Translate

Friday, February 21, 2020

The Cult of the Clerical Collar by Catherine Pepinster

 
Published by Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church 
Querida Amazonia
Little will change while sentimental notions of nurture dominate Pope Francis' idea of women
There's a picture I have in my mind of Pope Francis. I imagine a little Jorge Mario Bergoglio on tiptoe at his grandmother Rosa's side, as she bakes a cake. Maybe he dips a finger in the mixture and she gives him a humorous slap on the wrist. The warmth and stability of his family relationships made Bergoglio the Pope who can connect with people so effectively. But his early relationships also made him deeply sentimental about women. He has described them as "the strawberries on the cake".

I too, like almost all children, made cakes with my mother and grandmother. But my convent school headmistress was adamant that girls were much more than some decorative addition. "We leave matters like needlework and cookery for the home," she once said. "It means there is more space in the timetable for Latin and mathematics." But I wasn't just taught Latin and maths. I was introduced to theological discourse, to authors such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Above all, I was taught that women were men's intellectual equals and we girls were to go out into the world via university to serve God and his world.

That experience stood me in good stead for life, yet not for the Church that those nuns loved so much. Despite the Second Vatican Council's reforms, the laity have still not been given their rightful place in the Catholic Church. We are still so often treated as second best to the male clerics who still dominate it. At every level, it is priests who pull the levers.. Take a look at the staff employed by the bishops' conference or by your local diocese and you will find most of the leadership positions - heading liturgy, finance, chancery - are held by priests. Fifty-five years on from the end of the council and the cult of the collar still reigns. For women in particular, this male-dominated, clerical Church can be deeply alienating.

Pope Francis is trying to shift the Church so that the council's reforms are embraced. In his apostolic exhortation Querida Amazonia, he advocates a greater role for laity in the Church. He recognises the importance of lay people helping to run parishes in the Amazon basin. But is that really enough? The bishops of the Amazon basin made it plain that there is a need for more priests. Francis did not sanction married deacons being ordained, and, as for women, that sentimental strand in his thinking emerged again. He sees women as maternal and nurturing - and that is all. They cannot be given a central, sacramental role.

It would be easy to walk away if the Catholic Church were entirely misogynist. But its messages are mixed and confusing. An increasing number of theologians are women, taking on the mantle of the nuns who educated so many of us so well as a formidable intellectual force in the Church. And yet other women are still treated like maidservants: I always cringed when, as editor of The Tablet, I visited successive Archbishops of Westminster and the only other woman in the drawing room would be a nun serving the tea and crumpets. This is also a Church that has women teaching deacons how to give a homily and others writing homily cribsheets for priests who can't manage to write their own. Yet those very women producing these texts are forbidden from venturing into the pulpit to preach or even read the Gospel - let alone preside at the Eucharist.

There is a similar confusion in Francis' recent announcements regarding women. I was in Rome a few weeks ago when news emerged of the appointment of Dr Francesca Di Giovanni to a senior position in the Secretariat of State - a role closed off to women in the past because top diplomatic Vatican roles were always held by priests. Other women working in Rome, including the 14 serving as ambassadors to the Holy See, were delighted. But just when it seemed that Francis had finally realised how women's experience, talent and skills can be put to better use to serve the Church, we get Querida Amazonia, with its dismissal of women's ordination because it would make them more clerical. So the way to deal with clericalism among the male priesthood is not to combat it but to see women as a problem instead.

That is such confusing, exasperating thinking that it needs to be called out - just as one woman once called out what she believed was utterly wrong from the pulpit, where women shouldn't go. That was Francis' grandmother, Rosa, who once bravely deplored Mussolini from a Turin pulpit. See, your holiness - women can be a lot more than strawberries on the cake.

Catherine Pepinster is a former Editor of the Tablet

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community 10th Anniversary of Ordination of Katy Zatsick ARCWP Jack Duffy: co-founder of MMOJ, Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP, Bishop Music Minister: Linda Lee Miska, Cantor: Cheri McDonough



Feb. 22, 2020: Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community and visitors from our Sister-Community in the Upper Room, Albany, New York celebrated Katy Zatsick's 10th Anniversary of Ordination and the Priestly Ministry of each individual and the entire community in a discipleship of equals!
See Bridget Mary's Reflection, Jack Duffy's questions for ongoing prayerful reflection and Katy Zatsick's homily about her call to ministry in liturgy and links below



left to right Lee Breyer is a priest who was with our MMOJ community from our early days. He and his wife Carol Ann ministered as a married couple as did Michael and Imogene Rigdon, a married priest couple. Both Carol Ann and Imogene are deceased and listed in our Communion of Saints, Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP (ordaining bishop and co-founcer of MMOJ community, Katy Zatsick ARCWP and Jack Duffy, co founder of MMOJ Community. 

Feb. 22, 2020: Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community and visitors from Sister-Community in the Upper Room in Albany, New York celebrate Katy Zatsick's 10th Anniversary of Ordination and the Priestly Ministry of each individual and the entire community in a discipleship of equals! See Bridget Mary's Reflection, Jack Duffy's questions for ongoing reflection and Katy Zatsick's homily about her call to ministry in liturgy and links below

 Photos below are from Katy Zatsick's Ordination on Feb. 6, 2010: Katy Zatsick and Dena O'Callaghan were ordained priests, Mary Ellen Sheehan was ordained a deacon by Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan in St. Andrew Church in Sarasota, Florida




From left to right; newly ordained priests: Dena O'Callaghan, Katy Zatsick, and deacon Mary Ellen Sheehan on Feb. 6, 2010 in St. Andrew UCC, Sarasota, Florida 

MMOJ Community celebrates ordination of Sally Brochu ARCWP and Janet Blakely ARCWP as deacons
                       
                                                                  LITURGY- Feb. 22, 2020


Celebration of  10th Anniversary of Ordination and the MMOJ Community's Call to Ministry

Welcome:

Presider: Today we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the ordination of Katy Zatsick to the priesthood of ARCWP. The theme of today’s liturgy is “Only by the Mercy, Grace and Providence of the Holy One am I able to say, “Here I am Loving God, I am ready.”  Following Jesus and his disciples, we and the community of Mary Mother of Jesus itself are all called, consecrated, and gifted with many talents to be shared as we co-create a just and peaceful world through our ministries. 

Opening Song: #384, The Summons,
1.     Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same? Will you let my love be shown, Will you let my name be known, Will you let my life be grown in your and you in me?
2.     Will you love the ‘you’ you hide if I but call your name? Will you quell the fear in side and never be the same? Will you use the faith you’ve found to re-shape the world a-round, Through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
3.     Love, you sum-mons ech-oes true When you but call my name.  Let me turn and fol-low you and never be the same.  In your com-pa-ny I’ll go Where your love and foot-steps show.  Thus, I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me. 

Presider Let us begin our liturgy today in the name of Holy Mystery Source of All Being, Jesus Christ our Eternal Word and Compassion of God, and Sophia Holy Spirit Wisdom guiding the community of Mary Mother of Jesus and the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests and all of our members. All: Amen                                                               

Presider: God lives within us all.                                              All: And also, within you.

Opening Prayer.* 
All: Awaken us, O Holy One! Help us to wait in Silence listening for your gentle call.  Have mercy on your Pilgrim People of God! Strengthen us with courage to face any fear within us.   Let the grace and gentleness of Sophia, Holy Spirit be upon us, guiding our feet as we follow the Way of Jesus our wise Elder Brother.  May we walk together in peace and harmony.  May you increase your Light within us.  Amen.

Seeking Healing and Wholeness       All: Veni Sancte Spiritus!  (Sung at end of each line)                                                                                                                                                                                    
P: Spirit of Love, come upon our Mary Mother Of Jesus community and dwell among us.       
P: Spirit of Joy and hospitality, teach us individually and as Your community to be open, welcoming, loving and kind.                                 
P: Spirit of Compassion, instill in us Your respect for all life and loving care for all creation. 
P: Spirit of Hope, help us to detach ourselves from any hindrance on our journey towards healing and wholeness.

Glory to God
Presider: Let us give glory to our Loving Holy One in whom we live, move and have our being. All: Glory to God, Glory, O praise God Alleluia.  Glory to God, Glory, O praise the name of our God! (2 times)
Liturgy of The Word 

First Reading: 1 Samuel 3: 1-10                                            (Read at ordination Feb 6, 2010)
Now young Samuel was in the service of YHWH under Eli…  One night Eli, whose eyes had grown so weak that he could no longer see, was sleeping in his bed.  The lamp of God had not gone out and Samuel was sleeping in the Tent of Meeting, near the Ark of the Covenant. 
Then YHWH called to Samuel, “Samuel answered, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli saying, “You called. Here I am.”  Elli responded, “I didn’t call you.  Now go back to sleep.” Eli went back to sleep.

A second time, YHWH called Samuel, and he got up and went to Eli.  “Here I am! You called me.” Eli replied, “I did not call you. Go back to sleep.” At that time Samuel had not yet encountered YHWH and word of God had not yet been revealed to him. YHWH called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up, went to Elie and said once more, “Here I am. You called me.”

Then Eli realized that YHWH was calling to the boy. So he said to “Samuel, go back to sleep and if you are called, say, “Speak, YHWH, for your servant is listening.”  So, Samuel went back to sleep. Samuel went back to sleep.  YHWH called, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Yes, YHWH, I am listening.” …Then Samuel told Eli everything, concealing nothing.  Eli said, “YHWH reigns. YHWH will do what must be done. These are the inspired words of the Hebrew Testament and we affirm them by saying, All: Amen. 

Bridget Mary

Reflection: Bridget Mary Community: Our Call to Ministry 
Today in our first reading we hear the story of God’s call to Samuel to be a prophet for Israel. Let us reflect on Eli’s role as he accompanied Samuel, and guided him to truly listen and recognize the gentle divine voice speaking powerfully and passionately within the quiet of his soul.

Today we celebrate Katy’s 10th anniversary of ordination in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests. Katy’s preparation for this life-changing step began long before she met us in her years of pastoral ministry and courageous witness for justice and equality.  Our program affirmed her life experiences and pastoral skills as valid preparation and focused on units of reflection on sacramental ministry in a non-clerical, inclusive model of priestly ministry. Ten years ago Katy stood before us here in St. Andrew Church and said, “here I am, I am ready.” We rejoice in your ministry, dear Katy, to serve us  as our sister and priest in a discipleship of equals. May you be blessed with many more years of generous service.

Like Eli and Samuel,  let us rejoice that each of us is called to support one another in discerning our ongoing call to be prophets of justice in  the 21st century. Like Jesus and his disciples, all of us are called, consecrated, and gifted with a rich variety of talents to live the Gospel of love and integrity today.

Today we renew our commitment to our communal ministry to stand together on the inside edge of the Roman Catholic Church. We affirm that we are Church, called and gifted to be the compassionate face of the Holy One both in our individual and communal ministries as God’s beloved people.   


As we embrace each other today in a circle of peace and love, let us celebrate our call to be a holy shakeup, rocking the boat of Peter with the courage of Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and all holy women and men throughout the ages! Amen, Alleluia!

Psalm Response: from Psalm 40              (adapted from Psalms for Praying, Nan C Merrill)
Resp: I abandon myself into your hands, for I love you and wish only to create with you.

Women: I waited patiently for the Beloved, who heard my cry and came to me. Love raised me from the pits of despair, out of confusion and fear, and set my feet upon a rock making my steps secure. There is a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to the Beloved.
Resp: I abandon myself into your hands, for I love you and wish only to create with you.

Men: O Beloved, how wondrous are your gifts to us; your thoughts are beyond our imagination.  What joy to live in Oneness with You!  Were we to proclaim and tell of Your beauty and blessed grace, who could measure it?
Resp: I abandon myself into your hands, for I love you and wish only to create with you.

Women: My heart affirms my surrender; in the Book of Life it is written: “I abandon myself into your hands, for I love You and wish only to create with You, O my Beloved; For You are the Life of my life forever.”
Resp: I abandon myself into your hands, for I love you and wish only to create with you.

Men: I aspire to reveal your steadfast love and truth through the witness of my life.  Do not, O Beloved, withhold your mercy from me, Let your Love, your Light, and faithfulness ever guide and uphold me.
Resp: I abandon myself into your hands, for I love you and wish only to create with you.

All: May all who seek Love rejoice and be glad; May all who would live truth and justice, continually call upon Love! As for me, though often broken and weak, I know that Love dwells within.  For now, where injustice or illusion make their home, I witness to your Peace and Love, O Teacher and friend to All!
Resp: I abandon myself into your hands, for I love you and wish only to create with you.

Second Reading:  John 20:19-22
In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were locked in the room where the disciples were for fear of the Temple Authorities.  Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Having said this, the savior showed them the marks of crucifixion.  The disciples were filled with joy when they saw Jesus, who said to them again, “Peace be with you. As Abba God sent me, so I’m sending you.”  After saying this, Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”
The inspired words of John.  We respond All: Amen

Jack Duffy, co-founding member of MMOJ (participated in Katy’s ordination.) Reflection:  “What happens when we are guided by Sophia, Holy Spirit-the Wisdom of God” in community, my family, my own life.


Gospel: Verses from Matthew and John
Come to me all you who are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest says our Loving God. (Mat 11:28)

“It was not you who chose me,” says our Brother Jesus, “but I who chose and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will last.” (John15:16)

“Amen, I say to you; whatever you did for the least of my brethren, you did it for me,” says our God of Compassion (Mat 25:40)

These are the inspired words of Matthew and John, disciples of Jesus, and we affirm them by saying, All: May I believe and live these words from Matthew and John.
Celtic Alleluia

Katy’s reflection on her journey to ordination: “Only by the Mercy, Grace and Providence of the Holy One am I able to say, “Here I am Loving God, I am ready.”

Katy Zatsick's Sharing: 
Here is a link to  ARCWP priest Katy Zatsick's inspirational story 
 of her call to ordination on the occasion of her 10th anniversary on Feb. 22, 2020.

It is a beautiful story of compassion, healing and justice advocacy that reflects
Christ's love in life's wounds in family, church and world.  


Profession of Faith.
                                                                       
All: We believe in God creator, sustainer and nurturer of all communities calling us to serve our brothers and sisters, no one excluded. We believe in Jesus Christ our Brother and Beloved Son of God who through His Compassionate Love taught us to minister to all whom He places before us.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the breath of Wisdom Sophia leading us on our evolutionary spiritual journeys individually and in our Beloved Mary Mother of Jesus community. Sophia who calls us to be priestly persons as we minister for justice, peace and equality with our own lives and in our communities.

We believe in the Communion of Saints our heavenly friends and family, who support our ministries on our life’s journey. We believe we are One with all the families of the world. We believe we are One with the Pilgrim People of God with Sophia your Spirit guiding us as we live in the Holy Mystery of creation. This we truly believe. 

Prayers of the Community

Presider: O Great Love, thank you for living and loving in and through us. May all that we do flow from our deep connection with you and all beings.  Help us become a community that vulnerably shares each other’s burdens and the weight of glory.
Response: Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of your world.

Presider: For all members of Mary Mother of Jesus and of ARCWP, we pray. Resp:
Please add your own intentions

Presider: Knowing you are hearing us better than we are speaking and hear the prayers we hold in our hearts,  we offer these prayers in all the holy names of God.   All: Amen

Song for the Preparation of the Gifts: #333 Song of the Body of Christ
Refrain: We come to share our story, we come to break the bread, we come to know our rising from the dead.
1.     We come as your people we come as your own, u-nit-ed with each oth-er love finds a home. Refrain...
2.     You will lead and we shall follow, you will be the breath of life; living water, we are thirsting for your light. Refrain…
3.     We will live and sing your praises, “Al-le-lu-ia” is our song.  May we live in love and peace our whole life long. Refrain…

PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS

Presider:  Blessed are you, Holy Mystery, Creator of all faith communities. This bread is your Mary Mother of Jesus community living as your priestly people with faith in your divine providence.   Through your grace and mercy, we have this bread to offer, it will become for us the Bread of Life.   ALL:  Praise to God, blessing your priestly people.

Presider:  Blessed are you, Holy Mystery, Creator of all.  This wine is our desire to gather in prayer and worship, sharing of our life journey and living our faith and hope in all our priestly ministries. Through your grace and mercy, we have this wine to offer, it will become our spiritual drink.  ALL: Praise to God, blessing your priestly people.

All: Blessed are you, God who calls us to be priests, through your goodness we have this bread and wine and our own lives to offer. Through this sacred meal and the gifts of joy, peace and hope of Jesus, may we become your Priestly Presence for all whom we meet. Amen.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

All Sing: We are holy holy holy (x3) We are whole; You are holy holy holy (x3) You are whole; I am holy (x3) I am whole; We are holy holy holy (x3) We are whole.

(Extending our hands over the bread and wine, the first )
All: Come Holy Spirit and settle on this bread and wine. Fill them with the holiness and wholeness of our Brother Jesus the Cosmic Christ who walks in us living in the center of our souls.

Remembering Jesus.   (hand extended in blessing):
All: On the night before he died, while at supper with his friends and family, Jesus took bread, broke it, and shared it with those present, saying, Take this, all of you, and eat. This is my body which will be broken for you. (Pause)

All: Then Jesus took a cup of wine and shared it with his family and friends, saying, Take this all of you and drink. This is the cup of my life-blood. Do this in memory of me.

All (2nd Invocation of Spirit, with hand on each others right shoulder): Come Holy Spirit to rest on us. Refreshed from our worship together and with all our ancestors in faith; may we be your Compassion for all who need of your Unconditional Love.

(presiders lifting up the bread and wine)
All: Through Jesus Christ in whom we live and move and have our being.  Most Holy Mystery, we give you thanks and glory.  Sing: Amen

Prayer of Jesus Presider: the disciples were filled with joy when they saw Jesus, who said to us all, “Peace be with you. As Abba God sent me, so I’m sending you.”  And so we respond with the words Jesus taught us:  Sung:  Our Father and Mother

Song of Peace All: Joy is flowing like a river, flowing out of you and me, flowing out into the desert, setting all the persons free. Hope is flowing Peace is flowing...Alleluia

Litany for Breaking of Bread.

All: Loving God, you call us to speak truth to power. We will do so!
Loving God, you call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We will do so!
Loving God, you call us to be your presence in the world. We will do so!

Presider: Jesus came to liberate, heal and transform each of us and all of us in God creation. All are invited to partake of this banquet of love and to live as the Heart and Hands of our Cosmic Christ as his priests of ministry in the world. All: We are the Body of Christ, in the Oneness of Holy Mystery in our place and time.

Communion: Instrumental

Blessing with oil as at our Baptism, for our ministry with the People of God.
We bless one another with oil as a celebration of our baptismal call to a ministry of loving service.

(Instrumental music)

Song after Communion
  How could anyone ever tell you
 You were anything less than beautiful
 How could anyone ever tell you
 You were less than whole
 How could anyone fail to notice
 That your loving is a miracle
How deeply you're connected to my soul

Community Prayers of Gratitude, Introductions, Announcements

Closing Community Blessing Chant 2 times hand raised in blessing All:
May you be free from Fear, 
May you be free from compulsion,
May you be blessed by Love,
May you be blessed with Peace.

Closing Song: “When the Saints Go Marching In”
To honor Jack Meehan co-founder of MMOJ, Bridget Mary’s dad and beloved of our MMOJ community and our Patron Saint, who always played his saxophone “to process MMOJ out!”  I am sure Jack is with us now playing his sax as we joyfully conclude our Beloved Community liturgy in honor of all the Pilgrim People of God!

Make some noise as we sing “When the Saints Go Marching In”

Remembering our MMOJ members who have joined the
Communion of Saints and love us still:

Joe & Jodie
Adler
Carol Ann
Breyer
Helen
Duffy
Ford
Englerth
Charlie 
Grunkemeyer
Angela
Herbert
Robert
MacMillan
Jack
Meehan
Eileen
Miller
Ron
Modras
Bob
Murray
Imogene                                                                        Rigdon                                                                                                

Don    Thompson 

  
_________________________________________________


.
At Lee and Carol Ann’s home in Manatee. Katy’s first liturgy 2010 at a meeting of Pax Christi

Persons attending: a friend, Carol Ann (now dec’d), Lee Breyer, Katy Zatsick, Jonathan Ryan,
JC Ryan, Ellie Ryan-my three grandchildren. Behind Ellie, Eileen Miller (now dec’d)



Ministry with ARCWP

Archivist for community since beginning, permanent archive in collections of MU
Consensus Cmte-facilitator for development of community wide process
Constitution Committee for ARCWP
Election of Bishops-facilitator for phone interviews with community
Member of Finance Cmte-present
Co-facilitator for Justice and Peace Support Circle
First treasurer for ARCWP non-profit
President of non-profit Board-one term
Survey Voting Cmte-member

Ministry with Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community
Monthly presider at MMOJ@SCC seasonal house church
Facilitated application for MMOJ-Sarasota as non-profit in Fl.  
Developed the Mission and structure statement for MMOJ.
Presider for MMOJ-Sarasota
Member of SVC for MMOJ-Sarasota





NOTES:
The white chalice and paten are from Ireland, given to me by our MMOJ@SCC host Paddy Cooney who asked for a liturgy in SCC 9 years ago and continues today.  The Irish soda bread we used today was made by Paddy as he makes a loaf for our Eucharist each month.

The blue chalice and paten were made at the request and given to me for my RCWP-USA ordination to the priesthood by Rev Dagmar Celeste, one of the Danube Seven; and Rev Barbara Zeman, first RCWP ordained in Chicago. They were made by a Cleveland artist.

In 2000, I hosted a tea at my condo in Chicago for WOC attended by Prof Rosemary Radford Reuther, at Northwestern Un at the time.  We brainstormed a response to the highway signs sponsored by the Chicago archdiocese “looking for a sign?” And included a black clerical collar. Laura Singer Chicago WOC and later President of national WOC responded, “What if we create one in response?” and so we did. This poster of “Ordain Women” is from our response of outreach and publicity started with funding by email request to our friends and families in Chicago, sponsored by the Chicago and national WOC and went internationally. Versions of the poster were created for IL, WI, went to Rome with Janice SD, made for Ireland, and for the top of taxis. 😊 




Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Today in our first reading we hear the story of God’s call to Samuel to be a prophet for Israel. Let us reflect on Eli’s role as he accompanied Samuel, and guided him to truly listen and recognize the gentle divine voice speaking powerfully and passionately within the quiet of his soul.

Today we celebrate Katy’s 10th anniversary of ordination in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests. Katy’s preparation for this life-changing step began long before she met us in her years of pastoral ministry and courageous witness for justice and equality.  Our program affirmed her life experiences and pastoral skills as valid preparation and focused on units of reflection on sacramental ministry in a non-clerical, inclusive model of priestly ministry. Ten years ago Katy stood before us here in St. Andrew Church and said, “here I am, I am ready.” We rejoice in your ministry, dear Katy, to serve us  as our sister and priest in a discipleship of equals. May you be blessed with many more years of generous service.

Like Eli and Samuel,  let us rejoice that each of us is called to support one another in discerning our ongoing call to be prophets of justice in  the 21st century. Like Jesus and his disciples, all of us are called, consecrated, and gifted with a rich variety of talents to live the Gospel of love and integrity today.

Today we renew our commitment to our communal ministry to stand together on the inside edge of the Roman Catholic Church. We affirm that we are the Church, called and gifted to be the compassionate face of the Holy One both in our individual and communal ministries as God’s beloved people.   

As we embrace each other today in a circle of peace and love, let us celebrate our call to be a holy shakeup, rocking the boat of Peter with the courage of Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and all holy women and men throughout the ages! Amen, Alleluia!