Who We Are

Mission

We are a Christ-centered Catholic community reaching beyond the institutional church to be inclusive of all. Jesus Christ is our Pastor; therefore we open our church as a spiritual refuge. We hold the Eucharist as the center of our sacramental life. We embrace the challenge of the scriptures. We are ordinary people joyously celebrating the opportunity to follow Jesus’ radical message of unconditional love.

Pillars

The first pillar, inclusivity, is based on Jesus’ promise, “No one who comes to me will I ever reject.”

The second pillar, mission to the poor, is a continuation of Jesus’ work, “I have come to bring good news to the poor, free the prisoners, and liberate the oppressed.”

History – The Split

The community officially began on Valentine’s Day, 1999. 1100 people attended the Masses that first weekend. Most of them had previously belonged to Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church in Rochester, but they had found themselves unwelcome there following a Vatican crack-down on the parish the previous year. The Vatican found fault with 3 important practices at Corpus Christi:

1. The Prominent Role of Women on the altar during liturgies
2. Celebrating marriage equality
3. An invitation for all to participate in communion

The Diocese of Rochester, under pressure from Rome, fired the leaders and ended these inclusive practices.

1100 members decided not to abide by these new restrictions, which they considered damaging to women, gay people, and non-Catholics. Instead they formed Spiritus Christi, “Spirit of Christ” as the resurrected Corpus Christi, “Body of Christ”. It became an independent Catholic Church.

The fired leaders and other former staff members became the staff of the new church with Mary Ramerman as its pastor. Two years later, she became a Catholic priest in a historic ordination at the Eastman Theatre attended by 3,000 people from all around the world.

Outreaches & Missions

Ministries