The AmP postmortem on "Mahoneyfest '08" (Religious Education Conference)

The annual Religious Education Conference organized by Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles has been described by some as a "dissent-fest".

This year the 40th gathering took place February 28th-March 2nd, ending with a Laetare Sunday Mass. I've seen one source claim that the entire conference attracted upwards of 45,000 participants.

The California Catholic Daily wrote in February about what to expect from this year's events:

“Lift Your Gaze … See Anew,” is the theme for this year’s (Feb. 28-March 2) Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. Though sponsored by the Los Angeles archdiocese, the congress, held yearly in Anaheim, has become notorious for its offering of speakers who openly dissent from Church teaching.

Among the list of this year's speakers (following the CCD article) are individuals who have expressed public support for women priests, and dissented from the Church's teaching on homosexuality and contraception, for example. In fairness, as the article notes, not all the listed speakers and topics are necessarily problematic.

The liturgies, however, are a different matter. Here is a video from last year's closing Mass:


On the schedule this year? "This year there are 13 Eucharistic Liturgies of different character, from Contemplative to Jazz, from Spanish to Nigerian, in addition to early morning, evening and late-night prayer services."

Some local Catholics are making their own voices heard. L.A. Catholic, for instance, organized a picket/leaflet of the REC intended to be a "prayerful and informative ... spiritual work of mercy for Lent."

Concerned Roman Catholics of America is more outspoken on the REC, and in their press release picks out five of the most notably inappropriate speakers this year:

• A "partnered" lesbian Episcopal priestess who endorsed SIECUS's manifesto calling for "sexual and reproductive rights," i.e., killing preborn babies.
• A professor who subtly undermines Church teachings on papal authority, sodomy, contraception and women's ordination.
• A radical feminist, New Ager and would-be priestess who in 1993 "celebrated" a "Mass" and whom several bishops have barred from speaking in their dioceses.
• A priest who at the 2006 REC mocked and disputed the new Vatican document nixing ordination of homosexuals.
• A professor who co-edited a book that belittled "fundamentalist" Catholics who believe "in God and in absolute truth...and a desire to be faithful to God by following church teaching," such as pro-lifers and Pope John Paul II!

Lee at Confessions of a Catholic Mom, meanwhile, tells her personal experience of past RECs.

What do supporters of the REC look like?

Fr. James Martin, S.J. praises it in this way at the America blog:

Perhaps the most recent successful example of modern liturgical architecture is here in Los Angeles. (Like your other blogger, Tom Beaudoin, I'm here for the enormous and enormously fun Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, which this year will be attracting some 46,000 participants.) Every time in Los Angeles (which is not all that frequently) I make a mini-pilgrimage to the newly built Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

Tom Beaudoin, also at the America blog, had this to contribute:

On Saturday, I chaired a roundtable on Catholicism and homosexuality, the fourth such roundtable in four years here. Along with Charles O'Neill and Sr. Kathleen Bryant, RSC, I discussed Catholic spirituality as manifest in gay and lesbian ministries and lives. In particular, I talked about the spirituality of being an "ally" for LGBTQ+ Catholics. We had around 600-ish people, all extraordinarily attentive to the issues being discussed, and as has been true for the last several years at these sessions, they were in remarkably good and feisty spirits. I noticed this year an increase in the number of parents of lesbian and gay Catholics who spoke up during the discussion period and with whom I talked afterward.

If a picture is starting to emerge, it should.

Another notable part of REC is Cardinal Mahony's online chat where he fields (screened) questions.

A couple of the Cardinal's responses (admittedly, cherry-picked, but they are his words):

Laurie Allen: Why do some clerics in the church have a problem with the faithful practicing yoga? If the intention is to calm our minds and bodies - can we not see this as a way to better "ground" ourselves in God. Over the 25 years I have practiced it, I find my faith has only grown...

CardinalMahony: Yoga is a deep meditation process, and if we keep our focus on our living and merciful love, then yoga works for anyone. Meditation in any form always deepens our love with God.

===

Teri: Is there high hope for married priests? What is that status on having the option?

CardinalMahony: Teri: At this time, the Pope is not moving towards married priests for the Latin Catholic Church. Recall that the Eastern Catholic Church has had married priests for 2,000 years.

===

Alexis: Is their anything against the Catholic church being more fun? I mean the priest talks and kids don't pay attention so couldn't we sing and dance, and make it more like gospel churches do, so kids will want to participate? I was just wondering if that was against our faith?

CardinalMahony: Alexis: Sounds good to me! Our parishes need to offer a variety of liturgies which appeal to different age groups and to different likes. Youth Masses with groups such as Life Teen are really helpful!

The Cardinal's gist? All meditation is okay, the Roman Church is not "at this time" moving towards married priests, and what about the idea of making Mass "more like gospel churches"? "Sounds good to me!" he says.

Whispers was first to press on the story, and his original post is here.

Closed Cafeteria has some pictures from this year's closing Mass. update: more pictures here.

I'll be posting further pictures and videos of the 2008 events once they surface (feel free to give me a tip). I'm also interested in reading personal accounts of this year's activities. My email is on the sidebar.

[picture: REC 2007 Closing Liturgy.]