New Advent, New Way to Communicate

Advent began yesterday, and I began to think about new ways to celebrate the feast of the Word Made Flesh.  In the past year, New Ways Ministry has ventured into the world of electronic words vigorously by hosting two Facebook pages (one for New Ways Ministry, one for our new publication: Marriage Equality:  A Positive Catholic Approach).  So as Advent begins, I am venturing into a new approach to using words: a blog.

As education is a main focus of our ministry, I will attempt to use this blog to help educate people about the many new ways that lesbian/gay issues are being developed in the Catholic church.  As with most blogs, there will occasionally be opinions expressed and, perhaps, actions that we suggest you take to help make our church a more just community for all people.

As dialogue is also important to New Ways Ministry’s mission, I hope that you will participate in this blog by posting comments when you have something that you would like to share:  a news item, an opinion, an action that you think others should take.

This blog is a “work in progress:”  I will be learning how to “do it” as I go along.  Changes will be made as I learn them to make the reading and participation experience for you a lot more meaningful and enjoyable.  Please let me know how I’m doing, and how I can improve.  You can always communicate with me privately by sending email to:  [email protected].

Words are important.  The mystery of the Incarnation, which we are preparing to celebrate, teaches us that words should heal, unite, reconcile, and do justice.   Most importantly, words are most powerful not when they are spoken or written, but when they are “made flesh” in the real world of action and solidarity.

I hope and pray that the words on this blog will help us all to incarnate the church community and the civil society in which we wish to live.

Stay tuned.

–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry