By Mary McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 11/13/03)

Almost 200 people of three faith traditions met last weekend at the annual Lutheran, Anglican, Roman Catholic (LARC) conference in Fredericksburg. Although the group was largely comprised of Catholics, the meeting offered a chance for bishops from each faith to address the group, and lead them in dialogue to better understand the beliefs and basis for each religion.

This year’s theme, "Conscience Formation in the Three Traditions," was introduced Friday night by keynote speaker Dr. Sondra Ely Wheeler, professor of Christian Ethics at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. Her address focused on the role of formation of conscience in the Church and in each of the three faiths.

Following her talk, Richmond Bishop Walter Sullivan and clergy members of the Lutheran and Episcopal faiths delivered short reflections.

Saturday morning, the theme was once again addressed by the clergy in more detail, and students from each faith offered their views on how their faith helps them make moral decisions. Following the reflections, guided small-group discussions gave attendants the opportunity to talk to individuals of other faiths about the themes discussed.

Both days concluded with a Taize prayer and music service at St. Mary Catholic Church.

The highlight of the conference for many participants was not only getting to talk to people of other faiths about commonalities and differences, but especially having the chance to address these topics with young people. Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde said,

"It is wonderful to have younger people give a witness."

Gabriela Castañeda, a senior at Mary Washington College, spoke about how her Catholic formation has shaped who she has become, especially since she began college.

"From a young age we are taught what is right and what is wrong," Castañeda said. Her formation has helped her to distinguish where the line between right and wrong should be drawn. "Jesus Christ did not give us the right to mark our own line," she said. "It wasn’t until I plugged Jesus into the equation that I understood what the morals were about."

Castañeda said that Father Paul Scalia, parochial vicar at St. Patrick Parish in Fredericksburg, provided the analogy that morals are like the metric system. They are not relative. They shouldn’t change because God’s teaching doesn’t change.

Bishop Loverde expanded on this analogy, stating that Jesus Christ is the model against which everything should me measured, but he also added that we can look to our faith traditions and the teachings of the Magisterium for guidance.

Bishop Loverde and Castañeda both reflected on the Catechism teaching express in paragraph 1785: "In the formation of conscience the Word of God is the light of our path… We are assisted by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the authoritative teaching of the Church."

In closing, Bishop Loverde stressed the importance of being a witness, like Castañeda. "Her witness is so powerful to all of us," he said. "What will get us to follow Christ is not words in a book, but the witness."

Marjorie Hathaway, a member of St. John Bosco Parish in Woodstock, said she enjoyed the conference because it was "very general. They focus on what we have in common," she said, instead of specific Canon Laws.

"It’s so beautiful," said Maulin Desai a parishioner at Ascension Parish in Virginia Beach. "We’re bringing so many things to the table."