An Inclusive Catholic Creed

• We believe in the one God who is embodied in all that is, whose awareness and Spirit flow through all that is happening in every present moment.
• We honor this God as Mother and Father to us all, the Source of all life, the one who feeds and shelters us, and who provides whatever we truly need.
• We cherish our earth as the divine body within which we live, and move, and have our being. We respect the interdependence of all life in our glorious home.
• We recognize our God as the one who is honored by all people, whatever name they use to claim their God. Whoever you are, we believe that your God is our God too.
• We believe that every human being, and all forms of life, are a revelation of who God is, deserving honor and respect. We listen with care to each diverse embodiment of God.
• We reverence each of our bodies as the dwelling place of God, the source of experience by which we know our place in the universal body of God.
• We believe that God's creative act is ongoing, that all life forms are participants in what is coming to be. We value the contribution of all life, even when we don't understand it.
• We honor Jesus as the revelation of God, and challenge ourselves to see God’s self-disclosure in ourselves, in every other person, and indeed in every form of life.
• We believe that the God revealed in Jesus is love, the power that holds all that is just as it is. We claim that the meaning of life for each individual lies in learning how to love.
• We believe that all attempts to have power over others result from unacknowledged fear, and need to be held in love so that the healing truth may be discovered.
• We bless the poor in Spirit, those who seek no power over others, who are content to simply be aware in the present moment.
• We believe that we are challenged, in every present moment, to hold the truth in intimate relationship to each other. We honor the Spirit between us as our experience of God.
• We bless the pure in heart, those who accept the simple truth of Spirit as it presents itself within themselves, and from within each other.
• We believe the Church is the people of God, the ones who cherish equally every member, whatever their skin color, gender, age, health, or sexual orientation.
• We honor our Church leadership as the ones who listen most carefully to the ongoing revelation of God within the people. We confront their attempts to have power over us.
• We accept our share in the divine responsibility for everything that happens in our Church and our world. We are moved to act in concert with all who suffer.
• We believe that death is the way to new life, that familiar old ways need to die when they no longer hold the truth whose discovery promises exciting new life.
• We come together to celebrate the glory of the Mystery that fascinates and overwhelms us. We welcome each surprise as the gift of our God who wants to be known and loved.

March 2006