"Open Hearts: A guide to Inclusive Catholicism" - Course Pages
Week 2
In this video we hear about the need to prioritize environmental health over economic gains, suggesting that solutions to current issues lie in traditional knowledge and a shift in priorities. Duration - 12 minutes.
Sr Makareta Tawaroa discusses the deep connection between the Māori people and the Whanganui River. Duration - 10 minutes.
Marie Venner emphasizes the urgent need for climate action, highlighting the severe impacts of extreme heat and pollution on vulnerable populations. Duration 25 minutes.
The video features Kathleen McLaughlin, who underscores the role of businesses in serving society and the planet, advocating for a regenerative approach that goes beyond sustainability to actively restore and renew ecosystems. The talk connects these efforts to the principles outlined in Pope Francis’s encyclical, Laudato Si’, calling for holistic solutions and collaboration across sectors. Duration - 1 hour 15 minutes.
The overarching theme of this beautiful video is that regeneration is essential for a harmonious and resilient world. Duration - 6 minutes.
Week 3
Nate Tinner-Williams, a Catholic journalist, critiques the Catholic Church for its inadequate response to racism, particularly within the United States. Tinner-Williams calls for genuine dialogue and action within the Church to confront and resolve these issues, urging Black Catholics and allies to persist in their advocacy for true reform. Duration - 9 minutes.
Kate McElwee, the executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference, advocates for women's ordination and gender equity within the Roman Catholic Church. McElwee emphasizes the need for the Church to recognize and affirm women’s leadership sacramentally. Duration - 17 minutes.
Irish priest Bernard Lynch, who is openly gay, played a significant role in ministering to the HIV/AIDS community in New York during the height of the crisis. He envisions a future where all religions champion love and dignity for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or beliefs. Duration - 15 minutes.
Katherine Zappone emphasizes the need for self-love, collective voice, and empathy to drive transformational change and human rights within the Church, advocating for a global strategy to harness progressive religious interpretations and ensure bodily autonomy and moral agency for all. Duration - 18 minutes.
Week 4
Miriam Duignan argues that the exclusion of women from the Catholic priesthood is not rooted in the teachings of Jesus or early Church tradition but rather in patriarchal and misogynistic interpretations that developed later. Duration - 15 minutes.
Angela Saini's talk explores the origins and persistence of patriarchy, questioning why men have historically held power over women. Duration - 40 minutes.
Tom Doyle, a former Catholic priest, discusses the systemic issues within the Catholic Church that have allowed clerical sexual abuse to persist for centuries. Duration - 20 minutes.
Week 5
The talk by Brian Devlin discusses the pervasive issue of clerical power abuse within seminaries, where priests are trained. Devlin shares his personal experience at a Scottish seminary, highlighting the emotional and sexual abuse he endured from a spiritual director, Father Keith O’Brien. Duration - 20 minutes.
Jamie Manson, president of Catholics for Choice, discusses how Catholic teachings on conscience, religious freedom, and social justice can be used to advocate for issues like abortion rights, same-sex marriage, contraception, and trans rights. Manson argues that these teachings can be powerful tools in challenging the Church’s stance on various social issues. Duration - 15 minutes
Week 6
James Carroll, a writer from Boston, Massachusetts, shares his vision for the future of the Catholic Church. He advocates for a church governed by laypeople, with women fully equal to men, and free from clericalism. Duration - 5 minutes.
Hille Hakker suggests a shift towards embracing human rights and narrative ethics, focusing on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as central to Christian moral theology. Duration - 19 minutes.
Benedikt Klafki, an 18-year-old from Germany currently living in Norway, is advocating for changes in the Catholic Church, particularly in its approach to human rights, equality, and inclusion. Duration - 4 minutes.
Diarmuid O’Murchu’s presentation, “Reworking the Tradition: Towards Non-Imperial Discipleship,” explores the need for the Christian church to evolve beyond traditional hierarchical structures. Duration - 50 minutes.