“I love everything about Rochester.” ReverEnd Mary Ramerman Spiritus Christi Church
By ashley copper I PHOTO BY todd elliott
Reverend Mary Ramerman knows all too well what it’s like to face adversity. After being controversially confronted by the Rochester Diocese in 1998, Corpus Christi Church’s then Pastor, Father Jim Callan, was dismissed from serving as the the parish administrator. For the twenty-two years prior, Callan had reconstructed a depleting congregation by altering the parishioners’ focus. Under his leadership, Corpus Christi went from being a struggling parish of a couple of hundred attendees, to a bountiful body of 3,000. Corpus Christi had been known for its extensive outreach programs and for its non-partial embracing of all individuals, Catholic or otherwise. The hierarchy did not recognize the practices that had been adopted by Corpus Christi, which included allowing non-Catholics to participate in Communion, celebrating gay and lesbian unions, and ordaining women. The Vatican resented the fact that Callan permitted Mary Ramerman to hold the position of Associate Pastor of Corpus Christi and she was consequently asked not to wear vestments. Ramerman objected, planted firm in her advocacy for equality among the sexes in the church and continued to approach the altar. She was fired shortly after Callan. Though Callan and Ramerman had been considered excommunicated by the Rochester diocese, they founded, along with other members who had either resigned from, or had been fired from their positions at Corpus Christi, the “New Faith Community”, which is known today as Spiritus Christi. Although not officially in communion with Rome, Spiritus Christi observes the traditions of the Catholic Church while still adhering to their own values that center around being an inclusive parish. In Spiritus Christi’s early days, Rev. Ramerman was often distressingly scrutinized. She explained that when people approached her, she never knew if their intentions were to condemn her or to offer her their support. I asked Rev. Ramerman how she was able to cope with criticism. She replied that for her, it was necessary to learn that, “you can’t please everyone. You have look deep within yourself and express what you believe.” She went on to say that what is most “mentally freeing” is when know that “you are at peace with who you are and at peace with God.” “I think the thing that’s really helpful is to have people you find that can encourage you,” Rev. Ramerman began, “so that when you have times of feeling unaccepted, you have your ‘hug group’people who remind you the meaning of who you are and what you’re about.” Rev. Ramerman illustrated her own words by revealing a touching example. She recalled that when she started praying before the church, there were certain faces in the congregation that she would fixate upon, because they were smiling, supportive faces. In spite of the hindrances that Rev. Ramerman and the other (continued on page 46)
rochester WomanMag.com :: april 2012
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