“Whether we are in a maze of reactions in Jerusalem or the harrowing journey of Exodus, the truth is, we can’t come to liberation alone.”
It turns out, seriously exploring this way of life is a threat to the life one already has…which, of course, is the whole point."
Sarah Jane Bradley was one of the residents of the Nuns & Nones pilot residency. Her reflections are the inaugural blog post of our #surpriseweresoulmates storytelling campaign, highlighting the many instances of alchemy when our communities combine.
From Adam Horowitz, Nuns & Nones organizer: “A long-form personal essay that chronicles the beginnings of Nuns & Nones, the unlikely path that led me to live at a convent in California, and some of the insights and future possibilities emerging along the way. Whether you’ve never met a nun or are one, I hope that there’s something in this story that speaks to you!”
Tom Roberts, editor at large for National Catholic Reporter, writes on where he finds hope in the Nuns & Nones movement.
In Part 2 of this series, Global Sisters Report explores the parallels between the unlikely community of women religious and millennial "nones" and their potential for a meaningful collaboration. While the decline in numbers at institutional congregations may be a discouraging trend to some, the union of these two groups may answer who could inherit the charisms that animate religious life today.
In the spirit of harvesting our insights along the path of walking toward kinship in our covenantal community, we offer glimpses into community member experiences. In these brief excerpts, Sarah and Nahum share what they are learning about our community experiment and how they are choosing to be in this societal moment of collapse and renewal.
This season, we are inviting you to move with us from despair to repair—starting by taking action together on the most important election in our lifetimes, and then continuing to journey with us on the long-haul commitment to pursuing repair in today’s world.
When the pandemic began, we knew this would be a transformational moment—a portal. Building a “next world” better than the one we’re leaving requires essential, ongoing, collective learning—and our people are showing up for it. This summer, over a hundred of us from the Nuns & Nones national network enrolled alongside thousands from around the world in Movement Generation Justice and Ecology Project's “Course Correction.”
Even in the midst of so much disruption, we are marking the turn of seasons by celebrating a late summer harvest—of learning, reflection, and art! We are thrilled to share the ABC’s of Course Correction, a zine of provocations from Summer 2020.
You might be wondering: Why this intergenerational, interspiritual community is taking a class about...the economy As Movement Generation reminds us, the roots of the word economy - “oikos” and “nomos” - mean “home” and “management.” So economy is management of, or care for, home. The call to spiritual community and the call for a regenerative economy are deeply interwoven - each is an invitation to a world that holds life and home as sacred, not expendable.
This moment of rupture has revealed more clearly than ever that our economy, our healthcare system, our labor laws, and our public life do not value life--particularly the lives of poor and marginalized people. And yet this rupture has also revealed tremendous possibilities to mold our institutions to embody values of humanity, interdependence, and justice. Some are calling this time a ‘kairos moment.’ Arundhati Roy calls it a “portal” - an opening between this world and the next.
Adam Horowitz writes about the art of sacred hospitality, and the ways in which it is needed for our times: Sacred hospitality means engaging in the sacred art of offering hospitality — literally opening doors, filling plates, offering hope, care, and refuge. It also means holding and hosting space for the sacred — turning our hearts toward the divine life and mystery in our midst. This world is clamoring for both. And the more we practice each, the more we realize they’re one and the same.
Change is a process of a thousand invisible transitions. If we pay enough attention, we can learn the pattern that spirit is trying to weave, and work with this lifeforce. In our small portion of history, though, the scale and consequence of change has felt particularly overwhelming. With the spiritual, ecological, and political landscapes of our world in upheaval, how can we be good students of change?
From devastating fires to the rising threat of war, we’ve had a rocky landing into the new decade. For all who have been physically overcome or emotionally overwhelmed by our first days of 2020, this letter is for you. It’s also for those who have shed tears, felt numb, acted with holy anger, made plans, canceled plans, or reached out to a loved one because of what’s happening in our world.
How do you pray in times like these?
There’s no one-size-fits-all model for Nuns & Nones, nor is there a “checklist” that signals success: In Minneapolis, success has looked like steady, consistent gatherings. In Philadelphia, a standalone gathering in 2017 sparked a lifelong relationship between a queer, Jewish organizer and the Sisters of Mercy. Anneke Kat, Stina Kielsmeier-Cook, and Sr. Stephanie Spandle, SSND share their stories.
Just a week after the launch of the DC Nuns & Nones group, many sisters were involved in a national Catholic Day of Action, at which 70 Catholics were arrested during a direct action in protest of the US government’s cruel treatment of immigrants at the border. Sr. Joan Mumaw, IHM and Brittany Koteles were both involved. Here’s what they shared about their experience.
As with any dialogue across difference, there are bound to be bumpy moments. At one point, it felt like the “honeymoon phase” of the Grand Rapids group was over. But rather than view this shift as a loss, the group took an intentional “pause” in order to collectively discern how to continue to deepen in community. Ellie Hutchison Cervantes and Sr. Justine Kane, OP share their reflections.
You’ve found the spiritual renegades in your community. How do you actually plan a first encounter between these people? Yi Zhang, Adam Horowitz, and Sr. Joan Marie O’Donnell, RSM shared a few of the highlights, how-tos, and secret ingredients that allowed the Bay Area Nuns & Nones group to continue thriving, 2 ½ years after its launch.
