CITI Ministries to Hold International Forum, November 14-16 11/12/2003
From: Rev. Jack Ryan, 845-386-8092 or ebrown6494@aol.com, Rev. Rich Hasselbach, 845-225-8012 or sacables@yahoo.com, Louise Haggett, 508-872-4644 or 508-740-3365 (cell), all of CITI Ministries (Celibacy Is The Issue) News Advisory: WHAT: A first ever international Forum discussion among married priests and laity on issues such as their sacramental ministry to a spiritually-needing public; discussion on "off church-campus" healing ministry to clergy sexual abuse victims; and discussion on "why need to remain Catholic" in spite of what is going in the church. WHEN: Saturday, November 15, 2003 WHERE: Courtyard Marriott, 90-10 Grand Central Parkway, East Elmhurst, NY 11369, 718-446-4800. SPECIAL GUESTS: Sue Archibald, President, LINKUP victim/survivors network of those abused by priests. David Clohessy, National Director, SNAP, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. Rev. Michael Livingston, Executive Director, International Council of Community Churches, the ecclesiastical body that certifies married Roman Catholic priests for legal ministry and chaplaincy. Rev. Gibbon Bogatsu, President, Rent a Priest, South Africa, and clergy abuse victim. Jennifer Haselberger, Louvain University (Belgium), doctoral student who is studying CITI and its certification process as a Roman Catholic organization working outside the walls of the Vatican. Rev. Michael Livingston, Executive Director, International Council of Community Churches, the ecclesiastical body that certifies married Roman Catholic priests for legal ministry and chaplaincy. Background: In 1996, a study conducted by the Center of Applied Research in the Apostolate (Georgetown University) determined that 73.3 percent of American Catholics were no longer attending Catholic Church. At the time, the figure represented 48 million Catholics. The climate was made drastically worse with the massive clergy sexual abuse revelations that began in January 2002. As a result countless more Catholics no longer attend Church. CITI Ministries was founded in Framingham, MA in 1992 because of a shortage of priests and the awareness that the Catholic Church was ordaining into the Catholic priesthood, married Protestant ministers thus abrogating their rule of mandatory celibacy for the priesthood. CITI locates married priests and promotes their availability for sacramental ministry to the general public through a program entitled Rent A Priest.com. There will be interview opportunities throughout the weekend with any of the special guests as well as the various panels of speakers and others in attendance. Media: please register and pick up media kit. |