Learn about The Grail! Check out this slideshow to learn about our members, our history, what we do, and where we are today!

1. THE GRAIL
in the United States

2. The Vision of The Grail in the
U.S.A.
Called by our spiritual values, The Grail envisions a world
of peace, justice and renewal of the earth, brought about by
women working together as catalysts for change.
Approved by The Grail movement at the 2005 General Assembly

3. The Grail – a symbol of the quest
a symbol of mystery-
The Divine in the Human
The human in the Divine
The Spirit among us.
The Cup
wide open
receiving
holding, sharing
shaping the quality of our lives
our oneness with each other and
all creation-our response to the World.

4. WHAT IS
THE GRAIL?

6. The Grail is a women’s movement whose members are bonded
by their commitments to social action, solidarity with the most
vulnerable, and a deep faith in goodness as the source of our
being. The Grail community embodies women of many different
cultures and backgrounds who work in many different fields. We
work in 17 countries—often as individuals and sometimes
together in corporate projects. We are interconnected with each
other regionally, nationally and internationally.
Pam Cobey

7. We are drawn together by a common vision.
In spite of our great diversity, we share a common longing to
find meaningful ways of contributing to the transformation of our
world into a place of love and justice. We long for a world in
which every child can bloom and flourish, where every man and
woman can find fulfillment and respect through their love, work
and leisure.
The Grail Entering the 21st Century, 2000, p.1

8. We seek to understand-ever more deeply-the mysteries of life, the
longings of the human heart, the causes of suffering, and to learn
what we can do to help make this Earth a more welcoming home
for all people and all creatures.
The Grail Entering the 21st Century, 2000, p.1

9. The Mission Goals of The Grail in
the U.S.A.
We are an international women’s movement empowering women to work for
world transformation.
We are committed to:
• spiritual search,
• social transformation,
• ecological sustainability,
• and the release of women’s creative energy
throughout the world.
Approved by The Grail movement at the 2005 General Assembly

10. GRAIL HISTORY
• The Grail began in 1921, following the end of the First
World War, and in response to the horror of that war. It
was founded by Fr. Jacques van Ginneken, a Dutch Jesuit
priest, and was called the Women of Nazareth.
• Van Ginneken felt that this particular historical moment
was the right time for women- unconfined by convent
walls and rule-to have the opportunity to make an
immense contribution to the transformation of the
world.
• By 1939, The Grail had become a colorful movement
involving thousands of young English, Dutch and
German women, challenged to deep personal and
spiritual commitment.

11. GRAIL HISTORY
• The movement that would be called The Grail was crushed in the advent of the
Second World War and was forced to go underground. While it re-emerged after
WWII, it was no longer the same movement. The exploitation of young persons
in the Hitler Youth, tainted the possibility for recruitment of young adults to any
movement. The Grail re-focused its energy to bring its values and support to
women in helping professions in other parts of the world.
• The Grail continued to spread around the globe and started in United States in
1940.
• The Grail was born in a Roman Catholic tradition, and remained so for more
than 40 years in the U.S.A. However, at this time, The Grail in the U.S.A.
welcomes women from a wide range of spiritual and religious traditions.
Adapted from The Grail Entering the 21st Century, 2000, p.3

12. A FORCE IN OUR WORLD
• The Grail has a long history of making positive change
in the world. Grail members have been integral players
in endeavors such as:
o The Civil Rights Movement
o The Feminist Movement
o Dismantling Apartheid in South Africa
o The Catholic Rural Life Movement
o The Publication of Sacred Music
o Contemporary Religious Art Production

13. THE SPIRIT
OF THE GRAIL

14. The symbol of The Grail
The Grail chalice,
emblem of our movement,
speaks of an attitude of receptivity.
Wide open, the chalice stands empty,
ready to receive, eager to be filled…
May we all stand before Mystery
Source of goodness and life…like that,
in a deep awareness of the fact
that our whole lives and every minute of them,
are a gift of love…
aware that we are empty vessels by ourselves
but confident in the constant outpouring of gratuitous
love.
May we all be able to say again and again,
in recognition of this love within:
“My cup is overflowing.”
-adapted from Rachel Donders, former Grail international president

15. CORE VALUES
• SPIRITUAL SEARCH
• WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT
• DIGINITY
• JUSTICE
• COMMUNITY
• CARE OF THE EARTH
• CREATIVITY
• BRIDGE BUILDING ACROSS DIFFERENCES
• A LIVING INTEGRATION OF GRAIL VALUES
The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

16. SPIRITUALITY
• Exploration of our relationship with the source of
goodness and creativity within us and yet, beyond us
• Recognition for the sacredness of life
• Respect for differing spiritualties and spiritual paths and
commitment to working across our differences
• Commitment to an ethical life rooted in justice,
interdependence, sustainability and compassion
• Openness to the transforming power of ritual
The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

17. WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT
• Gratitude for the contributions of women in the past
• Advocacy for the rights of women and girls
• Belief in the potential for women’s leadership in
transforming the world
• Commitment to the empowerment of women, enabling
them to own and live out their deepest convictions
The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

18. DIGNITY
• Respect and appreciation for the humanity and dignity
of each person
• A stance of compassion and solidarity in the face of
human need
The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

19. JUSTICE
• Promotion of economic and social justice
• Engagement with efforts that advance peace and non-violence
The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

20. COMMUNITY
• Hospitality
• Collaboration
• Generosity
• Forging interpersonal bonds among women everywhere
committed to a shared vision of peace in a global
community
The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

21. CARE OF THE EARTH
• Appreciation and respect for earth as a living organism
in which the sacred is manifest
• Commitment to the survival of the planet
• Responsible use and stewardship of resources
• Collaboration with others in working toward ecological
sustainability
• Equitable access to resources to support survival of the
planet and the health of the most vulnerable
The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

22. CREATIVITY
• Recognition of the role of the arts in personal and
societal transformation
• Encouragement of creativity in all aspects of Grail life,
work and celebration
• Use of the arts to foster the experience of interconnection
with all of life and a sense of that which is transcendent
The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

23. BRIDGE BUILDING ACROSS
DIFFERENCES
• Willingness to engage in dialogue and to build
relationships across race, gender, sexual preference,
socio-economic, generation, religious and spiritual
differences
• Commitment to foster mutual understanding and action
among those holding diverse or opposing points of view
• Collaboration with others to promote action and provide
leadership in working for the common good
• Model what it means to be a community working across
differences
The Strategic Plan for The Grail in the United States Brochure

24. INTEGRATION THAT ONE’S LIFE MAY BE A
REFLECTION OF GRAIL VALUES
• Development of opportunities for women to appreciate
and experience an integration of their spiritual search
with action on behalf of social transformation, ecological
sustainability, and the release of women’s creative
energy throughout the world

25. THE WORK
OF THE GRAIL

26. Integrating Grail Values into One’s Life
• The search for meaningful,
transformative work, and the
effort to produce good work,
has always been an essential
part of our commitment in
The Grail
• Members live out Grail
values in whatever they are
doing—in their jobs, families
and community, as well as in
their formal connection to
Grail members and Grail
centers

27. Our Work on Behalf of Spirituality
Building bridges among diverse faith traditions and spiritual paths
• Encouragement of spiritual and
reflective practices
• Incorporation of spiritual
practices into our gatherings
• Creation and sharing of ritual
together by participating in
interfaith/inter-spiritual days of
reflection and retreats
• Availability of participation in
interfaith/inter-spiritual
dialogue

28. Our Work on behalf of Social
Transformation
advancing peace, justice, and a world free from military dominance, and challenging economic systems that put at risk the most
vulnerable, especially women and children
• Formal participation at the United
Nations as a recognized non-governmental
organization (NGO) on
behalf of ESCOSOC at the Commission
on the Status of Women and Girls, and
the Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues
• Participation with wider community
activities on behalf of global peace, justice,
and environmental issues.
• Global justice advocacy
• Focused training programs for young girls
and women who are, and will be, leaders
and activists
• Community development and educational
projects
Approved by The Grail movement at the 2005 General Assembly; The Grail Brochure, 2008

29. Our Work on Behalf of Ecological
Sustainability
creating communities for a sustainable future
• Organic gardens are created and cared for
at Grail centers in Ohio and New York
• Environmental education is offered through
Grail centers and by individual Grail
activists (Many Grail women are working
to educate the public about the
consequences of the hydraulic fracturing of
shale for the extraction of natural gas)
• Ohio’s Grailville has constructed wetlands
• Grailville has commenced grassroots efforts
toward the creation of a Transition incitive
in Loveland, Ohio
• A national climate action group
Approved by The Grail movement at the 2005 General Assembly; The Grail Brochure, 2008

30. Our Work on Behalf of Releasing women’s creative
energy
celebrating the arts as a means of personal and societal transformation
• Engagement in the arts
• Incorporation of and appreciation for simple
beauty and art in the world, in our centers,
and in our gatherings
• Programming around the arts sponsored at
our centers
• Use of Grail space for art exhibits
• Grail projects and retreats (singing, dancing,
art, writing, poetry, and cooking, for example)
Approved by The Grail movement at the 2005 General Assembly; The Grail Brochure, 2008

31. TRANSFORMING OUR
WORLD TODAY
We are shaped by Grail values and our work arise from our values.
Some examples of our work include:
• Sponsorship of St Teresa's Girl’s School in Tanzania
• Establishing the San Jose Grail Family Services in San Jose, CA
• Researching and publishing literature globally in the fields of
theology, the environment, and social justice
• Working locally to ban hydraulic fracturing of shale for the
extraction of natural gas, also known as fracking
• Advocacy work addressing sexual trafficking
• Supporting permaculture, women farmers and participating in
the Community Supported Agriculture/local food movement
• Working with the Pointe-au-Chien tribe in Louisiana in the
aftermath of the BP oil spill

32. THE LIFE
OF THE GRAIL

34. COMMUNITY LIFE
• The Grail is committed to building community
• Members manifest community life by staying connected
through regional groups, Grail centers, and individual
relationships
• The Grail community is very diverse. It spans regions,
countries, languages and generations.

35. GRAIL CENTERS
• Grail centers play an important role in the life of The
Grail, servicing as gathering places for members of The
Grail and as outreach to the larger community. Forty
percent of Grail members live in or near a Grail center
• Grail programs and events include liturgical and other
celebrations, reflection and meditation groups, training
programs, weekend courses, retreats, lectures and
discussions, and as venues for visual and the performing
arts. Centers in both New York in Ohio have labyrinths

36. • Grailville, located in Loveland, Ohio, is the face of The
Grail in the US, and the first of all the Grail centers in the
United States
• In addition to the programming and events, Grailville
offers miles of trails, and 350 acres of woods, pastures,
creeks, and gardens, a labyrinth as well as a fair-trade
shop
www.grailville.org

38. THE GRAIL CENTER AT CORNWALL
• Located in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, The Grail Center at
Cornwall was founded in 1963
• The Grail Center at Cornwall functions as a retreat center and
works extensively with the local community to support women who
work for social justice, environmental sustainability, and community
development
• In addition to providing a space where women can recharge and
reconnect with their spiritual core and each other, the center offers
opportunities for training, skill-building, strategizing, and
networking
www.thegrailatcornwall.org

40. BRONX CENTER
• The Bronx Grail Center, located in the heart of the South Bronx in
New York City, is connected closely to the community and the local
parish. The population of The Bronx is Latino, Afro-American and
Caribbean
• The Center is home to Grail members, a girls group (ages 6 to 12) ,a
teen group, and the women’s micro-economic project (La
Aventura/The Adventure). Girls are given an opportunity for
international awareness, personal growth, and environmental
consciousness. La Aventura offers a way to supplement income for
migrant women
• Center programs emphasize both women’s and girls’ leadership
• The Bronx Center also hosts an annual gathering of International
Grail members and young women who represent The Grail and
UFER (International movement for Fraternal Union Among Races
and Peoples)at the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of
Women

42. WHERE IS
THE GRAIL?

43. THE GRAIL IN THE USA
• Grail circles can be found in
o Boston, MA; Claremont, CA; Dayton
and Cincinnati, OH; Cornwall, Bronx,
and New York City, NY ; Houma-
Thibodaux, and Lafayette,
LA; Philadelphia, PA;
Northern CA; MI; NJ; WI; ID; and CO
• We have 243 members in
o Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut,
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts,
Minnesota, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New York, North Carolina,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South
Carolina, Washington, and
throughout the world

44. Location of Grail members through out the United States

45. THE INTERNATIONAL GRAIL
• The International Grail focuses on issues including:
solidarity with the most vulnerable, overcoming poverty,
human trafficking, health care, violence against women,
the needs of immigrants and refugees, sustainable
development, global economics, ecological concerns
around biodiversity and climate change, and engaging
in ongoing dialogue and reflection about faith, religion,
spirituality, and spiritual expression
www.thegrail.org; The Grail Entering the 21st Century, 2000, p.3

46. THE INTERNATIONAL GRAIL
• The work varies according to the needs of the country
and the gifts of those drawn to the movement, but we
always seek to make our vision practical and effective.
We do not limit our work to humanitarian aid, but
acknowledge the need to change systems, which
degrade the quality of life, and to build a society, which
recognizes, in words and deeds, the dignity of all human
beings and the value of all creatures
The Grail Entering the 21st Century,
2000, p.1

47. The Grail is in 17 countries
Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Italy, Kenya,
Mexico, Mozambique, The Netherlands, Papua New
Guinea, The Philippines, Portugal, South Africa,
Sweden, Tanzania, Uganda, and the USA.

48. HOW DO YOU
GET TO KNOW
THE GRAIL?

49. • In the United States, women interested in The Grail
generally contact one of the members they have met, one of
the centers or the national office. They are invited to attend
a number of gatherings or to participate in one of the Grail
projects. If their interest grows and they wish to become a
participant in the movement, they can start a process called
“Exploring” The Grail
• “Exploring” involves attending Grail gatherings or retreats,
and getting to know other members with different
experiences and backgrounds in The Grail and to learn
about The Grail mission, history, and life
• During this process, women also get the chance to explore
the potential ways to become part of The Grail by
contributing time, talent and treasure in ways that enhance
and develop leadership
The Grail Entering the 21st Century, 2000, p.77

51. CONTACT THE GRAIL
The National Office
932 O’Bannonville Road
Loveland, Ohio 45140
Phone: 513-683-5750
Email: office@grail-us.org
Website: www.grail-us.org
Grailville
932 O’Bannonville Road
Loveland, Ohio 45140
Phone: 513-683-2340
Email: grailville@grailville.org
Website: www.grailville.org
Cornwall
119 Duncan Avenue
Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY 12520
Phone: 845-534-2031
Email: grailconh@igc.org
Website: www.thegrailatcornwall.org
The Bronx
470 E. 138th Street
Bronx, NY 10454
Phone: 718-665-0271
Email: bronxgrail@juno.com