To Answer Fear, Bring Prayer, Dialogue
By Barbara Budde and Sr. Gail Young, Symposium Co-Chairs; Jennifer Svetlik, Coordinator
Just before the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, social action directors from across the country gathered in Washington DC for the 2011 Roundtable Symposium, “Fear Not:” Addressing Fear with Prayerful Conversation. We gathered to recognize how our baptismal call implores us to bring light to the fears that affect the church, and how Jesus’ love casts out all fear and brings hope to the world. We reflected on how the Church has moved from past events in order to constructively address the current situation. We also considered how to bring a more prayerful spirit to conversations with our adversaries in order to open the door for further conversation.
We began the Symposium on Saturday with Peggy O’Brien Steinfels, who spoke on Addressing fear: Learning from the Historical Context. Peggy took us on a whirlwind tour of some of the fears in U.S. history from the country’s birth to recent times. She particularly highlighted St. Peter’s Catholic Church, the parish nearest the Twin Towers, during 9/11, who reached out to the community then, and once again during the outcry around the Park51 Islamic Interfaith Center in 2010.
Peggy offered a number of lessons from history, including “Distinguish the truly fearful from the phony,” “Create a narrative about what is happening especially when fear is being manipulated and incited. Report what you know to be true,” “Remember where we came from,” and “Continue to do our work with serenity and confidence in the midst of fear and anger.”
One attendee reflected, “Peggy reminded me that the Church today is not what the Church has always been, change happens, this moment is not the only moment.”
Saturday night the Education for Justice Project staff received the Harry A. Fagan Award and Tom Allio received the Servant of 
Justice Award. The address from Sr. Katherine Feely, SND and Dr. Jane Deren, Education for Justice staff, focused on transformative education.
Sr. Katherine said, “We need to risk and those risks need to be bold… We need a vision that transforms, and Jesus gives us that. We need a method that weds knowledge and hope, perspective and a kingdom vision… We need to see how not to change perception but change the assumptions that keep the systems embedded where they are,” and Jane offered, “We have learned that transformative education happens best in supportive communities. Our society privileges individual effort, individual achievement, individual formation but if we are going to model for ourselves and for others what Catholic social teaching really means we must do it in a communal way. We are called to the altar to participate in the Eucharist as a community and we are sent out to continue the work of transformation in the world as a community.”
On Sunday morning, we heard from Sr. Deborah Lorentz, S.S.S. on Addressing fear: Tools for Dialogue. Sr. Deborah stressed the importance of grounding ourselves in prayer for this work, and recommended that every social action director have a spiritual director. It was clear that she practiced what she taught, as she brought a calming presence to the room. She also offered some concrete tips, such as asking for a moment of silence or prayer during a conversation that becomes particularly polarized.
For the first time in a long time, the pace of the Symposium was relaxed and humane. It felt like we were putting into practice what Sr. Deborah described. Attendees reported that the table conversation that followed each of the speakers was particularly helpful as social action ministers could share their experience and offer feedback for one another.
At the Symposium Luncheon, Tom Allio offered words of challenge and of hope to his diocesan colleagues. He stressed the importance of being “at the table with those who do not completely embrace our principles or values on all issues,” building a national life and dignity movement, and doing our part to end the “Catholic civil war” in our church. He closed by saying “with the guidance of our loving God, we will live the Gospel of Life authentically, vigorously, faithfully and publicly.” Read his whole address.
Many participants shared what they would carry back home with them, including “how to be a more effective, meaningful leader and facilitator,” the need to distinguish between real and manufactured fears, and bringing deliberate internal preparation to tough conversations.
One diocesan leader said they would find a common project for the pro-life and social ministry groups and have a retreat for them. Another said he would be more faithful to his prayer time. Another reported an increased awareness of the situations that make her fearful in the workplace.
The conversations, experiences, lessons and inspiration offered at the Symposium will be brought back to our work as diocesan social action directors, helping to address fear and build up the Body of Christ. See you next year!
See more photos from the Symposium.
See the text of and accompanying resources from Symposium Talks and Award Addresses.
Please save the dates for the 2012 Symposium! – Feb. 11& 12, 2012.
The Catholic Social Ministry Gathering is Feb. 12-15, 2012 at Washington Marriot Wardman Park
2660 Woodley Rd. NW, Washington DC 20008
Tags: dialogue, Education for Justice, Fagan Award, fear, life and dignity, Park 51 Interfaith Center, Peggy Steinfels, prayer, Servant of Justice, Sr. Deborah Lorentz S.S.S., St. Peter's Catholic Church, Symposium, Tom Allio