Tag: Margaret O’Gara

The witness of Margaret O’Gara — two reflections

Margaret O’Gara

We are grateful to the authors for permission to share two reflections on the life of our departed friend and colleague, Margaret O’Gara.

“Fully Human, Spiritual, Religious, Christian” is a reflection that Margaret’s husband (or “spousal colleague”) Michael Vertin shared at both her Toronto, Ontario and Collegeville, Minnesota funeral masses in August.

“The Ecumenical Mountatin” is the homily that Fr. Rene McGraw O.S.B. shared at the Collegeville, Minnesota funeral mass.

Our earlier announcement of Margaret’s death may be found here. 

Please join in prayer for Margaret O’Gara

Margaret O'GaraWe are sad to have to share news of the declining health of Margaret O’Gara.  Bridgefolk has been exceptionally blessed to benefit from Margaret’s friendship and wisdom as one of the leading Catholic ecumenical thinkers on the scene today.  Margaret is a theologian at the University of Toronto, a member of the Collegeville Institute Board of Directors, and a recent president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, as well as a member of the Bridgefolk Board.  A private person, Margaret has not wished to call attention to her cancer.  But a letter from Donald Ottenhoff, executive director of the Collegeville Institute, updating colleagues on Margaret’s condition, has begun to circulate widely among theologian friends.  So it seems appropriate to share excerpts with Margaret’s friends in Bridgefolk as well:

I write to inform you that our friend and colleague Margaret O’Gara has entered hospice care during this past week.  As many of you know, Margaret has undergone treatment for cancer over the past two years, even as she has continued to pursue her teaching schedule as her medical regime has allowed.  Margaret’s husband Michael reports that Margaret is still functioning pretty well, but that it became clear to them that the time had come for Margaret to benefit from professional care. …

Michael tells me that he and Margaret are of course sad about this turn in Margaret’s condition, but that they are “feeling calm and collected at the most fundamental level,” and that they find themselves “greatly consoled by our Christian hope in the resurrection, and by support from family and friends.”

Please keep Margaret and Michael in your prayers.

Let us join with others in this prayer and concern.

Gerald W. Schlabach