Christian unity: Ecumenism can thrive in laity’s hands, says prof who will speak in Saskatchewan during Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

The annual De Margerie Series on Christian Reconciliation and Unity is named in honour of Fr. Bernard de Margerie, a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon who has dedicated his life in ministry to the promotion of Christian unity. The De Margerie Series lectures are presented by the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, the Leslie and Irene Dubé Chair for Catholic Studies at St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan, Campion College at the University of Regina, the Saskatoon Theological Union, the Archdiocese of Regina, and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon.

De Margerie Series for Christian Reconciliation and Unity welcomes Rev. Dr. Karen Petersen Finch

By Quinton Amundson, The Catholic Register

[Canadian Catholic News] – Rev. Karen Petersen Finch is aiming to empower Christians to become knowledgeable and confident communicators of faith through a series of ecumenical events in Saskatchewan Jan. 24-27, 2024.

Finch, professor of pastoral leadership at The Presbyterian College in Montréal and a U.S. Presbyterian Church representative in the Reformed-Catholic Dialogue, is the latest keynote speaker in the De Margerie Series for Christian Reconciliation and Unity.

The namesake of this series of lectures and workshops, now in its 12th year, is Fr. Bernard de Margerie, a retired priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon dedicated to promoting Christian unity. The De Margerie Series has become an important collaboration between the Regina and Saskatoon dioceses, the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism, and St. Thomas More College at the University of Saskatchewan. This year the series coincides with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which is marked Jan. 18-25.

RELATED: Other Saskatchewan Week of Prayer events and information  – LINK

LIVE-STREAM: De Margerie Lectures in Regina and Saskatoon – LINK

On Wednesday, Jan 24, Finch will deliver “Re-imagining Lay People as Stewards of Doctrine” at Campion College’s Riffel Auditorium in Regina. She will be joined by Dr. Gertrude Rompré, director of mission and ministry at St. Thomas More College in Saskatoon.

The next day, Thursday, Jan. 25 at St. Thomas More College, Finch will present “Doctrine as the Fuel of Renewal.” Her interviewer will be Dr. Brett Salkeld, theologian for the Archdiocese of Regina.

Both presentations begin at 7 p.m. local time and can also be viewed via live-stream video at YouTube.com/@schmeisercentre.

Finch, who will draw from her book Grassroots Ecumenism: The Way of Local Christian Reunion, has cultivated local ecumenical dialogues throughout her career and these experiences have instilled in her an important conviction.

“I have a strong belief that lay people are excellent theologians when equipped to be, and they are highly capable of representing their tradition in a doctrinal dialogue,” said Finch. “My book tells the story of a dialogue between a Presbyterian and a Catholic church in the inland northwest of the United States. After the story, (the book) gives the equipment so that other church communities can have a similar encounter.”

Finch’s methodology is inspired by Bernard Lonergan (1904-1984), a Canadian Jesuit theologian and philosopher celebrated in Catholic circles for his 1972 book Method in Theology, which was seminal in providing approaches to guide and control the ever-changing process of mediation between culture and religion.

Finch’s dissertation at Gonzaga University was a recommendation of Lonergan’s theological method. She later became a Fellow of the Lonergan Institute at Boston College.

Teasing her doctrine as the fuel of renewal presentation as “where it gets real fun,” Finch said her talk will shatter a lot of misconceptions.
“Most people think if we focus on the doctrine of our churches we will not come together,” said Finch. “In fact, I have had the opposite experience. If we are true to what our churches believe, and if we present it fairly and accurately without watering down differences, in my experience that is when mysterious and beautiful Holy Spirit-guided things begin to happen in the group dialogue.”

In a Catholic context, Finch said many of the important Vatican II documents affirm that the “lay apostolate can and must do dialogue,” and in the Presbyterian tradition there is a lot “said about how an educated laity are really the people who move the Church forward.”

Last summer, Finch embarked on a dialogue with St. Luke Church in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que. She guided attendees through her book and achieved promising results.

“It was remarkable to see these Catholic lay people just come alive. They could have talked theology until midnight. They could have gone on, and on, and on. There was so much passion, precision and wisdom. They want to begin a multi-lateral dialogue in their setting with two Anglican, a Reformed and a Lutheran church.”

In addition to the two lectures, Finch will also lead interactive in-person-only workshops entitled “The Eucharist – Where is Jesus?” in both Saskatoon and Regina, sponsored by the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism and the Catholic Archdiocese of Regina. The public workshop will be held 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Jan. 26 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 114 Kingsmere Drive, Saskatoon (followed by a free-will-donation lunch) and from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 27 at Christ the King Catholic Church, 3239 Garnet Street, Regina.

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