Welcome to Catholic Wonder!
Hello, I’m Jane Feliz Rush.
Many people know that the word “catholic” means universal in Greek. Yet, when we dig deeper into the Greek root, “catholic” derives from the word kataholos which means “throughout the whole.” This insight has changed the way I view the meaning of catholic and Catholic. If I see the cosmos that God created as connected and tending toward wholeness, then I can’t help but see all people and all of creation as belonging to one another.
Over this past year, I have prepared and researched a unique approach to online participation in an ongoing and synodal conversation that will encourage us to walk together and listen deeply to one another as Church into the third millennium.
Together, we will take a “long, loving look at the real” (Walter Burgarhardt, SJ) - a contemplative approach that will help us to see with new eyes and hear with new ears the Word of God and unexpected teachings of our rich Tradition of the Church
Our conversation will be relevant, inclusive, joyful and comprehensive
For anyone with a desire to grow in their faith and understanding, for the catechist and all people who long for fruitful and relevant prayer and conversation, guided by a clear lens of unexpected Church teachings, over the centuries inspired by Vatican II, our Catholic Social Tradition, the writings and wisdom of Pope Francis, theologians and a plethora of Catholic-minded authors and poets.
We will be open to the good, true and beautiful in other traditions outside of the Church
For all people who feel a “magnetic grace” toward the Catholic Church despite all frustrations and doubts - here is a way to see and hear truth in a refreshing and restorative conversation, welcoming the Holy Spirit and searching for a restored relationship.
As a former Catholic educator and principal, 7th-12th grade religion teacher in four different Catholic schools across the country, high school campus minister, wife of 25 years and mother of young adult twins, I promise:
To research every topic and use accessible language
To share my life to help make things interesting and relevant
To approach this adventure with a beginner’s mind, open to new insights, ideas, wisdom from unexpected places, and always a desire to learn
To have an understanding of the magisterial teachings of the Church or to admit when I don’t have the answer
To create a space for safe and fruitful conversation that respects the life and dignity of each participant
To provide relevant resources for spiritual growth
To think outside the box
I hold an undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame ‘94, I participated and graduated with a Master of Arts in Teaching from the A.C.E. Program at ND ‘96 (Alliance for Catholic Education), and I earned a Masters in Theological Studies from St. Meinrad School of Theology in Indiana in 2020