After joining a religious order and beginning his studies to become a priest, Michael Mernagh realized he couldn't continue within the confines of his religion.Now, nearly two decades later, he has come back to where he always wanted to be, though by another path.
The Rev. Michael Mernagh has started a new church, Anamchara Catholic Community, an ecumenical church not associated with the Roman Catholic Church or the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Mernagh describes the church as "small 'c' Catholic" -- the word catholic meaning "universal" or "involving all" -- and is affiliated with the church that ordained him as a priest, Anima Christi Ecumenical Catholic Community in St. Louis.
Anamchara is meant to be a place where all people are welcome, said Mernagh, who has a master's degree in theology focusing on ritual and liturgy.
"I want to be really clear on one thing: Everybody is welcome at the table of the Lord at this church," he said. "The Eucharist is not a prize to be won, but food for the spiritual journey … We need to feed people."
The church's Web site, which currently is down for improvements, made a point to welcome those who are divorced and/or separated, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and others.
A music minister for another church, Mernagh said he changed his path years ago because he "needed more breadth" than he felt he could find in the Roman Catholic Church. He said he also wanted to be involved in a church that made its decisions in "a more democratic fashion."
Mernagh also is a proponent of women's ordination and has disagreed with the Catholic church's teaching on sexual ethics.
"It has been a lifelong call to minister to people as a priest, and I wanted to do that as a man of integrity," he said. "I couldn't do it in a church where I really couldn't teach what they were teaching."
But Mernagh also wants to make it perfectly clear that he has no issues with any other denomination.
"I am in no way, shape or form trying to run down anybody else. I am out there to work with others in the vineyard. I want to collaborate with everybody … I and others simply needed another niche to grow," he said. "We are about building bridges, not burning them."
About 20 people showed up Oct. 21 for the inaugural Eucharistic celebration of Anamchara, which meets in the sanctuary of Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church on Sunday evenings.
One of those was Ann Rudrauff of Clifton, a board member for the fledgling church. Rudrauff, who attends Unity Church of Middletown, said she was excited for Mernagh building a church.
"I think it's important for people to have choices about where to practice their spirituality, wherever that might be," she said.
The Rev. Carole Mahaffey, the minister at Unity Church of Middletown, sits on Anamchara's advisory council.
After pioneering her own church about five years ago, Mahaffey said she has a good idea of the challenges Mernagh will face and hopefully overcome.
"He's just beginning … It's not easy pioneering a church. It's very rewarding, but it can be challenging," she said.
"It's wonderful. To me, you really can't have too many churches … Our world needs it." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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