KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Keynote 1

Compelled by the Spirit to be Fire in the World

We live in a glocal world today---it is both global and local at the same time, all the time, every time! Our glocal world cries out to us in varied voices: environmental degradation; species extinction; human rights' violations; absolute and abject poverty; discrimination of cultures, indigenous peoples, faith traditions; domination of high-income countries on international dialogue, national policies and local sustainable economies; and violence on all levels: personal, relational, political, tribal, within countries and between countries.  What is our response? Where is our voice? How are we present? When will we embrace our vocation as women and men religious to hear the cry of the poor and bring hope, freedom and love to our world in this our time, the only time we'll ever have. What if we are the ones we've been waiting for? If not us, then who? If not here, then where? If not now, then when? When will the Fire of that first Pentecost consume us enough, today, so that we can be light for our world? Here. Now. And for the life of the world?

Keynote 2

Compelled by the Spirit to be Fire in the Church

Fintan Sheeran SS.CC calls himself a “recovering formator” who served his community in Europe, USA (for many years) and Asia (for last 5 years) - through many ages of religious life, i.e., before, during and after Vatican II, and now into the third millennium. His ministries have included pastor in Washington DC, retreat director, seminary professor, provincial and vicar general of his community.  He is a native of Galway, Ireland, and is currently a facilitator and consultant to religious communities and church organizations.  His present hope is to do a little better what he has tried to do all his life in pastoral, formation and retreat ministry.

The paradigm change in ecclesiology at the Second Vatican Council from one of a perfect society to People of God and then, more recently to a communion ecclesiology has had seismic implications for an understanding of religious life inside and outside of the church.  If our function is no longer to be a special "state of life,"  how might we understand our role in the church?  What kind of fire do we bring?  If the People of God share in God's mission, what role do religious have in the mission in which the church participates?

Keynote 3

Compelled by the Spirit to be Fire in Religious Life

Fr. David Blanchard  O Carm. is a 1987 graduate of Washington Theological Union. He joined the faculty of the Mission and Cross Cultural Studies Department in 1989. Beginning that same year, by invitation of Salvadoran Archbishop Arturo Rivera, he spends the fall semester each year in Washington, the remainder of the year serving a large parish in El Salvador. In the years since Fr. Blanchard began his mission work, many WTU students have served pastoral internships in his parish.

  David Blanchard O Carm. teaching
at Washington Theological Union.

David’s presentation will illuminate the different forms of religious life, and what it means for each form to honor the privileged place of the poor in the Reign of God.  David has been a presenter at RFC’s ForMission program in past sessions.

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