Living His Legacy
As we begin the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity on January 18th, the Oblates celebrate our beloved ecumenist, the late Fr. John Crossin, OSFS.
When Fr. John Crossin, OSFS, unexpectedly died in May 2023, it seemed his work as an ecumenist had ended. He had just published his fifth book Moving into the Ecumenical Future: Foundations of a Paradigm for Christian Ethics, planned a book tour, and secured numerous speaking engagements. Diagnosed with terminal cancer just a few weeks before his death, Fr. John repeatedly shared his desire with his siblings during that precious time - please continue to promote his latest book and work for Christian Unity. Though no simple ask, his two brothers and sister eagerly agreed. From this exchange was born a formal partnership with Fr. John’s Oblate brothers and friends from the ecumenical world.
Fr. John Crossin, OSFS, meets Pope Francis in Rome.
The Crossin/Oblate Family Partnership promotes Fr. John’s publications and continues the ecumenical dialogue to which he dedicated this life. Recognized as a national leader in ecumenism, Fr. John served as the Executive Director of the Washington Theological Consortium, Executive Director of the Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity at the Vatican and on the Pontifical Council’s Joint Working Group with the World Council of Churches. He wrote numerous articles, taught at several theological schools, delivered countless talks, and won multiple awards for this work.
One of the Partnership’s first efforts was to share this vast experience and knowledge. They began by promoting Moving into the Ecumenical Future along with his articles, videos, and other books. These were added to the Oblate website to provide easy access and promote books. Since last May, over 450 books have been sold or given away nationally and internationally.
Another initiative of the Partnership was helping to organize a symposium at Washington Theological Consortium (WTC) dedicated to John’s book that included theologians Dr. Timothy Sedgwick, Fr. Don Heet, OSFS, Dr. Beverly Goines, and Dr. Kathleen Hope Brown. Some of these theologians will contribute to a memorial volume the Partnership is developing. This will honor Fr. Crossin and work to advance and develop his rich scholarly and theological legacy. The volume, slated for publication in 2026, was funded in part by the International Commission of Salesian Studies (ICSS).
Reagan McGovern of St. Paul VI High School in Arlington, Virginia won last year’s contest.
With the desire to grow young people’s interest in ecumenism, the Partnership established the Annual Fr. John Crossin, OSFS, Christian Unity Essay Contest. The inaugural contest focused on the 2024 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity theme - “You shall love the Lord your God…and your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27).” Students reflected on the theme through the lens of Salesian Spirituality.
Other efforts of the Partnership include the creation of a Facebook Group that features a chapter-by-chapter reading guide to Fr. Crossin’s last book. This reading guide was created by Loyes Spayd, a friend who came to know Fr. John when he was her spiritual director. He taught her about Salesian Spirituality and she later became a Daughter of St. Francis de Sales.
Bob Crossin, Fr. John’s brother, at the National Workshop for Christian Unity in Chicago, November 2024.
Fr. John’s accomplishments in the ecumenical world do not fully represent his life’s work, according to his Provincial, Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS, “John was not only a scholar who researched, taught and strengthened ecumenical relations, he was a great guy, a true Salesian gentleman by the way he lived his life.”
Fr. John’s brother, Bob Crossin, was invited by incoming President, Javier Orozco to represent the Partnership in Chicago at the National Workshop on Christian Unity Conference (NWCU) in November. This is an annual meeting of Christian ecumenists representing Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist, Catholic, and Evangelical/Pentecostal faiths from around the country.
Crossin/Oblate Family Partnership Table at the National Workshop for Christian Unity
Bob gladly accepted an invitation, “I was warmly welcomed and spoke to the assembly. Our Partnership provided a copy of John’s book to each attendee which I personally distributed. Many knew John. I was touched by the memories many shared with me. They enthusiastically accepted the gift of his book and looking forward to reading it and using the Reading Guides with their ecumenical groups and in their classrooms. My final message was that as they carry on the work of uniting Christians, our Partnership will pray for them and their ecumenical witness as we move into the ecumenical future together.”