August 6, 2006

Dear friends in life and in ministry . . .

This is about the latest that I've sent out my weekly letter. I've been in Bath this week and, for the summer, it's been a pretty full week. Now, I'm off for a few days including a trip to Beacon, NY where my friend Ken Anderson will be performing with folk singer Pete Seeger at the Beacon Corn Festival.

Have a good week. Serve each other well.

Ray

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Bulletin: August 6 , 2006

August 6, 2006

Last week, I provided some background into the Chautauqua Institute and Catholic House, where Pat serves as house manager during the nine week summer season. I mentioned that Chautauqua was formed 130 years ago as a place of respite and enrichment for clergy and Sunday school teachers. It has since evolved into a world renowned place of life long learning and ecumenical dialogue.

Each weekday at 10:45 a.m., thousands gather at the amphitheatre to listen and question nationally known speakers who share their knowledge and insight on a topics related to a predetermined theme. Speakers at this forum and at 2 p.m. and 3:30 lectures sponsored by the Chautauqua Departments of Religion and Public Affairs respectively, address the week’s theme as they relate to faith and civic responsibility. Like the morning speakers, the afternoon speakers include prominent theologians, religious leaders and public servants. After each lecture, audience members are free to offer questions and comments sometimes resulting in a lively debate.

Speakers this summer have included former vice president Al Gore, who spoke on the impact that global warming is having on our planet. Other speakers have offered scholarly forums on: “Russia: A Post – Soviet Identity”, “Education: Our Children and our World”, and Applied Ethics: The Obligations of Citizenship” Among the most noted speakers are people like Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., publisher of the New York Times, Senators Arlen Spector and Lee Hamilton, and our own former congressmen Amo Houghton and Stan Lundine. Guest theologians and religious leaders include authors Huston Smith, Dr. Larry Dossey and Rustom Roy who spoke on “Science Religion and Healing”, and Dr. Harvey Cox, Gustav Niebuhr, Fr. Donald Cozzens and Sister Joan Chittister.

A source of special delight is that, while not all speakers or audience members share the same religious faith or perspective, Chautauqua is a place where differing opinions and creeds are respected and celebrated. It is a place to learn from and about others and to share your faith experience with others who are equally open and respectful of the many unique ways that God is worshiped and faith celebrated within our diverse traditions and cultures.

If you’d like to read more about the Chautauqua Institution, visit their website at www.ciweb.org   If you’d like to receive information about staying at Catholic House, either Pat or I can give you the information you need.

Have a good week, serve one another well.