Pope cites St. Joan of Arc as model for political leaders
January 26, 2011
At his weekly public audience on January 26, Pope Benedict spoke about “one of those strong women who brought the light of the Gospel in history at the end of the Middle Ages”—St. Joan of Arc.
Speaking to about 3,000 people in the Paul VI auditorium, the Pope recounted the story of St. Joan’s short life: her mystical visions, her military career, her trial and martyrdom. The entirety of her life, he said, forms “a beautiful example of holiness for lay people involved in politics.”
The trial of St. Joan for heresy was “a shocking page in the history of the saints and also an illuminating page on the mystery of Church—which, in the words of Vatican II is at once holy and always in need of purification,” the Pope said. Her judges, he observed, were "theologians who lacked the charity and humility to see the action of God in this young woman." Her condemnation was unjust, and was formally overturned 25 years after her death.
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
It sure does take a long time ( around 600 years in this case) for the institutional church leadership to admit that it was wrong. I applaud Pope Benedict for his humble admission that St. Joan's trial for heresy was " a shocking page" in the history of the church, both unjust and wrong. When Joan was asked if she was bound to obey church leaders. Her response was yes, but God must be obeyed first!. (See my book, Praying with Visionary Women, for story of Joan's heroic witness in the midst of church authorities persecution.) St. Joan of Arc is not only an appropriate patron for political leaders, but also for church leaders, who at the moment are in the midst of "nunquisition", a contemporary witch hunt directed by the Vatican that is aimed at U.S. women religious because, among other things, (gasp!!!) they support women priests. What nunsense!
In addition, the Vatican, in July of 2010, placed women priests in the same despicable category of serious crimes against the church as pedophile priests!
Let us hope that Pope Benedict and the Vatican realize their error in this unjust decision. Roman Catholic Women Priests are leading the church into a new era of justice and equality for women in the church.
I pray that one day that a woman pope will apologize for the many ways the institutional church has discriminated against women in church and in society and affirm the people of God as a vibrant community of equals.
Let's keep dreaming the dream of justice and equality for women in church and society. Let us act as if the vision of partnership, equality and inclusion is a reality now in our grassroots communities now. St. Joan of Arc, courageous role model of the primacy of conscience, pray for women priests, for our supporters and for our opponents! May we follow our consciences and live with integrity Jesus' vision of Gospel equality in our time.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
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