Put Out into the Deep
Feb 25 2025
Hello, and welcome to the Put Out into the Deep, the newsletter of Building Catholic Futures. In this issue, we link to an article at US Catholic, a profile of our friend and collaborator, Gracie Morbitzer, and a reminder of our upcoming Witness Webinar series.
Modern Saints
Last year, Eve and Keith met a number of diocesan Superintendents of Schools. Since our Building Blocks include "Start the Conversation," and Catholic schools struggle sometimes to raise tough topics, we asked them what their faculty and campus ministers use to invite people raise the right kinds of questions and start fruitful conversation.
Classroom posters.
And so we had an idea: ask a Catholic artist to create posters about friendship, vocation, and evangelization!
This month, US Catholic profiled Gracie Morbitzer, the artist with whom we have been working, and Modern Saints, her ministry of writing icons with a modern flair that delights us.
BCF gets a shout out:
“(Gracie) has a vision of a church that anyone could walk into and be at home,” says Eve Tushnet, the cofounder of “Building Catholic Futures.” “I love that.”
Here's the Nathaniel and Phillip scene she has drawn for our evangelization poster.
Meet the Witness Webinar #1
Speaking of those witnesses to the Lord who are named Nathaniel...
Nate Tinner-Williams is the co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger, which offers news and commentary relevant to African-American Catholics. He’s also one of our Witnesses: passionate Catholics, who identify in the LGBT/SSA+ continuum, who share their stories of growing in missionary discipleship.
Nate’s story includes an early fascination with sacred Scripture, in all its wildness (give it up for the horse-sized locusts with human faces!). He journeyed through multiple Christian traditions before God called him into the Catholic Church. Eve will interview him about his journey, his work with BCF as a speaker, his help adapting our Journeys evangelization content, the parallels he sees between Black Catholic and queer Catholic experience, and his hopes and questions for Catholics who seek a better future.
Those who attend the webinar will have a chance to submit questions anonymously.
We invite you to join us for the first interview of our Meet the Witnesses Webinar Series on
Wednesday, March 5, at 7pm Eastern/4pm Pacific time.
Sometimes what people need in order to start new conversations is to encounter a new voice: someone who surprises or resonates with them. If you know someone who might especially appreciate hearing Nate’s story, why not share this newsletter with them?
Your Prayers and Ours
Please pray for our Holy Father, Francis, and for his health, peace, and continuing inspiration.
Eve and Keith