Friday, March 14, 2025: Hello Sisters and Brothers, Friends and family (we’re all family!)

Marcie Dahlen wrote this eloquent letter to the editor of our local newspaper The Press Democrat. Bravo Marcie!

The Press Democrat: Being true to your nature by Marcie Dahlen

EDITOR: I am a cradle Catholic who has had the good fortune of higher education (graduate of Trinity Washington University), the opportunity to travel abroad and a loving and supportive family. I also have two daughters who have forced me to stretch in ways I could not have imagined 50 years ago. What I have learned is that the transgender community values the same things I do — family, community, a good education, access to health care and a safe environment.

Why must we demonize those who are not strictly male or female? Why is the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops agreeing with President Donald Trump’s definition of gender as either male or female and his threat to withhold federal funding from programs that acknowledge transgender people?

I applaud those Catholic communities who foster understanding in the name of love and advocate for policies that support the full spectrum of gender identities. I want my political leaders to be accountable and my church leaders to behave according to the Christian values they preach.

And don’t respond with “we love the sinner but not the sin.” Being true to your nature is not a sin.

MARCIE DAHLEN

SANTA ROSA


(Photo by Hermine from our 2024 Retreat in Carmel.
Two of our many Rock Stars... Marcie Dahlen and Denise Dixon)



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
 Wednesday, January 15, 2025: Announcement for Our Potential Move - and we need your comments now! Dear Sisters and Brothers of Emmaus: On Monday Linda, Marcie and David visited with Lindsey Kerr, the Pastor of Christ Church Methodist in Santa Rosa in order to assess whether moving to Christ Church for our liturgies would be advantageous for all of us at Emmaus. Many of us have worked with Lindsey and consider her to be an excellent leader who is courageous and energetic. We received a warm welcome from Lindsey who showed us around Christ Church and opened the room in which we may meet. It’s not in the church – but an unused classroom that’s part of the larger set of buildings in the complex.  The room has space enough for us, lots of windows and some storage. They are buying new tables for the room. The room used to be a classroom so there’s plenty of room for our celebrations. Because it was a classroom, there’s also potential for hanging posters and making it our own. ...
Read more
Image
 Saturday, February 1, 2025: Announcement about Bill Boorman (Sir Will) Victoria just called and explained that Bill Boorman is in his transitional phase. He's no longer eating or drinking. He's still mentally sharp but is having great difficulty communicating. Let's lift up Bill as he begins his passage  Bill is one of the kindest, most talented, and generous people of this age or any other. He loved life,  companionship, friends, art, and good food. Bill used every day to live a full life. He was no visitor to this world but rather a one-person celebration of humanity in all its wonder.  As I think that he's passing from this world, to whatever comes next, I think this poem by Mary Oliver expresses so much of Sir William.  when death comes  I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:  what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness? And therefore I look upon everything  as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,  and I look ...
Read more
Image
Thursday, May 15, 2025: *Quote from Pope Leo X1V*:  Because this Church, as long as I breathe, will be a home for the homeless, and a rest for the weary. " Brothers, sisters… I speak to you, especially to those who no longer believe, no longer hope, no longer pray, because they think God has left. To those who are fed up with scandals, with misused power, with the silence of a Church that sometimes seems more like a palace than a home. I, too, was angry with God. I, too, saw good people die, children suffer, grandparents cry without medicine. And yes… there were days when I prayed and only felt an echo. But then I discovered something: God doesn't shout. God whispers. And sometimes He whispers from the mud, from pain, from a grandmother who feeds you without having anything. I don't come to offer you perfect faith. I come to tell you that faith is a walk with stones, puddles, and unexpected hugs. I'm not asking you to believe in everything. I'm asking you not to cl...
Read more