Introducing Regina Wilson,

New Steering Committee Member

As far as I know, I had never met a Mennonite until August 1990 when my husband Jeff Nixa and I were blessed to meet Gerald and Joetta Schlabach at Notre Dame. Aside from the pleasure and blessing of meeting Gerald and Joetta, no fireworks occurred from this meeting. In fact, I only learned a little bit about the Mennonite Church at that point. Gerald and I were in a class together at Notre Dame and our paths occasionally crossed at various ND theology functions along the way. Little did I expect what would unfold in Jeff’s and my life in subsequent years. In fact, in some ways this is more Jeff’s story than mine, but I was definitely along for the ride.

Jeff and I are what is known as cradle Catholics. Catholicism is what I know. I basically eat, sleep and breathe it, and, though I am unhappy about some aspects of the Catholic Church, it’s family. Jeff, on the other hand, came to a point where the sins of the Catholic Church far outweighed the grace for him, and he decided to take a break from Catholicism. Gerald and Joetta had invited us several times to worship at Kern Road Mennonite Church here in South Bend. Due to my responsibilities as a pastoral associate, it is difficult for me to get away on a Sunday. Jeff, however, decided to give it a go and went one Sunday to Kern for worship. One Sunday led to another worshipping at Kern Road. Of course, he would give me glowing reports about community life, women preaching, the singing, and the commitment to justice. Of course, I was jealous. Before long that first worship experience had led to five years with Kern Road for Jeff.

During this time, we both met many other Mennonite folks and developed friendships along the way. I also grew more impatient with the division between not only the Mennonite and Catholic Churches but between all Christian Churches. As my associations with Mennonites grew and deepened and as we occasionally shared worship, I grew more uncomfortable and embarrassed by the division we were “celebrating” (in a sense) at Sunday worship. Sharing the pain of this division has sharpened my desire to be part of the work for unity.

Our girls were both baptized in the Catholic Church. As time passed and they grew older, issues about which church to raise them in became more pressing for us. Eventually, Jeff decided to return to the Catholic Church but, of course, neither one of us has been the same since. Meeting Gerald and Joetta on a balmy August day in Indiana was the beginning of an experience that has deeply formed my ministry in the Catholic Church and has been life changing for our family.

Serving on the steering committee for Bridgefolk is a way for me to continue to share in the blessings and gifts of the Mennonite Church as well as to engage in the work for Christian unity.

-- Regina Wilson