Annual Retreat
What was the Gospel that Jesus proclaimed? We will explore this question with Michael H. Crosby, OFM Cap. at the Vineyard Guild 2007 Annual Retreat, to be held on October 25-27 at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
The Gospel that Jesus proclaimed is quite different than the Gospel the early Church proclaimed. Franciscan friar Michael H. Crosby will suggest why the Gospel of Jesus needs to be reappropriated in our churches today, especially in the face of the abuse of the gospel that is found in so many other Christian groups.
Mike belongs to the Midwest Province of the Capuchin Franciscans and lives in fraternity at St. Benedict Friary with other brothers serving the poor in Milwaukee's downtown area. His ministry is twofold: three-fourths of his time is spent writing and speaking about biblical spirituality geared for our "First World" society. The other involves him in the corporate responsibility movement, advising investors concerned about using their monies to promote social change.
Contemporary Spirituality: The titles of the 16 books Mike has written, many of which have received many awards from the Catholic Press Association, reflect his prophetic witness in the Church and the World today: e.g., Spirituality of the Beatitudes: Matthew's Vision for the Church in an Unjust World (Orbis, 2005), Can Religious Life Be Prophetic (Crossroad, 2005), Celibacy: Means of Control or Mandate of the Heart? (1996), House of Disciples: Church, Economics and Justice in Matthew (Orbis, 1988), The Prayer that Jesus Taught Us (Orbis, 2002), and Do You Love Me?: Jesus Questions the Church (Orbis, 2000). His effort to promote justice in institutional Catholicism is expressed in The Dysfunctional Church: Addiction and Codependency in the Family of Catholicism (Ave Maria, 1991) and Rethinking Celibacy, Reclaiming the Church (2004).
Corporate Responsibility: Mike authored Catholic Church Investments for Corporate Social Responsibility, a portion of which was reprinted in Origins. He coordinates the Tobacco Issue Group of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility in New York. He has written for magazines such as Business and Society Review, The British Medical Journal, and The Corporate Examiner.
Mike has given retreats, workshops, and talks around these two areas of contemporary spirituality and corporate responsibility in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. He also lectures on the future of religious life.
He sits on various boards: the Finance Committee and Solanus Center Commission of his Midwest Province, the Flight Attendants Medical Research Institute (Miami), the Mercy Investment Program (Philadelphia), and the Campaign for Economic Democracy (New York). He is a regular speaker at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress as well as many sabbatical programs. Mike has a master's in economics (1985), a licentiate of sacred theology (1990), and a Ph.D. in theology (1989).
Brochures for the 2007 Annual Retreat, with registration forms, will be mailed to Vineyard Guild members in August.
Recommended reading for the retreat
Works by our 2007 Keynoter, Fr. Michael Crosby, suggested by the author as good preparation for the retreat, are listed at the top of our Resources page.
New retreat format
Each year at the Vineyard Guild Annual Retreat, a conversation arises about whether our event should be called a "retreat" or a "conference". The notion seems to be that a retreat should be more prayerful and contemplative, whereas a conference is more informative and instructional. While it is our conviction that God works through both types of experience, the Board has prayerfully decided to change the format for the 2007 retreat.
Instead of offering workshops, we will gather in discernment groups in which together we will ask questions like, "How was God at work in you during Mike Crosby's presentation?", "What moved you as you listened?", "What ministry issues has the Spirit lifted up for you in the past few hours of the retreat." These discernment groups will meet 4 times during the retreat. We hope, due to their organic nature, they will keep us all open to discerning the presence and work of the Beloved Trinity not only in our 3 days of retreat, but also in our many days engaged in ministries of spiritual growth and leadership.
We have not yet decided how to 'group' people into these "discernment groups". If you have any inspiration about a good way to do this, feel free to email your idea to Mike Hoyt.