Translate

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

"Will Sisters Save the Catholic Church?" by Mary Hunt

http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/sexandgender/2634/will_sisters_save_the_catholic_church

"Will Sisters Save the Catholic Church?" by Mary Hunt

"...Nuns have learned the hard way that they cannot even make decisions about their own properties since many of those are technically under institutional Church control. For example, one sister was placed under interdict for supporting the ordination of women. Another was forbidden to teach in a diocese because she, too, favored women priests. Still, they have no clerical rank and are just as lay as the rest of us..."

It appears that women priests are the big threat to the Vatican! People who supports us, including the nuns, are fired, or excommunicated and/or investigated like the women religious in the U.S. I believe the reason for such a strong reaction is fear, maybe even panic, at this stage, that our RCWP model of a more open, democratic, participatory approach of a renewed priestly ministry in inclusive communities will gain wide-spread support among Catholics. Roman Catholic Womenpriests are on the margins serving the alienated Catholics who have given up on the church as well as the progressive Catholics who long for justice and equality now. Catholics who come to our ordinations or to our worshipping communities often are filled with joy and feel that their dream of an inclusive priesthood is now a reality. They risk excommunication to attend and are overjoyed that they did. "I've waited for you all my life" is a comment we hear often from Catholics who attend our liturgies for the first time. A woman in Florida called a Catholic parish to find our where the woman priest was . The snowbirds in my community in Florida seek to worship with a womanpriest when the go up north. We are like a mustard seed. God will provide the growth. Sisters, we are ordaining women religious. It is my hope that women's religious orders will support sisters called to a renewed priestly ministry in a community of equals.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP

No comments: