On Friday, July 21, 2006, members of the American Association of Interchurch Families gathered at Virginia Wesleyan College for their biennial conference. After greeting old friends and meeting new members at a pizza supper, we gathered to hear Dr. H. Richard McCord, Jr. speak. He is the Executive Director of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women and Youth. What is significant is that the US Catholic Bishops are preparing a pastoral letter on Marriage and we hope that interchurch marriage will be affirmed in it. Dr. McCord will report to the bishops and the drafting team for the pastoral letter. He will discuss with them his presentation on "the domestic church" and his dialogue with AAIF members. He wanted our input, which we were happy to provide him, so that he will bring to the American Catholic Bishops the issues that affect interchurch marriage and family life. Rick McCord was present when we presented the AAIF Ecumenical Awards.
Laura and Franz Green put together a sumptuous wine and cheese reception that evening. Then the next morning, on Saturday, July 22, 2006, we awoke to find that they had put out a gourmet breakfast on behalf of the Church of the Holy Apostles.
Fr. George Kilcourse reported on his visit to the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity in Rome in the fall of 2005. Fr. Kilcourse has written a report of that visit which may be read at the www.interchurchfamilies.org Web site. While visiting in Poland in May of this year, the Pope has made some positive comments about interchurch families, referring to them as the "practical laboratory of unity."
In "The Catholic Virginian" of August 14, 2006, you will find an excellent article about Father Kilcourse's report to us at the 2006 AAIF Conference. The article also includes an excellent write up about Dr. McCord's presentation.
Lamar and Diane Burton have been working with marriage preparation in the Archdiocese of Louisville, KY. There are large numbers of interchurch couples getting married there each year.
This year we had the most geographically diverse number of cities represented at our conference. Participants came from all over the country, some coming from great distances just to be with us. Virginia had several cities represented. At the business meeting, we discussed and, by a unanimous vote, decided that individual AAIF Chapters will be identified according to city. We also voted and decided unanimously that chapter contacts will be officially called "(City) Chapter Coordinator" (named for the Metro area or city where the coordinators reside). The City Chapter Coordinators will report back directly to the AAIF Co-Chairs. There will be no state level chapters, just Metro area or city chapters where the coordinators live.
The Greens brought in a delicious catered lunch, and we later got to meet Dr. Phyllis Rodgerson Pleasants, who is a dynamic, charming and intelligent professor from the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, VA. She spoke on the history of the church. Jesus is at the center of what binds us all together and that should be our focus as interchurch families.
Lynne Wragge, Father Ernie Falardeau, and Lamar Burton led a panel discussion on "Interchurch Families and Pastors Working Together." Some good, specific ideas were expressed on how we can get the clergy to recognize and to use interchurch families as a resource. After dinner on campus, Father Ernie presided and offered the homily at Mass in the chapel. This is the 50th anniversary of his ordination. Then we shared our Interchurch Families' stories, which allowed us to get to know our newest members better. This was such a positive experience of sharing our ecumenical journeys that I hope it sets a precedent for future conferences. It gave us all a new set of views and circumstances to factor into our history.
On Sunday, July 23, 2006, we worshiped once again at the Church of the Holy Apostles in Virginia Beach, VA. I was so glad that we returned; we had last been there in 1996. It is both a Roman Catholic and Episcopal Church. It has one sanctuary, but there are two distinct and separate altars. The Liturgy was in perfect harmony. Interchurch husbands and wives could stand side-by-side right up until the moment that they went to take communion. It was beautiful. Then we went back to campus for lunch and farewells. I look forward to the next conference in Louisville, KY, in two years.
Mary Jane Glauber
AAIF Co-Chair
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