overview of the grail

THE GRAIL in the United States

Called by our spiritual values, The Grail envisions a world

of peace, justice and renewal of the earth, brought about by

women working together as catalysts for change.

The Vision of The Grail in the

U.S.A.

Approved by The Grail movement at the 2005 General Assembly

The Grail – a symbol of the quest

a symbol of mystery-

The Divine in the Human

The human in the Divine

The Spirit among us.

The Cup

wide open

receiving

holding, sharing

shaping the quality of our lives

our oneness with each other and

all creation-our response to the World.

WHAT IS THE GRAIL?

The Grail is a women’s movement whose members are bonded

by their commitments to social action, solidarity with the most

vulnerable, and a deep faith in goodness as the source of our

being. The Grail community embodies women of many different

cultures and backgrounds who work in many different fields. We

work in 17 countries—often as individuals and sometimes

together in corporate projects. We are interconnected with each

other regionally, nationally and internationally.

Pam Cobey

We are drawn together by a common vision.

In spite of our great diversity, we share a common longing to

find meaningful ways of contributing to the transformation of our

world into a place of love and justice. We long for a world in

which every child can bloom and flourish, where every man and

woman can find fulfillment and respect through their love, work

and leisure.

The Grail Entering the 21st Century, 2000, p.1

We seek to understand-ever more deeply-the mysteries of life, the

longings of the human heart, the causes of suffering, and to learn

what we can do to help make this Earth a more welcoming home

for all people and all creatures.


The Mission Goals of The Grail in

the U.S.A.

We are an international women’s movement empowering women to work for world transformation.

We are committed to:

• spiritual search,• social transformation,• ecological sustainability,• and the release of women’s creative energy

throughout the world.

Approved by The Grail movement at the 2005 General Assembly

GRAIL HISTORY• The Grail began in 1921, following the end of the First

World War, and in response to the horror of that war. It was founded by Fr. Jacques van Ginneken, a Dutch Jesuitpriest, and was called the Women of Nazareth.

• Van Ginneken felt that this particular historical moment was the right time for women- unconfined by convent walls and rule-to have the opportunity to make an immense contribution to the transformation of the world.

• By 1939, The Grail had become a colorful movement involving thousands of young English, Dutch and German women, challenged to deep personal and spiritual commitment.

GRAIL HISTORY• The movement that would be called The Grail was crushed in the advent of the

Second World War and was forced to go underground. While it re-emerged after WWII, it was no longer the same movement. The exploitation of young persons in the Hitler Youth, tainted the possibility for recruitment of young adults to any movement. The Grail re-focused its energy to bring its values and support to women in helping professions in other parts of the world.

• The Grail continued to spread around the globe and started in United States in 1940.

• The Grail was born in a Roman Catholic tradition, and remained so for more than 40 years in the U.S.A. However, at this time, The Grail in the U.S.A. welcomes women from a wide range of spiritual and religious traditions.

Adapted from The Grail Entering the 21st Century, 2000, p.3

A FORCE IN OUR WORLD

• The Grail has a long history of making positive change in the world. Grail members have been integral players in endeavors such as:o The Civil Rights Movement

o The Feminist Movement

o Dismantling Apartheid in South Africa

o The Catholic Rural Life Movement

o The Publication of Sacred Music

o Contemporary Religious Art Production

THE SPIRIT OF THE GRAIL

The symbol of The Grail

The Grail chalice,

emblem of our movement,

speaks of an attitude of receptivity.

Wide open, the chalice stands empty,

ready to receive, eager to be filled…

May we all stand before Mystery

Source of goodness and life…like that,

in a deep awareness of the fact

that our whole lives and every minute of them,

are a gift of love…

aware that we are empty vessels by ourselves

but confident in the constant outpouring of gratuitous

love.

May we all be able to say again and again,

in recognition of this love within:

“My cup is overflowing.”

-adapted from Rachel Donders, former Grail international president

CORE VALUES

• SPIRITUAL SEARCH

• WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT

• DIGINITY

• JUSTICE

• COMMUNITY

• CARE OF THE EARTH

• CREATIVITY

• BRIDGE BUILDING ACROSS DIFFERENCES

• A LIVING INTEGRATION OF GRAIL VALUES

The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

SPIRITUALITY • Exploration of our relationship with the source of

goodness and creativity within us and yet, beyond us

• Recognition for the sacredness of life

• Respect for differing spiritualties and spiritual paths and commitment to working across our differences

• Commitment to an ethical life rooted in justice, interdependence, sustainability and compassion

• Openness to the transforming power of ritual


WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT• Gratitude for the contributions of women in the past

• Advocacy for the rights of women and girls

• Belief in the potential for women’s leadership in transforming the world

• Commitment to the empowerment of women, enabling them to own and live out their deepest convictions


DIGNITY

• Respect and appreciation for the humanity and dignity of each person

• A stance of compassion and solidarity in the face of human need


JUSTICE• Promotion of economic and social justice

• Engagement with efforts that advance peace and non-violence


COMMUNITY• Hospitality

• Collaboration

• Generosity

• Forging interpersonal bonds among women everywhere committed to a shared vision of peace in a global community


CARE OF THE EARTH• Appreciation and respect for earth as a living organism

in which the sacred is manifest

• Commitment to the survival of the planet

• Responsible use and stewardship of resources

• Collaboration with others in working toward ecological sustainability

• Equitable access to resources to support survival of the planet and the health of the most vulnerable


CREATIVITY• Recognition of the role of the arts in personal and

societal transformation

• Encouragement of creativity in all aspects of Grail life, work and celebration

• Use of the arts to foster the experience of interconnection with all of life and a sense of that which is transcendent


BRIDGE BUILDING ACROSS

DIFFERENCES• Willingness to engage in dialogue and to build

relationships across race, gender, sexual preference, socio-economic, generation, religious and spiritual differences

• Commitment to foster mutual understanding and action among those holding diverse or opposing points of view

• Collaboration with others to promote action and provide leadership in working for the common good

• Model what it means to be a community working across differences


INTEGRATION THAT ONE’S LIFE MAY BE A

REFLECTION OF GRAIL VALUES

• Development of opportunities for women to appreciate and experience an integration of their spiritual search with action on behalf of social transformation, ecological sustainability, and the release of women’s creative energy throughout the world

THE WORK OF THE GRAIL

• The search for meaningful, transformative work, and the effort to produce good work, has always been an essential part of our commitment in The Grail

• Members live out Grail values in whatever they are doing—in their jobs, families and community, as well as in their formal connection to Grail members and Grail centers

Integrating Grail Values into One’s Life

• Encouragement of spiritual and reflective practices

• Incorporation of spiritual practices into our gatherings

• Creation and sharing of ritual together by participating in interfaith/inter-spiritual days of reflection and retreats

• Availability of participation in interfaith/inter-spiritual dialogue

Our Work on Behalf of SpiritualityBuilding bridges among diverse faith traditions and spiritual paths

Our Work on behalf of Social

Transformationadvancing peace, justice, and a world free from military dominance, and challenging economic systems that put at risk the most

vulnerable, especially women and children

• Formal participation at the United Nations as a recognized non-governmental organization (NGO) on behalf of ESCOSOC at the Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

• Participation with wider community activities on behalf of global peace, justice, and environmental issues.

• Global justice advocacy• Focused training programs for young girls

and women who are, and will be, leaders and activists

• Community development and educational projects

Approved by The Grail movement at the 2005 General Assembly; The Grail Brochure, 2008

Our Work on Behalf of Ecological

Sustainabilitycreating communities for a sustainable future

• Organic gardens are created and cared for at Grail centers in Ohio and New York

• Environmental education is offered through Grail centers and by individual Grail activists (Many Grail women are working to educate the public about the consequences of the hydraulic fracturing of shale for the extraction of natural gas)

• Ohio’s Grailville has constructed wetlands

• Grailville has commenced grassroots efforts toward the creation of a Transition incitivein Loveland, Ohio

• A national climate action group


Our Work on Behalf of Releasing women’s creative

energy

• Engagement in the arts • Incorporation of and appreciation for simple

beauty and art in the world, in our centers, and in our gatherings

• Programming around the arts sponsored at our centers

• Use of Grail space for art exhibits• Grail projects and retreats (singing, dancing,

art, writing, poetry, and cooking, for example)

celebrating the arts as a means of personal and societal transformation


TRANSFORMING OUR

WORLD TODAYWe are shaped by Grail values and our work arise from our values. Some examples of our work include:

• Sponsorship of St Teresa's Girl’s School in Tanzania

• Establishing the San Jose Grail Family Services in San Jose, CA

• Researching and publishing literature globally in the fields of theology, the environment, and social justice

• Working locally to ban hydraulic fracturing of shale for the extraction of natural gas, also known as fracking

• Advocacy work addressing sexual trafficking

• Supporting permaculture, women farmers and participating in the Community Supported Agriculture/local food movement

• Working with the Pointe-au-Chien tribe in Louisiana in the aftermath of the BP oil spill

THE LIFE OF THE GRAIL

• The Grail is committed to building community

• Members manifest community life by staying connected through regional groups, Grail centers, and individual relationships

• The Grail community is very diverse. It spans regions, countries, languages and generations.

COMMUNITY LIFE

GRAIL CENTERS• Grail centers play an important role in the life of The

Grail, servicing as gathering places for members of The Grail and as outreach to the larger community. Forty percent of Grail members live in or near a Grail center

• Grail programs and events include liturgical and other celebrations, reflection and meditation groups, training programs, weekend courses, retreats, lectures and discussions, and as venues for visual and the performing arts. Centers in both New York in Ohio have labyrinths

• Grailville, located in Loveland, Ohio, is the face of The Grail in the US, and the first of all the Grail centers in the United States

• In addition to the programming and events, Grailvilleoffers miles of trails, and 350 acres of woods, pastures, creeks, and gardens, a labyrinth as well as a fair-trade shop

www.grailville.org

• Located in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, The Grail Center at Cornwall was founded in 1963

• The Grail Center at Cornwall functions as a retreat center and works extensively with the local community to support women who work for social justice, environmental sustainability, and community development

• In addition to providing a space where women can recharge and reconnect with their spiritual core and each other, the center offers opportunities for training, skill-building, strategizing, and networking

www.thegrailatcornwall.org

THE GRAIL CENTER AT CORNWALL

BRONX CENTER• The Bronx Grail Center, located in the heart of the South Bronx in

New York City, is connected closely to the community and the local parish. The population of The Bronx is Latino, Afro-American and Caribbean

• The Center is home to Grail members, a girls group (ages 6 to 12) ,a teen group, and the women’s micro-economic project (La Aventura/The Adventure). Girls are given an opportunity for international awareness, personal growth, and environmental consciousness. La Aventura offers a way to supplement income for migrant women

• Center programs emphasize both women’s and girls’ leadership• The Bronx Center also hosts an annual gathering of International

Grail members and young women who represent The Grail and UFER (International movement for Fraternal Union Among Races and Peoples)at the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women

WHERE IS THE GRAIL?

THE GRAIL IN THE USA

• Grail circles can be found in o Boston, MA; Claremont, CA; Dayton

and Cincinnati, OH; Cornwall, Bronx, and New York City, NY ; Houma-Thibodaux, and Lafayette, LA; Philadelphia, PA; Northern CA; MI; NJ; WI; ID; and CO

• We have 243 members ino Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut,

Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, and throughout the world

Location of Grail members through out the United States

THE INTERNATIONAL GRAIL

• The International Grail focuses on issues including: solidarity with the most vulnerable, overcoming poverty, human trafficking, health care, violence against women, the needs of immigrants and refugees, sustainable development, global economics, ecological concerns around biodiversity and climate change, and engaging in ongoing dialogue and reflection about faith, religion, spirituality, and spiritual expression

www.thegrail.org; The Grail Entering the 21st Century, 2000, p.3

THE INTERNATIONAL GRAIL

• The work varies according to the needs of the country and the gifts of those drawn to the movement, but we always seek to make our vision practical and effective. We do not limit our work to humanitarian aid, but acknowledge the need to change systems, which degrade the quality of life, and to build a society, which recognizes, in words and deeds, the dignity of all human beings and the value of all creatures

The Grail Entering the 21st Century,

2000, p.1

Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, The Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, Uganda, and the USA.

The Grail is in 17 countries

HOW DO YOU GET TO KNOW THE GRAIL?

• In the United States, women interested in The Grail generally contact one of the members they have met, one of the centers or the national office. They are invited to attend a number of gatherings or to participate in one of the Grail projects. If their interest grows and they wish to become a participant in the movement, they can start a process called “Exploring” The Grail

• “Exploring” involves attending Grail gatherings or retreats, and getting to know other members with different experiences and backgrounds in The Grail and to learn about The Grail mission, history, and life

• During this process, women also get the chance to explore the potential ways to become part of The Grail by contributing time, talent and treasure in ways that enhance and develop leadership


CONTACT THE GRAILThe National Office 932 O’Bannonville RoadLoveland, Ohio 45140

Phone: 513-683-5750Email: [email protected]: www.grail-us.org

Grailville932 O’Bannonville RoadLoveland, Ohio 45140Phone: 513-683-2340Email: [email protected]: www.grailville.org

Cornwall119 Duncan AvenueCornwall-on-Hudson, NY 12520Phone: 845-534-2031Email: [email protected]: www.thegrailatcornwall.org

The Bronx470 E. 138th StreetBronx, NY 10454Phone: 718-665-0271Email: [email protected]

overview of the grail

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