Young Feminist Network presents…

Creating Justice with Joy in our Church and Society

A National Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion Training Retreat

August 16-17, 2007 * Cenacle Retreat Center, Chicago, Ill.

Participant Application

Young Feminist Network (YFN), a ministry of Women’s Ordination Conference, is a national, diverse and inclusive community of womanist, mujerista and feminist Catholics in our 20’s and 30’s. We are a Roman Catholic group who recognizes the issues we address affect people regardless of religious affiliation.

Our Mission

Our mission is to equip and mobilize young Catholic women to integrate faith with feminism and to eliminate oppression within ourselves, society and the Roman Catholic Church.

Our GOALS

• Eliminate oppression: We work to eliminate oppression and discrimination in ourselves, our peers, our families, our communities and our church
• Create an inclusive Roman Catholic Church: We re-imagine and work toward changing and creating church structures that are fully inclusive, affirming and participatory
• Promote community faith life: We empower young women to participate in community faith life through parishes or faith sharing groups
• Provide leadership opportunities: We provide young Catholic feminists with training and opportunities to develop skills in leadership and prophetic witness
• Encourage healthy and diverse expressions of sexuality: We encourage young women to use their moral authority to make decisions about their sexuality, gender identity, and all other aspects of their body.

The primary purpose of the event is to develop the leadership skills of YFN members. The goals of the retreat are to:

• Expand and strengthen our YFN Chapters and Faith Sharing CommUnions
• Develop skills in promoting diversity and inclusion in YFN
• Deliver the necessary tools and training to implement YFN’s action plan
• Develop motivation and skills to organize grassroots activism

Because we are committed to anti-racism, diversity and inclusion, we will strive to gather an intentionally diverse group of women to participate. Our goal is to gather at least half women of color and at least half women called to ordination into a renewing priestly ministry. We appreciate the input you share on this application, and it will be used to set the agenda of the retreat, whether or not you participate.

Please send your application in by Friday, June 29, 2007. Cut and paste the Application Form into an email and send it to nvazquez@womensordination.org or print this page, complete, and send to P.O. Box 9653, Fairfax, VA 22031.

Application Form

First name:

Last name:

Street Address:

City, State, Zip:

Home/Cell Phone:

Work Phone:

E-mail:

Birthday (month/day/year):

1. How would you start a YFN chapter, including a Faith Sharing CommUnion (FSC), in your community? Or, if there is already a chapter or FSC in your community, how would you expand an existing chapter? Please be specific and limit your answer to 200 words.

2. Are you active in the Catholic reform movement? Please share your experience and limit your answer to 200 words. If not, why would you like to attend this retreat? Please be specific and limit your answer to 200 words.

3. What strategies would you suggest to move YFN's mission and goals forward (see above)? Please be specific and limit your answer to 200 words.

4. How do you live out your commitment to anti-racism, diversity and inclusion? Please be specific and limit your answer to 200 words.

5. How will you contribute to the YFN Retreat? Please be specific and limit your answer to 200 words.

6. During the retreat, you will receive training to develop YFN chapters and FSC’s. How would you make use of the tools given at the retreat to enrich your local community? Please be specific and limit your answer to 200 words.

7. How do you describe your race/ethnicity?

8. Do you feel called to ordination and/or to a renewing priestly ministry in the Catholic Church?

9. Do you identify as having a disability? (optional)

10. What is the highest level of education you have received or highest level of education currently enrolled? Please include equivalent education attainment outside of the United States if applicable. (optional)

11. How do you primarily define your sexual orientation and gender identity? (optional)

12. Is there anything else about yourself you would like to share with us? Please limit your answer to 100 words or less.

13. Are you in need of travel assistance?

Finances

The Women’s Ordination Conference has been blessed and fortunate to raise some funds for the Young Feminist Network Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion Retreat.

Registration Fee: There is a $100.00 registration fee. This will cover room and board during the event, a WOC T-shirt, and the training provided.

We do not want discourage anyone from applying or participating due to financial constraints, so we will work together to ensure everyone selected will be able to participate.

Thank you for your application! Have a blessed day!