It is with a heavy heart that I write this. I first met Catherine in 1995 when she relocated to Missouri. She had been a member of Eric Butterworth’s church at the Lincoln Center in New York, and at Atlanta Unity before coming to Unity Village to complete her LUT training and join the Silent Unity Prayer Associates team. We made friends quickly. I had only been in the Continuing Education Program (now called Spiritual Education & Enrichment/S.E.E.) for a year. One of the first things I told her was that my goal was to become an ordained Unity minister, and from that moment, she made it her business to push me in that direction. She, Rev. Julien Telesford, and I were among the founding members of the Temple Toastmasters Club at Unity Temple on the Plaza. She even pushed me to earn the Advanced Toastmaster certifications. She pushed herself too, serving as Area Governor and earning the Distinguished Toastmaster certification, as well as a Master’s and Doctorate in Divinity from All Faiths Seminary. At one point, when I became overwhelmed with the CEP classes, my career, and family responsibilities, it was Catherine who pushed me to stick to my goals. She refused to let me quit. I hear that same comment from everyone who has ever had the privilege of being in her presence–especially those of us who were students in UUMS. Upon hearing of her passing, Rev. Richard Pacheco recalled the four words she said to him that pushed him to persevere until he was ordained: “You Ready to Start!” We owe Rev. Dr. Catherine Davis Macklin Thomas our gratitude for pushing the Urban School into the 21st Century. She is the reason that the “House that Ruth Built” has continued to thrive, and all the more reason that we in UUMS stay together to be strengthened where our hearts feel at home. Let us take a page from her book and follow her lead to keep on pushing and never give up until our number is called. Rest-In-Power, Dr. Catherine – you have earned it! The celebration of Dr. Catherine’s life will be online through the UUMS Facebook page for those unable to attend in person. For more about Rev. Dr. Catherine, click here
“I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
Etienne de Grellet, Quaker Missionary