Sister Gail Worcelo

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.

Dance has always been my passion. I began taking ballet and tap lessons as a child and continue to this day, using dance as an art form for healing Earth.

In the 1980′s I studied Liturgical Dance with Carla DeSola and became a choreographer of this style which I have been able to integrate into the beauty of liturgy as an embodied expression of praise and adoration of the Divine.

I joined the Passionist nuns, a monastic community of women in 1982 with a Master’s degree in Christian Spirituality from Fordham University. During my novitiate in 1984, Thomas Berry, who was a priest in the same congregation came to the monastery to give us classes on The Universe Story and our Role as Humans in that Story.

Thomas became my mentor and guide and I began to study with him at the Riverdale Center for Religious Research in NYC. He continued to mentor me until his death in 2009.

During my years at my former monastery I founded and directed, Homecomings: Center for Ecology and Contemplation, (1990-1999) served on the Leadership Team as Councilor and Novice director of the community, (1992-1999) obtained a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology (1993) and began traveling around the world giving retreats to congregations of men and women religious based on my work with Thomas Berry (1990-present).

I have been a workshop presenter and speaker at gatherings such as: The national assembly of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), Congregational Chapters of Men and Women, Sisters of Earth, Spiritual Directors International, Catholic Theological Union, The International European Passionists Gathering, The International Gathering of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Ecuador, Sophia Center, and The Network of Religious Congregations in Melbourne, Australia.

I am passionate about my own growth in Christ consciousness and in linking with others who are committed to the same.

I want to wholeheartedly contribute to the revival of women’s religious life in North America and invite young women into this vital aspect of the tradition. I am currently working on a book on the topic of religious life as fresh expression for the 21st century.

—

Sister Gail was interviewed, in December 2010 for the Advent of Evolutionary Christianity teleseries. Listen to that conversation here:

Part 1:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Part 2:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Part 3:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.