2009 Cardinal Bernardin Conference: The Future of the Catholic Common Ground Initiative

CONFERENCE OUTLINE

After twelve years of bringing people of various positions together around polarizing topics in the Roman Catholic Church the Catholic Common Ground Initiative committee has decided to plan for its future by entering into a strategic planning process. With generous funding from the Cushman Foundation, the Donnelly Foundation, and others, CCGI has contracted with the Reid Group to help us dream boldly and secure the future of this worthy initiative.

Planning has already begun. A Futuring Team is being developed and constitutes a balance of pastoral leaders in the Church who are familiar with the Initiative to aid in the planning process. We anticipate the completion of our strategic planning process by June of 2009. Included in this plan, CCGI committee members along with external collaborators will join together at the Serra Retreat Center in Malibu, California from March 12-15, 2009. It is at this meeting where an original draft of our strategic plan will come to fruition.

We are very pleased to have the financial support of those who are willing to commit to the vision of Cardinal Bernardin for the Catholic Common Ground Initiative. We invite you to listen to the reflections and observations of the last twelve years of the Initiative by Sr. Catherine Patten, the original coordinator of the Catholic Common Ground Initiative in this 20 minute streaming video.