up and down outside faithfully recording the car license plates. At the end of the meal the Godfather rose and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, here and now I have decided to give half of what I own to the poor. If I have defrauded anyone, I will pay them back four times over." Jesus smiled and said, "Salvation has come to your house today, because you too are child of God." Next day the newspaper headline read, 'Jesus lauds crime baron'. Many politicians denounced Jesus as a dangerous radical, and everywhere he went he was closely shadowed by wary local and federal agents.

Finally one day he was accosted by a Muslim, a wealthy man who had a sick servant. "Sir," he said, "I am not a Christian myself but I can tell that you are from God. Now, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my servant shall be healed." Jesus said to him, "Your servant is healed as of this moment." He then turned to the crowd and said, "This man has more faith than all the Christians I have met."

This was the crowning blow for many people. Jesus was warned that his life was in danger, and he was forced to flee to another place.

That is how it might be if Jesus returned today. How would you respond? Would you give him praise and blessing and honor, or would you (like his neighbors in Mark's account) take offense at him? How would you and I respond to someone so wonderfully disconcerting as Jesus of Nazareth?

Declan Deane, S.J.
Published with permission, by CTA of Northern California, 1998


For the second West Coast Regional CTA Conference we were able to put together an outstanding slate of speakers including many who have presented at the national CTA conferences in the past. In addition to those well known speakers we were blessed to add some local flavor with less renown but very good local talent.

California presenters included our wonderful justice panel, that spoke after Bishop Gumbleton's presentation. Other local people who presented were:

  •    Joan Ohanneson, author of Scarlet Music-A Life of Hildegarde of Bingen
  •    Janice Brown, chaplain, nurse and educator who shared her sense of prayer in the everyday world
  •    Meg Leusch, an activist in the other right to life area- capital punishment
  •    Kenneth Weare, director of the San Francisco Diocese School for Pastoral Leadership
  •    Jesse Gutierrez-Cervantes, educator and trainer who spoke about the church and sexuality
  •    Patricia Dailey, educator and spiritual director who spoke about women and church and also gave our Saturday evening homily
  •    Gary Macy, a medievalist who enlightened us about past models of church
  •    Ned Reidy, Newman Center chaplain from Palm Desert who brought some of his young students to share their view of church with us old folks
  •    Florence Gillman, educator, author who gave us new perspectives on St. Paul
  •    Jose Rubio, Director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Diocese of San Jose who enlightened us regarding our relations with other faith traditions
  •    Evi Quinn, organizer of CTA San Diego who offered ideas for those seeking to start local CTA groups
  •    Eloise Rosenblatt, educator and author who discussed the interesting topic of "Keeping your church job"
  •    Jon Pedigo, Director of Liturgy, Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, San Jose who challenged us to create liturgy for social justice
  •    Lynn Werner, educator, survivor of persecution in Columbia who touched us with her drama "Los Vientos de Marzo"


    • One of the real gems of the weekend was Lynn Werner's presentation, Los Vientos de Marzo (The Winds of March), a very personal drama touching on some of her experiences as a survivor of torture and strife in Columbia. Lynn is a Jewish woman who went to Colombia as a teacher for privileged children and ended up as a Catholic social worker teaching drama to the poorest and eventually fleeing the country as the military closed in on her friends. She is still very traumatized by the experiences.

    Gloria Heese and Janel Sawatzki created a wonderful morning prayer in mime. Because we had no outside seating and microphones we had to move them into a classroom but most of us were able to get beyond the classroom atmosphere and go with them to a real "burning bush" experience. It was wonderful!