Rev. John W. Crossin, OSFS, Ph.D.
Oblate Priest, Theologian, Ecumenist
1947- 2023
Crossin Oblate Family Partnership
Building Ecumenical Bridges Guided by the Spirit
The family of Fr. Crossin together with his Oblate brothers and colleagues in the ecumenical world have joined together to honor his life’s work. Since Fr. John’s passing, a partnership has been formed to promote his publications and continue the ecumenical dialogue to which he dedicated this life.
We look forward to sharing Fr. John’s work through these initiatives:
Regular book reviews and distribution of Fr. John’s most recent book, Moving into the Ecumenical Future
Symposium at Washington Theological Consortium featuring Fr. John’s work (April 2024)
Oblate high schools’ ecumenism and unity writing project
Establishment of a grant for seminarians to host an ecumenical program at the parish level
Publication of a Memorial Volume focused on key themes of Fr. Crossin’s scholarship
Fr. Crossin’s Roles, Awards, & Memberships
Roles
Executive Director, Washington Theological Consortium
Executive Director, Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
Visiting Fellow, Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University
President, North American Academy of Ecumenists
Consultor to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity at the Vatican
Pontifical Council’s team member for the Joint Working Group with the World Council of Churches
Director of Spiritual Formation at the St. Luke Institute
Assistant General Treasurer for the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales
Province Planning Committee
Province Vocations Committee
Provincial Counselor of the Wilmington-Philadelphia Province
Awards
Interfaith Bridge Builders Award of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington
Pillar of Faith Award of the Howard University School of Divinity/United Church of Christ
Pillar of Faith Award of the Howard University School of Divinity/United Church of Christ
Membership
Catholic Theological Society of America
Society of Christian Ethics
Thomas More Society of Washington
De Sales University Board
Ethics Committee at Providence Hospital (D.C.)
Publications
Everyday Virtues (2002)
Videos & Presentations
Articles
“Fr. Crossin, ecumenical expert and US bishops' former advisor, dies at 75,” National Catholic Reporter,
“Will Christian Unity Come Sooner Than We Think,” Ecumenical Trends, 51/1 (January/February 2022):18-23,
“Moving into the Ecumenical Future,” Louvain Studies 44(2021): 152-172.
“Moral Actions: The Person Acting and Pope Francis,” Ecumenical Trends 47/5 (May 2018): 7-10, 14-15.
“Occasional Reflections on the Declaration on the Way,” Ecumenical Trends 46/6 (June 2017): 1-3.
“Ecumenical Reflections on Moral Discernment,” Journal of Ecumenical Studies (Fall 2015): 561-82.
“The Church: Towards a Common Vision,” Ecumenical Trends 43/10 (November 2014):2-4.
“Prudence and the Future: An Ecumenically Shaped Ethic,” Journal of Ecumenical Studies 45:3 (Summer 2010): 426-32
“Christian Identities: Necessary but not Sufficient,” Ecumenical Trends 38/2 (February 2009):17-18, 30.
“Ecumenical Relationships and Dialogue Today: Insights from the Salesian Tradition,” in Human Encounter in the Salesian Tradition (Rome: International Commission for Salesian Studies, 2007): 409-424.
“What Does God Want Us to Do? A Meditation on Discernment,” Ecumenical Trends 36/10 (November 2007):145-149.
“Love for the Poor: God’s Love for the Poor and the Church’s Witness to It” co-authored with Shaun Casey, Eric H. Crump, A. Katherine Grieb, Beverly Mitchell and Ann K. Riggs for the National Council of Churches of Christ, 2005.
“Virtue as an Ecumenical Ethic,” Ecumenical Trends (February 2005): 28-31.
“Salesian Mysticism,” Review for Religious 62/2 (2003): 144-52.
“Reflections on Salesian Anthropology” in With Mind and Heart Renewed: A Festschrift for John F. Harvey, OSFS (Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 2001).
“A Meditation on Humility,” in We Are All Brothers-3: A collection of essays in honor of Archbishop Vsevolod of Scopelos, Ed. Jack Figel (Fairfax, VA: Eastern Christian Publications, 2007): 181-91.
“The Holy Spirit: Ecumenical Reflections,” in Seminary Ridge Review (Autumn 2006):5-11. [This is an address given at the Opening Academic Convocation of Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary.]
[19th Annual] Bernardin Lecture on Jewish-Catholic relations
Article on Fr. John’s newest book: Christian unity may not be so far off, says former head of bishops’ ecumenical office
Crossin-Oblate Family Partnership Team
Fr. John’s siblings (Ann Crossin Larkin; Jim Crossin and Bob Crossin)
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales (Fr. Jack Kolodziej, Provincial Superior; Bro. Dan Wisniewski, Assistant Provincial, and Paula M. Riley, Communications Director);
Mitzi Budde, D.Min, Head Librarian and Arthur Carl Lichtenberger Chair for Theological Research at Virginia Theological Seminary;
Loyes Spayd, Daughter of St. Francis de Sales, Author, Retired Religious Educator, Pastoral Minister, and Parishioner of Saint John Neumann in Reston, VA;
Leslie Miller, a former reporter for the Arlington Catholic Herald (and former member of St. John Neumann parish, where John was in residence) who wrote an article about Fr. Crossin’s book that was published in the Herald before John died.