Last Chance to let your voice be heard:

OnLine Survey Closes Midnight, Saturday, April 30th

The ACC in Detroit has been preceded with nearly 100 locaI/regional Listening Sessions involving over 3000 participants across the country over the past 18 months. Whether or not you are able to be with us in Detroit, if you haven’t participated in a listening session or if you previously attended a session and did not submit a survey in the days following that session, please take time to share with us your thoughts about the future of the church.

Go to Virtual Listening Assembly Survey. Follow the directions under “Data Collection.” No password is required to access the survey, however, if you are not already a member of our social network (ACC Assemblies Community Network) you will be prompted to SIGN-UP.  The survey itself is totally anonymous and cannot be linked to your identity. To learn more about the Assemblies Community Network (ACN), the steps we take to protect your privacy, and our standards for transparent communications on the network, see the downloadable information at the “JOIN NOW” box on the left column of the HOME PAGE. If you have difficulties, email: administrator@talkingthewalk.net.

Kung           Carroll       Townsend    Rodriguez    Padovano    Chittister

• The Council opens at 6pm on Friday evening, June 10th, with the premier screening of an extraordinary video interview with German Theologian HANS KUNG, filmed exclusively for American Catholic Council. Copies of the video will be available for purchase in Detroit. Kung will provide historical perspective on the expectations of the ACC and spiritual motifs of Vatican II; For background on Kung and the making of this video, go to ACC Newsletter Archives and scroll down to the September 2010 issue.
• KATHLEEN KENNEDY-TOWNSEND:

  Reclaiming the JOY of the People of God

• JEANETTE RODRIGUEZ:
  Reclaiming the FREEDOM of the People of God
• ANTHONY PADOVANO:
  Reclaiming the SPIRIT & VISION of the People of God
• JAMES CARROLL:
  Reclaiming the COMMITMENT of the People of God
• JOAN CHITTISTER, OSB:

  Reclaiming the HOPE of the People of God

PRE-CONFERENCES (Register Directly With Each)

FUTURE CHURCH:

Hanging Tough Via Community Organizing & NonViolent Action: Keeping Your Integrity While Changing the (Institutional) Church  (Friday, June 10 / 9am-3pm)

This preconference to the American Catholic Council will help you learn principles of community organizing and gospel non-violence as they apply to your local parish and diocese.   Learn how hundreds of ordinary Catholics put the priest shortage and women deleted from the lectionary on the agendas of two Vatican synods, and changed the public image of St. Mary of Magdala from a prostitute to the first witness to the Resurrection. Still others are successfully resisting unjust parish closings by flooding Vatican offices with appeals that are now proving successful. Keynote by Sr. Louise Akers plus hands-on training by other Catholic activists on how to use proven resources; Early Bird $40 ($50 after May 20)

Info and Register here: http://www.futurechurch.org/acc/

CORPUS (National Association for an Inclusive Priesthood)

and International Federation for a Renewed Catholic Ministry

Joint Meeting & Conversation:

Revisioning Our Past & Becoming our Future

FRI, JUNE 10 – 10am

For More Information, EMAIL: corpusreports@gmail.com

PROGRAM ADVERTISING DEADLINE: MAY 19

We welcome advertisements and expressions of support of ACC for publication in the Detroit program booklet commemorating this historic national gathering celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Vatican II.  The program will be distributed to all registrants and will be available for downloading on the ACC website (averaging more than 100 hits a day)

The program will be printed on 8 ½” by 11″ quality white paper with heavy stock cover and contain Council documents including the final draft of the Catholic Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, biographies and descriptions of the six keynote addresses, detailed descriptions of 18 different Breakout Sessions, summary narrative and data from nearly one hundred listening sessions held over the last 18 months years, as well as music, lyrics and prayers that will be used at the celebratory Closing Eucharist on Sunday morning.

Ads are priced as follows:

Full page, $200; Half page, $100

Inside front and back covers, full page $400

Camera-ready ads should be submitted in PDF format, with 1″ margins; full page copy up to 6 ½ by 9; half page up to 6 ½ by 4 ½. Deadline: May 19, 2011. E-mail johnhushon@aol.com with copy to monica4graphics@gmail.com.  Send check to Joseph Beausoleil, Treas., American Catholic Council, 9007 Springview Loop, Estero FL 33928, or provide us with billing information. Thank you for helping us to make this a marker event in Roman Catholicism in the United States!

LOGISTICAL MATTERS:

Ground Transportation: Volunteers will be on site at Detroit Airport to provide directions on how to use taxi, bus or van service to the Marriott Renaissance Center in downtown. Our next update will include a list of ground transportation options and pricing;

Looking for a Roommate to Cut Hotel Cost? Having difficulties with the registration process? … Or any other question about the registration, Call the Registrar at 815/299-7158 or David Lister at 763/767-6190 or email david.lister@conferencedirect.com

Haven’t Yet Received You Registration Confirmation?

Confirmation notices are regularly sent via email.  Be sure to check SPAM folder. If you need to verify your registration status, contact david.lister@conferencedirect.com

Booking Hotel Reservations at the Marriott: There are still a good number of rooms available in the ACC block at the substantial discount price of $109/night. Be sure to book your hotel room by May 18th when the block will be released. Note that the hotel will not accept reservations at our preferred rate if you call the hotel directly.  To get the discounted hotel rate, we recommend that you book your hotel room via the ACC Online Registration Form by following the steps below:

(1) Go to the field: “Council Registration, Full Registration;”

(2) Click the drop- down window and select “I am not registering at this time” (the first item);

(3) Proceed to the Hotel Reservation Section of the form to reserve your hotel rooms. 

APRIL 15th DAY OF PRAYER AND FASTING

Promote Your Organization While Supporting the American Catholic Council

PROGRAM ADVERTISING DEADLINE: MAY 19

We welcome advertisements and expressions of support of ACC for publication in the Detroit program booklet commemorating this historic national gathering celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Vatican II.  The programwill be distributed to all registrants and will be available for downloading on the ACC website (averageing more than 100 hits a day)

The program will be printed on 8 ½” by 11″ quality white paper with heavy stock cover and contain Council documents including the final draft of the Catholic Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, biographies and descriptions of the six keynote addresses, detailed descriptions of 18 different Breakout Sessions, summary narrative and data from nearly one hundred listening sessions held over the last 18 months years, as well as music, lyrics and prayers that will be used at the celebratory Closing Eucharist on Sunday morning.

Ads are priced as follows:

Full page, $200; Half page, $100

Inside front and back covers, full page $400

Camera-ready ads should be submitted in PDF format, with 1″ margins; full page copy up to 6 ½ by 9; half page up to 6 ½ by 4 ½. Deadline: May 19, 2011. E-mail johnhushon@aol.com with copy to monica4graphics@gmail.com.  Send check to Joseph Beausoleil, Treas., American Catholic Council, 9007 Springview Loop, Estero FL 33928, or provide us with billing information. Thank you for helping us to make this a marker event in Roman Catholicism in the United States!

Let Your Voice Be Heard: Virtual Listening Assembly for those who haven’t attended a physical Listening Session ..

If you haven’t participated in a listening session or if you previously attended a session and did not submit a survey in the days following that session, please take time to share with us your thoughts about the future of the church at Virtual Listening Assembly Survey. Follow the directions under “Data Collection.” No password is required to access the survey, however, if you are not already a member of our social network (ACC Assemblies Community Network) you will be prompted to SIGN-UP.  The survey itself is totally anonymous and cannot be linked to your identity. To learn more about the Assemblies Community Network (ACN), the steps we take to protect your identity, and our standards for transparent communications on the network, see the downloadable information at the “JOIN NOW” box on the left column of the HOME PAGE. If you have difficulties, email: administrator@talkingthewalk.net.

PRAYER TO RECLAIM VISION OF VATICAN II

Gracious and Holy God, we join together today in prayer for all who seek to reclaim the vision and spirit of Vatican II anywhere, and all those who will gather in Detroit this Pentecost.

May we be anointed by your Spirit to share in divine creativity in solving the challenges of carrying out Vatican II’s empowerment of the baptized; Send forth your Spirit!

May we benefit from the diversity of gifts you have bestowed on all your people and work toward recognizing and using those gifts fully and inclusively; Send forth your Spirit!

May we be open to Your grace and steadfast in the face of scorn, opposition and dismissal; Send forth your Spirit!

May we always remember all those who have gone before us, both blazing prophets and quiet souls, who have labored for freedom, truth and dignity for your people; Send forth your Spirit!

May we join our footsteps with those of your Son, as the journey of Holy Week begins, embracing the anguish of Calvary while looking ahead to the Alleluia of a resurrected Church; Send forth your Spirit!

May we be strengthened by the solidarity of this communal prayer and through the grace and power of the God who lovingly weaves us all together in a tapestry of love, so that we can do more than any one of us dreams alone; Send forth your Spirit!

American Catholic Council today called upon Catholics all over the United States to set aside a day of prayer and fasting on Friday, April 15 for the renewal of the promises of the Holy Spirit in the Second Vatican Council. ACC is in the last stages of planning a national meeting in Detroit on Pentecost Weekend (June 10-12, 2011) to celebrate the Spirit of the Second Vatican Council and to recommit Catholics to the renewal promised by Vatican II.

We will pray together for the renewal of the promises of the Holy Spirit evidenced in the Second Vatican Council. And we will pray for re-commitment and courage so that, as Cardinal Dearden said 35 years ago, we may “unlock the structures of the Church and world so that the spirit and energy of our people can flourish and contribute to renewing our communities.”

We suggest, at a minimum, that you join with other Catholics in the Prayer to Reclaim the Vision at 8 am and 8 pm (printed below).  For a complete packet of suggested prayers, scripture readings and meditations, CLICK HERE.

PRAYER TO RECLAIM THE VISION OF VATICAN II

Gracious and Holy God, we join together today in prayer for all who seek to reclaim the vision and spirit of Vatican II anywhere, and all those who will gather in Detroit this Pentecost.

May we be anointed by your Spirit to share in divine creativity in solving the challenges of carrying out Vatican II’s empowerment of the baptized; Send forth your Spirit!

May we benefit from the diversity of gifts you have bestowed on all your people and work toward recognizing and using those gifts fully and inclusively; Send forth your Spirit!

May we be open to Your grace and steadfast in the face of scorn, opposition and dismissal; Send forth your Spirit!

May we always remember all those who have gone before us, both blazing prophets and quiet souls, who have labored for freedom, truth and dignity for your people; Send forth your Spirit!

May we join our footsteps with those of your Son, as the journey of Holy Week begins, embracing the anguish of Calvary while looking ahead to the Alleluia of a resurrected Church; Send forth your Spirit!

May we be strengthened by the solidarity of this communal prayer and through the grace and power of the God who lovingly weaves us all together in a tapestry of love, so that we can do more than any one of us dreams alone; Send forth your Spirit!

Deadline for Early Registration: APRIL 10

A central part of the ACC Detroit “process” will unfold in at least 17 BREAKOUT SESSIONS scheduled over two 90-minute periods on Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon during the Council weekend. The focus of these sessions will be grounded in our “listening” from the many “Listening Assemblies” in the grassroots that have taken place across the country over the past year. Each session will demonstrate an application of the Catholic Bill of Rights & Responsibilities (CBRR) which will be presented for Acclamation before the Council on Pentecost Sunday morning prior to the closing celebratory Eucharist.

Next month registered participants in the first convening of the AMERICAN CATHOLIC COUNCIL will be forwarded a link to register online for the Breakout Sessions of their choice. For the latest revision of 17 Confirmed Breakouts to date, including Animators that will stimulate the “conversation” in each, Click Here: BREAKOUT SESSIONS. Throughout these sessions, designated recorders will note the ideas voiced and will produce an “action proclamation” for presentation before the Council.   This will provide ample opportunity for all to participate, to be educated, to educate others, and to add their voice.

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE DETROIT PROGRAM & SCHEDULE
Includes KEYNOTE SPEAKERS, latest Draft of the CATHOLIC BILL OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES, PRE-COUNCIL SESSIONS and MAIL-IN REGISTRATION FORM;

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT: AMERICAN CATHOLIC COUNCIL