Unity
January 2027
Jn 17:20-21: "I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me"
This month we will focus on visible communion. Jesus in the Eucharist is the sacrament of our unity with God and among us as His Body.
Unity is not something we manufacture; it is a gift we receive from above. We can facilitate the gift of unity when we live the new commandment.
Unity cannot be created simply by organizational structures, common interests, agreement, or good communication.
Christian unity is ultimately God’s gift.
We prepare the ground for that gift when we place love at the center: when I prefer relationship over being right, communion over winning an argument, forgiveness over resentment, and the good of the other over my own preference.
Unity does not mean uniformity. It does not erase personality, culture, gifts, opinions or legitimate differences. Rather, it allows diversity to exist within a greater communion.
And this reaches its sacramental summit in the Eucharist.
MONTHLY GATHERING:
Tuesday, January 26, 2027
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Located in the Main Church
The speaker will be Loretta Rauschuber
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Loretta Rauschuber: A Life Dedicated to the Art of Unity
What does it really mean to live as a person of unity?
For more than 40 years, Loretta Rauschuber has been exploring that question, not simply as an idea, but as a way of life.
Born and raised in a large Catholic family in rural Central Texas, Loretta first encountered the spirituality of unity in 1983. Three years later, she made the radical decision to dedicate her life to God through consecrated life in the Work of Mary, an international Catholic movement committed to building unity among people, within the Church, and throughout society.
After studies at the Mystici Corporis Institute, Loretta has continued a lifelong journey of formation through the Lifelong Marian Internal University of the Work of Mary, the movement’s learning formation program dedicated to deepening the theological, spiritual, and cultural foundations of its charism.
Her journey has taken her far beyond Central Texas. Loretta spent 20 years in Italy, including time at the international headquarters of the Work of Mary in Rocca di Papa, where she helped form young people and adults in the spirituality of unity.
Her professional and creative life is equally remarkable. With degrees in Computer Science and Accounting, Loretta has worked in technology, accounting, international project management, and social-impact initiatives. She has led projects involving more than 50 people in 19 countries and has helped develop initiatives promoting dialogue, collaboration, and a culture of giving.
Loretta is also a graphic artist and illustrator. Her artistic creativity began at age 15 with scenic oil paintings and eventually developed into professional illustration and graphic design. Her work includes illustrating Blessed Chiara Badano: Her Secrets to Happiness, bringing to life significant moments in the spiritual journey of Blessed Chiara Luce Badano for a new generation.
Since returning to the United States in 2008, Loretta has continued to offer spiritual formation across the country. In 2019, she created and launched a certificate-based course on the Spirituality of Unity, helping others discover that unity is not merely something we hope for, it is something we can learn to live.
Most recently, she prepared spiritual formation materials for the Diocese of Beaumont’s Christ Central Camp, serving 240 young people during the summer of 2026.
Yet behind all these accomplishments is something much simpler, and much more profound.
Loretta is passionate about the culture of giving: the conviction that when we learn to live for one another, something extraordinary happens, Christ becomes present among us.
That is why her message on Unity is not merely something she has studied. It is something she has spent decades seeking to practice, teach, create, and communicate.
Come hear Loretta at St. Anthony of Padua as part of our Embers Evangelization Program.
Unity is more than getting along. It is a way of living the Gospel, and Loretta has spent a lifetime learning how.