www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ct-perspec-0522-saint-20110522,0,4823192.story
chicagotribune.com
Who is a saint?
Why the Vatican should ordain women
By Patrick T. Reardon
May 22, 2011
"A year ago, a friend of mine, Janine Denomme, died of cancer. We were members of the St. Gertrude Roman Catholic parish in Edgewater. We served on the parish council together.
It was painful for me to learn that, a few days before she died, Janine was told that the archdiocese wouldn't permit her to be buried out of St. Gertrude. It was one more pain that was added on to the pain of her cancer and her imminent death.
Yet, Cardinal George's refusal to let Janine's funeral be held in St. Gertrude brought greater attention to her priesthood. Newspaper readers and those who heard about Janine in other ways found out that she was willing to pursue her vocation as a priest, even to the extent of being blocked from the religious home she loved...
But, maybe, in the end, the church will win. And the rest of society too.
Who is a saint? Is it Pope John Paul II, whose official sainthood process is on a fast track? Maybe. But I never had any dealings with him.
I knew Janine. I saw how she lived her life. And, yeah, I'd say she was a saint."
Patrick T. Reardon, a former scholar in residence at the Newberry Library, is the author of "Daily Meditations (with Scripture) for Busy Dads" and two other books of meditations.
Living Gospel Inclusivity and Empowerment Now- https://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/2025/10/rev-dr-bridget-mary-meehan-arcwp-chat.html
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Timothy Radcliffe Dropped as Speaker at Caritas Summit/ More Evidence of Power and Control Tactics of Vatican Against a Voice of Challenge
EXCLUSIVE Timothy Radcliffe dropped as speaker at Caritas summit
Robert Mickens in Rome - 20 May 2011 - The Tablet UK
"The Vatican has dropped Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP, the internationally renowned former head of the Dominicans, from giving the keynote address at next week's Caritas Internationalis (CI) general assembly in Rome, The Tablet has learned.Fr Radcliffe was originally scheduled to deliver the opening address on Monday morning and speak about the theology that undergirds the work of Caritas. He had already prepared a 45-minute talk. Instead, that slot has been given to Capuchin Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, the charismatic preacher of the papal household, followed by Cardinal Peter Turkson, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. People associated with the Caritas confederation have been careful not to make too much of the Vatican's recent moves to gain greater control over the organisation, fearing that any protests would only make the situation worse."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Once again, the Vatican appears to be circling the wagons. They seem to be threatened by Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, a prestigious, major Dominican theologian. Why?
I wonder what issues caused the Vatican to block Fr. Timothy Radcliff from speaking. Something is wrong with this picture!
Caritas officials should stand up to the Vatican and insist that Fr. Timothy speak at their conference. This incident reminds us that we must never submit to oppression. This should be the motto of all Catholics who love their church. Jesus died to liberate us all. Jesus never intended to leave behind an oppressive institution that dominated and controlled its followers. As Martin Luther King taught us injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Catholics wake up, reclaim your church as a community of believers who uphold the values of Jesus in the Gospel! Ask yourself, what would Jesus do, and do it!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
sofiabmm@aol.com
Robert Mickens in Rome - 20 May 2011 - The Tablet UK
"The Vatican has dropped Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP, the internationally renowned former head of the Dominicans, from giving the keynote address at next week's Caritas Internationalis (CI) general assembly in Rome, The Tablet has learned.Fr Radcliffe was originally scheduled to deliver the opening address on Monday morning and speak about the theology that undergirds the work of Caritas. He had already prepared a 45-minute talk. Instead, that slot has been given to Capuchin Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, the charismatic preacher of the papal household, followed by Cardinal Peter Turkson, head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. People associated with the Caritas confederation have been careful not to make too much of the Vatican's recent moves to gain greater control over the organisation, fearing that any protests would only make the situation worse."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Once again, the Vatican appears to be circling the wagons. They seem to be threatened by Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, a prestigious, major Dominican theologian. Why?
I wonder what issues caused the Vatican to block Fr. Timothy Radcliff from speaking. Something is wrong with this picture!
Caritas officials should stand up to the Vatican and insist that Fr. Timothy speak at their conference. This incident reminds us that we must never submit to oppression. This should be the motto of all Catholics who love their church. Jesus died to liberate us all. Jesus never intended to leave behind an oppressive institution that dominated and controlled its followers. As Martin Luther King taught us injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Catholics wake up, reclaim your church as a community of believers who uphold the values of Jesus in the Gospel! Ask yourself, what would Jesus do, and do it!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
sofiabmm@aol.com
“Injustice cannot come infallibly from a just God.” by Judith A. Cox
Bishop Theodora, St. Praxedis,
Mary, Mother of Jesus in
St. Praxedis Church in Rome
(left to right)
Ordination of Roman Catholic Women
Priests in Sarasota, Florida
Women’s Value as Catholic Priests
On this Easter weekend, thoughts go to Jesus and all that transpired throughout his death and resurrection. In Ann Gray’s letter to the editor of 4-21-11, she states that Jesus ordained the twelve male apostles at the Last Supper and that is her argument that women cannot be priests. The next few days of His life prove otherwise. The twelve male apostles were in hiding through His suffering and death. They abandoned him. Who were the faithful disciples who followed Him to the cross and were with him when he died? Mary, his mother and the first person to bring into being the body and blood of Christ and Mary, the Magdalene, were with him through it all. Jesus rewarded Mary, the Magdalene, by allowing her to be the first to know of His resurrection. He then sent her to announce it to the twelve male apostles still in hiding. She has been called Apostle to the Apostles.
Yes, Jesus was very unusual in his time to value women and take them into his ministry. He sent the Samaritan woman to preach to her neighbors and welcomed Mary and Martha to listen to his words.
The best case that could be made for women in the Catholic priesthood, was written by Fr. Roy Bourgeois, a Maryknoll priest who has been threatened with eviction from his order and
excommunication from the Catholic Church because of his support of the Roman Catholic Womenpriest movement. He states the following:
(1) As Catholics, we believe that we were created in the image and likeness of God and that men and women are equal before God. Excluding women from the priesthood implies that men are superior to women.
(2) Catholic priests say that the call to be a priest is a gift and comes from God. How can we, as men, say: "Our call from God is authentic, but your call, as women, is not"? Who are we to reject God's call of women to the priesthood? I believe our Creator who is the Source of life and called forth the sun and stars is certainly capable of calling women to be priests.
(3) We are told that women cannot be priests because Jesus chose only men as apostles. As we know, Jesus did not ordain anyone. Jesus also chose a woman, Mary Magdalene, to be the first witness to His resurrection, which is at the core of our faith. Mary Magdalene became known as "the apostle to the apostles."
(4) A 1976 report by the Pontifical Biblical Commission, the Vatican's top Scripture scholars, concluded that there is no valid case to be made against the ordination of women from the Scriptures. In the Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian and other Christian churches, God's call of women to the priesthood is affirmed and women are ordained. Why not in the Catholic church?
(5) The Holy Scriptures remind us in Galatians 3:28, "There is neither male nor female. In Christ Jesus you are one." Furthermore, the Second Vatican Council's Pastoral Constitution on The Church in the Modern World states: "Every type of discrimination ... based on sex. .. is to be overcome and eradicated as contrary to God's intent.
His reasons are the best I have seen. If you agree with him, please write his superior
Rev. Edward Dougherty, M.M. Superior General Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers
P.O. Box 303 Maryknoll NY 10545 in support of his stand on women in the priesthood and his 44 years in the Maryknoll missions.
There are many groups who want the Catholic priesthood to be expanded for many different reasons. Hopefully, the faithful Catholic laity will demand that this happen and value the gifts that women have to give to the Catholic priesthood.
Judith A. Cox
"God Visits the Archdiocese of Philadelphia" by Eileen McCafferty Di Franco, RCWP
Eileen McCafferty Di Franco, RCWP, Presides at
St. Mary Magdala Community Liturgy on
Christmas Eve in Philadelphia area.
God walked up and down the streets of downtown Philadelphia mourning and weeping in its many vales of tears. The people most of the city tries to forget huddled together on the park benches as the wintry February wind howled between the gleaming skyscrapers. God looked up at the towers of Liberty 1 and Liberty II and sighed. Philadelphia had come a long way from the days when no building could stand taller than City Hall. It was a shame that except for Sister Mary Scullion and Project Home, the city fathers and mothers still couldn’t figure out what to do with the homeless.
God looked sadly at Her people waiting for their handouts of daily bread, right in the shadow of a church dedicated to Her. “And still my children cry,” She thought as she passed by the court building and the public library.
God was certainly well acquainted with the sin all around her. After all, She had given human beings free will. Sin was a natural outcome of Her choice to let people learn. She knew that people would lie, cheat, fornicate, avenge, fight, envy and lust. She forgave sin because it was part of the human condition. No human being could ever be perfect. The divine goal had always been wholeness rather than perfection.
God ran Her hands through Her curly black hair and wiped away Her tears. What had happened in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia took sin to new level. What really made Her angry, if She could be angry, and want to throw thunderbolts, if there were such things, was the idolatrous use of Her Holy Name to justify heinous sin. As the late February wind gathered into a full frontal attack, God shouted, “Thou SHALT NOT take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain,” at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul.
The passers-by on 18th St. lifted up the heads they had bowed before the wind. What was that sound? When they saw a tall, well-dressed beautiful young woman with curly black hair and bright green eyes standing in the park, they resumed their walk. Thank God none of the park denizens was acting crazy today.
In his office, Cardinal Rigali heard the wind race around the corner of his office. Something in the wind made him get up and look out the window. A very tall woman with curly black hair caught his eye. He tried to move away from the window but stood transfixed by her eyes. His knees began to feel a bit weak. How could he see her eyes from this distance? And why was she waving at him?
His work beckoned. Several days before he learned that the city was going to try the former Vicar of the Clergy, the Very Reverend William Lynn for child endangerment. In His Eminence’s opinion, Msgr. Lynn had only done what he had been directed to do. A cardinal always knows what’s best for his diocese. The sacred and the profane world are so different and only he, Justin Rigali, can tell the difference between the two because his feet are planted so firmly in the former. All those people out there, eating, drinking, carousing in sin and using birth control - what could they know about the sacred work entrusted to him? What do they know about the sacred? He, the cardinal archbishop of Philadelphia had worked hard to do the Lord’s work to keep people steadfast in their faith and devoted to the church of Jesus Christ. His was the voice of authority. Only he could interpret the will and word of God. Jesus, Himself, had put bishops in charge of the church. The cardinal rested peacefully each night, assured in that knowledge.
Cardinal Rigali tried again to withdraw his eyes from the woman outside. His heart began beating fast as he head a female voice say quite clearly in his head, “Don’t kid yourself, my son. I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no strange gods before me. Do not be an idolater. Cease and desist from taking My Name in vain.” To his amazement, he could see Her lips mouthing the words. The cardinal began to sweat.
The woman suddenly withdrew her eyes and the cardinal relaxed. He saw her approach the door to the archdiocesan office and smiled. The guards would stop her. He sat down, adjusted his pectoral cross and his red beanie, and began looking at the charges against his loyal deputy.
The door opened almost immediately. The cardinal’s eyes narrowed. He had told his secretary not to disturb him. His mouth opened to complain when he saw the tall woman in question entering his office.
The cardinal demanded, “Who let you in?” and reached for his phone.
“Don’t bother, Justin,” God said mildly. “The phone won’t work. And don’t be mad at your secretary. He didn’t see Me. No one did. No one but you.”
Justin began inching towards the door. This woman was insane. He was tired of those street people hanging around in the park.
God walked around to the chair Justin had just vacated, sat down, and crossed her long legs. She removed a white wool shawl from Her shoulders and took out her computer from her green bag. “Sit down,” She directed peremptorily, pointing to the visitor’s chair in front of his desk. “And stop staring at My arms. Mothers have the strongest arms in the world. The biggest hearts too. You should talk to women more often and stop worrying about them taking over things. It would stop you from saying some really stupid stuff about things you don’t remotely understand.”
Justin sat down and crossed his arms across his chest. If he made a scene, he’d have trouble explaining how this lovely young woman with bare arms came to visit him so secretly. God narrowed Her eyes as She stared at his broad red cummerbund and the red piping on his cassock. “You silly, pitiful men. You can’t imagine God as female. You really were expecting a God who looked and acted like you?” “Well,” She said, her voice rising, “Dream on!” Justin looked at the window as the wind seemed to roar again. “It wasn’t the wind,” God said calmly, as She downloaded the Grand Jury Report.
“Who are you?” he demanded. Justin was a man who gave orders. He could say to the Vicar of the Clergy, “Go cover up the sins of my brother priests and it would be done without question. He would say to his loyal men, “Keep those heretics away from communing with God,” and they would do so, even when their better instincts indicated otherwise. When some silly women from WOC asked, “What would Jesus do?” Justin could only laugh. He always did what Jesus would want him to do. Protect the church. Secure it from scandal. Eliminate dissenters. Reserve the Lord for the deserving. And he used priest underlings, wealthy patrons, lawyers, insurance agents, controllers, and public relations people to do his bidding, which after all, was really the Will of God.
God noted his thoughts and looked up from Her computer. In fact, She stood up and said. “I am the Lord thy God.” The cardinal’s mind recoiled in protest in spite of the vision of a woman clothed in the sun with a crown of stars on her head, Looking down from Her great height, She added, “ I shall be Who I shall be. I wish you guys would be more anal about that sort of translation and worry less about that consubstantial nonsense. Do you think complicated words can ever describe Me?”
Then God was back in her seat leaning towards Justin, Her chin in Her hand. Justin refused to look into Her eyes. “You know, Justin, men like you continue to amaze Me. I have given you visions, signs, indeed, even portents if you believe in prophecy, and yet you disbelieve. The message is so big, a runner would see it as My son Habbakuk wrote so many years ago. Yet, you destroy the prophets among you. Your idolatry blinds you. You refuse to see me so You cannot believe in Me. All you see is yourself. You are seeing the house that you think Justin built, the house you think Rome built. But he who loses his life will find it. Lose yourself in Me, Justin. Forget about who you think you are. Forget about who you think I AM. You have been blessed with a great gift, Justin, and yet you refuse to accept it.”
Justin sat still, his eyes staring straight in front of him, refusing to meet the eyes of God. He had worked really hard to get to this place. All those years in Rome, rubbing elbows and clinking wine glasses in the finest restaurants in town with the most powerful men in the world meant a great deal to him.
“Justin, my boy, I would not worry about all those clanging brass cymbals in Rome any more. The only power they have, as my son Tom McMahon said on a wonderful e-group to which you should subscribe because you might learn something about the church you lead, is the power to use something they call god as a threat. If you truly believed in Me, as my daughter Marguerite Sexton said when she sadly left the church, you would never, ever use ME, the Lord, thy God, as a weapon against your sisters and brothers.”
God shrugged at Justin’s flat affect and continued to read through the 2011 Grand Jury Report mumbling “Yuck” and “Gross.”
“You do this type of thing and then believe you speak for Me? Quite frankly Justin, I am suffering from what your psychologists call cognitive dissonance. You have major hissy fits over my sons Roy and Bill and my daughters, the priests and then you coddle criminals, sick men who did these things?” She pointed in disgust at the computer. “You, my son – and all your brothers- not only presume, you also engaged in some really bad judgment.”
God closed Her computer and put Her flash drive into Her purse. “Now, I’ve had more than enough of this stuff. You have screwed up big time being a shepherd. Few recognize your voice. You left your flock alone and instead protected the wolves whom you allowed to roam in your midst with impunity. It is always and everywhere My will and intention to protect the weak and the vulnerable. It is in doing this that you give Me glory and honor. Why do you think I told believers to see Me in all humanity?”
Justin remained unconvinced. This self-described God was a WOC plant. He knew these women well. They would do anything, even hire a master magician, to push their feminist agenda. All they wanted to do was destroy the church, which had grown up perfectly intact from the heads of the church, the apostles. The male, celibate clergy had served the world well these last centuries. It would not change any time soon, certainly not while he was in charge. The church as it now existed was the will of God. Case closed.
God looked sadly at the Cardinal Archbishop of Philadelphia. “ You are not in charge, son. I AM. If you were, as you claim, ontologically changed by Holy Orders, you would know Me and Mine. Instead, you know only you and yours. And so you will fail.” God stood up and prepared to leave.
Justin’s secretary walked into the office. “Your Eminence, I heard strange noises and thought…” The man closed his mouth and stood in stunned silence watching as God draped her white shawl over Her broad shoulders. “Your Eminence,” he fairly gasped, “Who is this woman? How did she get in here?”
“I AM,” She replied, “The Lord, thy God.” The vision of God filled the room with a great pulsating light that extinguished the winter darkness with each beat of God’s heart. The secretary got down on his knees and looked up at the divine as though through the clouds of heaven. The stars in Her crown twinkled in a bright sky. He could see the world at Her feet. “Now you can dismiss your servant,” he began, when the cardinal interrupted. “This is all a ploy, get off your knees, John. It’s those WOC women priests at it again.”
The secretary saw blood from the wounds in her hands drip onto her shawl. “No, no, no Your Eminence,’ he protested, “This is real. Look at Her hands! We have met the Lord! I must go and tell the others! It’s the Second Coming! Jesus has returned! Praise God!” Then remembering his sins, for they were many, John bowed his head and wept. “God, please forgive me,” he said over and over again, holding Her Hands and kissing them with great fervor. John felt Her grace, Her sweetness, and Her divine life flow through Her hands to him. He was forgiven.
God gently brought John to his feet and wiped the tears from his eyes with Her shawl. “Not just yet, John. Please keep this Good News to yourself for there is much business to conduct,” She said. “But I do want you to bring Anthony Bevilaqua to this office tomorrow at 9 A.M. You need to be here as well, John, my beloved, and you too Justin.”
“Obviously God,” Justin said archly , “You don’t know that Cardinal Bevilaqua is ill and suffering from dementia.”
“Obviously, Justin,” She replied, “I know that aside from a malformed moral compass, your predecessor is just fine, thank you.” We’ll talk tomorrow at nine sharp. Be there.”
Eileen McCafferty DiFranco
May 18, 2011
God looked sadly at Her people waiting for their handouts of daily bread, right in the shadow of a church dedicated to Her. “And still my children cry,” She thought as she passed by the court building and the public library.
God was certainly well acquainted with the sin all around her. After all, She had given human beings free will. Sin was a natural outcome of Her choice to let people learn. She knew that people would lie, cheat, fornicate, avenge, fight, envy and lust. She forgave sin because it was part of the human condition. No human being could ever be perfect. The divine goal had always been wholeness rather than perfection.
God ran Her hands through Her curly black hair and wiped away Her tears. What had happened in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia took sin to new level. What really made Her angry, if She could be angry, and want to throw thunderbolts, if there were such things, was the idolatrous use of Her Holy Name to justify heinous sin. As the late February wind gathered into a full frontal attack, God shouted, “Thou SHALT NOT take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain,” at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul.
The passers-by on 18th St. lifted up the heads they had bowed before the wind. What was that sound? When they saw a tall, well-dressed beautiful young woman with curly black hair and bright green eyes standing in the park, they resumed their walk. Thank God none of the park denizens was acting crazy today.
In his office, Cardinal Rigali heard the wind race around the corner of his office. Something in the wind made him get up and look out the window. A very tall woman with curly black hair caught his eye. He tried to move away from the window but stood transfixed by her eyes. His knees began to feel a bit weak. How could he see her eyes from this distance? And why was she waving at him?
His work beckoned. Several days before he learned that the city was going to try the former Vicar of the Clergy, the Very Reverend William Lynn for child endangerment. In His Eminence’s opinion, Msgr. Lynn had only done what he had been directed to do. A cardinal always knows what’s best for his diocese. The sacred and the profane world are so different and only he, Justin Rigali, can tell the difference between the two because his feet are planted so firmly in the former. All those people out there, eating, drinking, carousing in sin and using birth control - what could they know about the sacred work entrusted to him? What do they know about the sacred? He, the cardinal archbishop of Philadelphia had worked hard to do the Lord’s work to keep people steadfast in their faith and devoted to the church of Jesus Christ. His was the voice of authority. Only he could interpret the will and word of God. Jesus, Himself, had put bishops in charge of the church. The cardinal rested peacefully each night, assured in that knowledge.
Cardinal Rigali tried again to withdraw his eyes from the woman outside. His heart began beating fast as he head a female voice say quite clearly in his head, “Don’t kid yourself, my son. I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt have no strange gods before me. Do not be an idolater. Cease and desist from taking My Name in vain.” To his amazement, he could see Her lips mouthing the words. The cardinal began to sweat.
The woman suddenly withdrew her eyes and the cardinal relaxed. He saw her approach the door to the archdiocesan office and smiled. The guards would stop her. He sat down, adjusted his pectoral cross and his red beanie, and began looking at the charges against his loyal deputy.
The door opened almost immediately. The cardinal’s eyes narrowed. He had told his secretary not to disturb him. His mouth opened to complain when he saw the tall woman in question entering his office.
The cardinal demanded, “Who let you in?” and reached for his phone.
“Don’t bother, Justin,” God said mildly. “The phone won’t work. And don’t be mad at your secretary. He didn’t see Me. No one did. No one but you.”
Justin began inching towards the door. This woman was insane. He was tired of those street people hanging around in the park.
God walked around to the chair Justin had just vacated, sat down, and crossed her long legs. She removed a white wool shawl from Her shoulders and took out her computer from her green bag. “Sit down,” She directed peremptorily, pointing to the visitor’s chair in front of his desk. “And stop staring at My arms. Mothers have the strongest arms in the world. The biggest hearts too. You should talk to women more often and stop worrying about them taking over things. It would stop you from saying some really stupid stuff about things you don’t remotely understand.”
Justin sat down and crossed his arms across his chest. If he made a scene, he’d have trouble explaining how this lovely young woman with bare arms came to visit him so secretly. God narrowed Her eyes as She stared at his broad red cummerbund and the red piping on his cassock. “You silly, pitiful men. You can’t imagine God as female. You really were expecting a God who looked and acted like you?” “Well,” She said, her voice rising, “Dream on!” Justin looked at the window as the wind seemed to roar again. “It wasn’t the wind,” God said calmly, as She downloaded the Grand Jury Report.
“Who are you?” he demanded. Justin was a man who gave orders. He could say to the Vicar of the Clergy, “Go cover up the sins of my brother priests and it would be done without question. He would say to his loyal men, “Keep those heretics away from communing with God,” and they would do so, even when their better instincts indicated otherwise. When some silly women from WOC asked, “What would Jesus do?” Justin could only laugh. He always did what Jesus would want him to do. Protect the church. Secure it from scandal. Eliminate dissenters. Reserve the Lord for the deserving. And he used priest underlings, wealthy patrons, lawyers, insurance agents, controllers, and public relations people to do his bidding, which after all, was really the Will of God.
God noted his thoughts and looked up from Her computer. In fact, She stood up and said. “I am the Lord thy God.” The cardinal’s mind recoiled in protest in spite of the vision of a woman clothed in the sun with a crown of stars on her head, Looking down from Her great height, She added, “ I shall be Who I shall be. I wish you guys would be more anal about that sort of translation and worry less about that consubstantial nonsense. Do you think complicated words can ever describe Me?”
Then God was back in her seat leaning towards Justin, Her chin in Her hand. Justin refused to look into Her eyes. “You know, Justin, men like you continue to amaze Me. I have given you visions, signs, indeed, even portents if you believe in prophecy, and yet you disbelieve. The message is so big, a runner would see it as My son Habbakuk wrote so many years ago. Yet, you destroy the prophets among you. Your idolatry blinds you. You refuse to see me so You cannot believe in Me. All you see is yourself. You are seeing the house that you think Justin built, the house you think Rome built. But he who loses his life will find it. Lose yourself in Me, Justin. Forget about who you think you are. Forget about who you think I AM. You have been blessed with a great gift, Justin, and yet you refuse to accept it.”
Justin sat still, his eyes staring straight in front of him, refusing to meet the eyes of God. He had worked really hard to get to this place. All those years in Rome, rubbing elbows and clinking wine glasses in the finest restaurants in town with the most powerful men in the world meant a great deal to him.
“Justin, my boy, I would not worry about all those clanging brass cymbals in Rome any more. The only power they have, as my son Tom McMahon said on a wonderful e-group to which you should subscribe because you might learn something about the church you lead, is the power to use something they call god as a threat. If you truly believed in Me, as my daughter Marguerite Sexton said when she sadly left the church, you would never, ever use ME, the Lord, thy God, as a weapon against your sisters and brothers.”
God shrugged at Justin’s flat affect and continued to read through the 2011 Grand Jury Report mumbling “Yuck” and “Gross.”
“You do this type of thing and then believe you speak for Me? Quite frankly Justin, I am suffering from what your psychologists call cognitive dissonance. You have major hissy fits over my sons Roy and Bill and my daughters, the priests and then you coddle criminals, sick men who did these things?” She pointed in disgust at the computer. “You, my son – and all your brothers- not only presume, you also engaged in some really bad judgment.”
God closed Her computer and put Her flash drive into Her purse. “Now, I’ve had more than enough of this stuff. You have screwed up big time being a shepherd. Few recognize your voice. You left your flock alone and instead protected the wolves whom you allowed to roam in your midst with impunity. It is always and everywhere My will and intention to protect the weak and the vulnerable. It is in doing this that you give Me glory and honor. Why do you think I told believers to see Me in all humanity?”
Justin remained unconvinced. This self-described God was a WOC plant. He knew these women well. They would do anything, even hire a master magician, to push their feminist agenda. All they wanted to do was destroy the church, which had grown up perfectly intact from the heads of the church, the apostles. The male, celibate clergy had served the world well these last centuries. It would not change any time soon, certainly not while he was in charge. The church as it now existed was the will of God. Case closed.
God looked sadly at the Cardinal Archbishop of Philadelphia. “ You are not in charge, son. I AM. If you were, as you claim, ontologically changed by Holy Orders, you would know Me and Mine. Instead, you know only you and yours. And so you will fail.” God stood up and prepared to leave.
Justin’s secretary walked into the office. “Your Eminence, I heard strange noises and thought…” The man closed his mouth and stood in stunned silence watching as God draped her white shawl over Her broad shoulders. “Your Eminence,” he fairly gasped, “Who is this woman? How did she get in here?”
“I AM,” She replied, “The Lord, thy God.” The vision of God filled the room with a great pulsating light that extinguished the winter darkness with each beat of God’s heart. The secretary got down on his knees and looked up at the divine as though through the clouds of heaven. The stars in Her crown twinkled in a bright sky. He could see the world at Her feet. “Now you can dismiss your servant,” he began, when the cardinal interrupted. “This is all a ploy, get off your knees, John. It’s those WOC women priests at it again.”
The secretary saw blood from the wounds in her hands drip onto her shawl. “No, no, no Your Eminence,’ he protested, “This is real. Look at Her hands! We have met the Lord! I must go and tell the others! It’s the Second Coming! Jesus has returned! Praise God!” Then remembering his sins, for they were many, John bowed his head and wept. “God, please forgive me,” he said over and over again, holding Her Hands and kissing them with great fervor. John felt Her grace, Her sweetness, and Her divine life flow through Her hands to him. He was forgiven.
God gently brought John to his feet and wiped the tears from his eyes with Her shawl. “Not just yet, John. Please keep this Good News to yourself for there is much business to conduct,” She said. “But I do want you to bring Anthony Bevilaqua to this office tomorrow at 9 A.M. You need to be here as well, John, my beloved, and you too Justin.”
“Obviously God,” Justin said archly , “You don’t know that Cardinal Bevilaqua is ill and suffering from dementia.”
“Obviously, Justin,” She replied, “I know that aside from a malformed moral compass, your predecessor is just fine, thank you.” We’ll talk tomorrow at nine sharp. Be there.”
Eileen McCafferty DiFranco
May 18, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
John Jay Report on Sexual Abuse in Catholic Church Fails to Deal with Systemic Cover-up by Bishops and Vatican
The John Jay Report on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church could have been written by the U. S. Bishops and the Vatican. What a disappointment, and a waste of money! Let's not forget that the bishops' made a large financial contribution, and the report examined their data. Why in heavens name, did these investigators not do a more comprehensive investigation? There is evidence in court cases and research on fundamental issues, such as the clerical, male culture that could have been examined.
The report blames the pop culture, the permissive environment, of the 60's for the rape and cover up of sexual abuse of thousands of Catholic youth. Not long ago, the Vatican's exorcist blamed the devil roaming the halls of he Vatican for the sexual abuse scandal!
What these investigators leave out in this report is:
1) the bishops' role in the global cover-up
2) the Vatican's role in the global cover-up
3) the systemic causes including clericalism that preserved the bishops' power and failed to protect the victims.
Can we see an agenda here?!
Then to add insult to injury, the recent Vatican guidelines affirm the bishop's authority in all sexual abuse cases. The Vatican policy suggests that the bishop turn over credible cases to the police. Suggest! Did anyone ever hear of "obstruction of justice" Is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church above the law?
Would any other church get away with the coverup of criminal behavior?
Yet, why, is there not worldwide outrage when the Vatican comes out with such a reprehensible policy? The Vatican clearly states that it is the bishops who are responsible to decide which allegations are credible! Really! After spending 2 billion dollars in court cases and after thousands of priests were found guilty of raping, sodomizing, and/or sexually abusing minors and after a cover-up by bishops that extends around the globe, one would think the Vatican would offer mandates to the bishops, not suggestions that they report allegations to the police. One example, in the Philadelphia Archdiocese the Review Board did not even know about the allegations against some of the priests who were later suspended after the Grand Jury Report cited credible allegations of sexual abuse. Cardinal Rigali did not turn over all of the cases to his own Review Board. And the Vatican Policy supports Rigali's action! How tragic! It is obvious that the preservation of the hierarchy's power, not the protection of children from sexual abuse by the clergy, is the real issue! In some cases, like Cardinal Law, the Vatican has even rewarded bishops who covered up for abusive priests with top jobs in Rome.
Now the newly released official Vatican policy demonstrates that the Vatican refuses to make the major reforms that would create a more open, accountable, transparent church. The bishops are still in charge. They are only accountable to the Pope in this life. The foxes continue to guard the hen house.
Groups like Amnesty International, perhaps, the World Court, may be able to hold the institutional church accountable. The people of God, the court of public opinion, will continue to pray for and advocate for justice, truth telling, reconciliation and healing. Catholics who love their church will continue to speak truth to the hierarchy and call for reform. Some of us will work in grassroots communities, like the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, to bring about structural change by living Gospel equality and accountability now as we share the rich heritage of our faith in vibrant sacramental communities in which justice, compassion, and inclusiveness are hallmarks.
Here are quotes from some of the major media's coverage:
"The report's ultimate recommendation will sound familiar to anyone who has studied an institution in crisis: enact uniform policies that encourage transparency and accountability. But this is the American Catholic Church, in which each bishop runs his diocese largely free from scrutiny and oversight. Just last week, the head of the Philadelphia Archdiocese's in-house review board publicly complained that church leaders had been selective in handing over sex-abuse allegations rather than allowing the board to sift through every complaint. (Read about Pope Benedict XVI's daily life.)
Perhaps the best evidence that church reforms are still far off came on May 16 when the Vatican issued new guidelines for bishops to consult when dealing with sex-abuse cases. The guidelines are voluntary, meaning bishops will continue to have the final say over all matters within their individual dioceses. The bishop remains king, reporting only to the Pope and God." Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2072574,00.html#ixzz1Mqwy8rRk
As important as this report seems to be, more work and investigation is needed. In the Washington Post, the point is made that the organization is claiming it has done one of the most thorough studies any organization has done of itself. But it has not studied the organization failures. "
Priest sex abuse scandal was temporary problem, study finds
In The Washington Post
“This report misses the boat. What deserves the most scrutiny are not child sex crimes but continued clergy coverups of child sex crimes,” the advocacy group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said Tuesday in a statement. Study blames culture of era for church’s abuse crisis. Priests poorly trained, report to bishops says "
In Boston.com online
“The study seems to focus on the offending priests in a way that minimizes the gravity of their crimes, and gives short shrift to the ‘other crime’ — the enabling, concealing, and fostering of abuse by the US bishops and the Vatican bureaucracy,’’ said Terence McKiernan of BishopAccountability.org, in a statement on news reports concerning the leaked study last night."
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
sofiabmm@aol.com
The report blames the pop culture, the permissive environment, of the 60's for the rape and cover up of sexual abuse of thousands of Catholic youth. Not long ago, the Vatican's exorcist blamed the devil roaming the halls of he Vatican for the sexual abuse scandal!
What these investigators leave out in this report is:
1) the bishops' role in the global cover-up
2) the Vatican's role in the global cover-up
3) the systemic causes including clericalism that preserved the bishops' power and failed to protect the victims.
Can we see an agenda here?!
Then to add insult to injury, the recent Vatican guidelines affirm the bishop's authority in all sexual abuse cases. The Vatican policy suggests that the bishop turn over credible cases to the police. Suggest! Did anyone ever hear of "obstruction of justice" Is the hierarchy of the Catholic Church above the law?
Would any other church get away with the coverup of criminal behavior?
Yet, why, is there not worldwide outrage when the Vatican comes out with such a reprehensible policy? The Vatican clearly states that it is the bishops who are responsible to decide which allegations are credible! Really! After spending 2 billion dollars in court cases and after thousands of priests were found guilty of raping, sodomizing, and/or sexually abusing minors and after a cover-up by bishops that extends around the globe, one would think the Vatican would offer mandates to the bishops, not suggestions that they report allegations to the police. One example, in the Philadelphia Archdiocese the Review Board did not even know about the allegations against some of the priests who were later suspended after the Grand Jury Report cited credible allegations of sexual abuse. Cardinal Rigali did not turn over all of the cases to his own Review Board. And the Vatican Policy supports Rigali's action! How tragic! It is obvious that the preservation of the hierarchy's power, not the protection of children from sexual abuse by the clergy, is the real issue! In some cases, like Cardinal Law, the Vatican has even rewarded bishops who covered up for abusive priests with top jobs in Rome.
Now the newly released official Vatican policy demonstrates that the Vatican refuses to make the major reforms that would create a more open, accountable, transparent church. The bishops are still in charge. They are only accountable to the Pope in this life. The foxes continue to guard the hen house.
Groups like Amnesty International, perhaps, the World Court, may be able to hold the institutional church accountable. The people of God, the court of public opinion, will continue to pray for and advocate for justice, truth telling, reconciliation and healing. Catholics who love their church will continue to speak truth to the hierarchy and call for reform. Some of us will work in grassroots communities, like the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, to bring about structural change by living Gospel equality and accountability now as we share the rich heritage of our faith in vibrant sacramental communities in which justice, compassion, and inclusiveness are hallmarks.
Here are quotes from some of the major media's coverage:
"The report's ultimate recommendation will sound familiar to anyone who has studied an institution in crisis: enact uniform policies that encourage transparency and accountability. But this is the American Catholic Church, in which each bishop runs his diocese largely free from scrutiny and oversight. Just last week, the head of the Philadelphia Archdiocese's in-house review board publicly complained that church leaders had been selective in handing over sex-abuse allegations rather than allowing the board to sift through every complaint. (Read about Pope Benedict XVI's daily life.)
Perhaps the best evidence that church reforms are still far off came on May 16 when the Vatican issued new guidelines for bishops to consult when dealing with sex-abuse cases. The guidelines are voluntary, meaning bishops will continue to have the final say over all matters within their individual dioceses. The bishop remains king, reporting only to the Pope and God." Read more: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2072574,00.html#ixzz1Mqwy8rRk
As important as this report seems to be, more work and investigation is needed. In the Washington Post, the point is made that the organization is claiming it has done one of the most thorough studies any organization has done of itself. But it has not studied the organization failures. "
Priest sex abuse scandal was temporary problem, study finds
In The Washington Post
“This report misses the boat. What deserves the most scrutiny are not child sex crimes but continued clergy coverups of child sex crimes,” the advocacy group Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said Tuesday in a statement. Study blames culture of era for church’s abuse crisis. Priests poorly trained, report to bishops says "
In Boston.com online
“The study seems to focus on the offending priests in a way that minimizes the gravity of their crimes, and gives short shrift to the ‘other crime’ — the enabling, concealing, and fostering of abuse by the US bishops and the Vatican bureaucracy,’’ said Terence McKiernan of BishopAccountability.org, in a statement on news reports concerning the leaked study last night."
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
sofiabmm@aol.com
Monday, May 16, 2011
Vatican Put on List of Global Human Rights Abusers by Amnesty International
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_VATICAN_CHURCH_ABUSE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-05-16-07-17-32
May 16, 7:17 AM EDT
Vatican suggests bishops report abuse to police
By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press
EXCERPT: On Friday, Amnesty International listed the Vatican in its annual report of global human rights abuses, citing revelations of clerical abuse around the world and the "enduring failure" of the church to address the crimes properly.
Vatican's role in sex abuse scandals
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Another example of the fox guarding the hen house! This is the problem! How can the bishops determine if an allegation is credible? Don't you need an investigation by police? Isn't that part of law enforcement's job. It is "important" to cooperate with law enforcement, but the Vatican should have made this mandatory!, These guidelines are not even a good PR effort on their part! I don't understand why the Vatican does not get it!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
May 16, 7:17 AM EDT
Vatican suggests bishops report abuse to police
By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press
EXCERPT: On Friday, Amnesty International listed the Vatican in its annual report of global human rights abuses, citing revelations of clerical abuse around the world and the "enduring failure" of the church to address the crimes properly.
Vatican's role in sex abuse scandals
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Another example of the fox guarding the hen house! This is the problem! How can the bishops determine if an allegation is credible? Don't you need an investigation by police? Isn't that part of law enforcement's job. It is "important" to cooperate with law enforcement, but the Vatican should have made this mandatory!, These guidelines are not even a good PR effort on their part! I don't understand why the Vatican does not get it!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
"Papal Fantasy Romancing the Past"/ Progressive Bishops Considered More Dangerous Than Those Engaged in Sex Abuse
http://anothervoice-greenleaf.org/2011/05/16/papal-fantasy-romancing-the-past/
John Greenleaf writes in "Another Voice":
"Progressive bishops are seen as more dangerous than those engaged in sex abuse: As has been reported, the Vatican has taken decisive action against an “errant” Australian bishop, showing that it has a zero tolerance policy towards deviants. Bishop William Morris, who was forced to resign (for wanting to discuss married priests, women priests and an ecumenical understanding of holy orders) was not guilty of sexual abuse. On the contrary, the Toowoomba, Australia bishop has been a noted supporter of abuse victims in his diocese, and widely admired as a sensitive pastoral leader. At the same time, the Vatican has fast-tracked the beatification of John Paul II, the pope who denied that pedophilia was a problem in the church and gave great support to sexual abusers like his friend Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer of Vienna who abused 2,000 boys over several decades."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
The Latin liturgies, meatless meals on Friday, and other pentitential practices will not heal the grievous wound in the heart of our church- the horrific global scandal that has not only devastated the lives of victims and their families, but also has betrayed the entire Catholic community and the result is loss of trust in the institutional church and its hierarchy. The fact that many bishops, including the Vatican were involved in a global shuffling of priests from parish to parish, from diocese to diocese and in some cases from country to country and ended up in the hands of both JPII and Benedict XVI. Both popes apologized for the travesty, but did not make the structural changes necessary to deal with the clericalism that protected the clergy, but not the children who were raped, sodomized, and sexually abused by the "Fathers" of their church!
Pope Benedict made a serious mistake by firing BishopWilliam Morris, who had a good track record of dealing compassionately with victims of sexual abuse and who considered married priests and women priests as a possible solution to the crisis of a priest shortage in his Australian diocese, His removal from office is another indication of how sick our institutional church is and how threatened the Vatican is by the mere words, "women priests".
Yet the fact remains that Roman Catholic Women Priests are faithful advocates of Gospel equality who are living prophetic obedience to God's call to serve the people of God in a a renewed priestly ministry. We minister in grassroots communities where all are welcome, including all who are on the margins of church and society.
In my view, this is the mandate of Jesus in the Gospel who embraced all.
Women priests are part of the grassroots reform and renewal that is on the ground now. I think Jesus, who had many women among his closest disciples, would feel rather comfortable in our inclusive communities.
Women Priests are part of the emerging Catholic Church, a new Pentecost that is taking root, in which a circle of beloved sisters and brothers come together to worship in inclusive communities and to live passionately the good news of God's love, compassion, justice and equality for all in our world.
Kudos to John Greenleaf for an excellent article in his blog: "Another Voice."
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
John Greenleaf writes in "Another Voice":
"Progressive bishops are seen as more dangerous than those engaged in sex abuse: As has been reported, the Vatican has taken decisive action against an “errant” Australian bishop, showing that it has a zero tolerance policy towards deviants. Bishop William Morris, who was forced to resign (for wanting to discuss married priests, women priests and an ecumenical understanding of holy orders) was not guilty of sexual abuse. On the contrary, the Toowoomba, Australia bishop has been a noted supporter of abuse victims in his diocese, and widely admired as a sensitive pastoral leader. At the same time, the Vatican has fast-tracked the beatification of John Paul II, the pope who denied that pedophilia was a problem in the church and gave great support to sexual abusers like his friend Cardinal Hans Hermann Groer of Vienna who abused 2,000 boys over several decades."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
The Latin liturgies, meatless meals on Friday, and other pentitential practices will not heal the grievous wound in the heart of our church- the horrific global scandal that has not only devastated the lives of victims and their families, but also has betrayed the entire Catholic community and the result is loss of trust in the institutional church and its hierarchy. The fact that many bishops, including the Vatican were involved in a global shuffling of priests from parish to parish, from diocese to diocese and in some cases from country to country and ended up in the hands of both JPII and Benedict XVI. Both popes apologized for the travesty, but did not make the structural changes necessary to deal with the clericalism that protected the clergy, but not the children who were raped, sodomized, and sexually abused by the "Fathers" of their church!
Pope Benedict made a serious mistake by firing BishopWilliam Morris, who had a good track record of dealing compassionately with victims of sexual abuse and who considered married priests and women priests as a possible solution to the crisis of a priest shortage in his Australian diocese, His removal from office is another indication of how sick our institutional church is and how threatened the Vatican is by the mere words, "women priests".
Yet the fact remains that Roman Catholic Women Priests are faithful advocates of Gospel equality who are living prophetic obedience to God's call to serve the people of God in a a renewed priestly ministry. We minister in grassroots communities where all are welcome, including all who are on the margins of church and society.
In my view, this is the mandate of Jesus in the Gospel who embraced all.
Women priests are part of the grassroots reform and renewal that is on the ground now. I think Jesus, who had many women among his closest disciples, would feel rather comfortable in our inclusive communities.
Women Priests are part of the emerging Catholic Church, a new Pentecost that is taking root, in which a circle of beloved sisters and brothers come together to worship in inclusive communities and to live passionately the good news of God's love, compassion, justice and equality for all in our world.
Kudos to John Greenleaf for an excellent article in his blog: "Another Voice."
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
Sunday, May 15, 2011
"The Vatican Moves Further Latinward"/ How Long Before Vatican Promotes Inclusive Liturgies/Women Priests?
The Vatican Moves Further Latinward
: James Martin, S.J.
From Reuters: The Vatican issued an "instruction" to bishops as a follow-up to a 2007 papal decree authorizing the wider adoption of the Latin Mass, which was in universal use before the 1962-1965 Vatican Council introduced masses in local languages. The re-instatement of the Latin mass was one of the demands of ultra-traditionalists whose leaders were excommunicated in 1988, prompting the first schism in modern times. The pope, in a nod the traditionalists, satisfied many of them in 2007 when he allowed a wider use of the Latin mass, in which the priest faced east with his back to the faithful for most of the service. But some bishops around the world said privately it was a headache because of the scarcity of priests trained in Latin, and logistical problems inserting Latin mass in their schedule.
Bridget Mary's Reflection
If Pope Benedict can promote the old Latin Mass to keep the ultra traditionlists happy, (whose leaders were excommicated just 23 years ago), how long will it take the Vatican to promote inclusive language in liturgies that incorporate feminine images of God to make progressives in the church happy?
Even though the bishops are mumbling, even complaining about this latest mandate from the Vatican that gives them extra work and costs to train priests to say a proper Tridentine Mass facing East, I prefer to view this move backward to Medieval times as another example of the Vatican as the gift that keeps on giving! This demonstrates how quickly the institutional church can move backwards or forwards! Just imagine the joy of millions in the church, when (in less than 23 years perhaps) we move forward with a renewed priestly ministry in a people empowered church. Can't you just see a future pope standing in the midst of the crowd in St. Peter's Square. Cameras roll, crowds cheer as Pope X declares that as the church has always believed and taught, Jesus treated women and men as disciples and equals, Mary of Magdala was the first witness to encounter the Risen Christ and was known as the apostle to the apostles, many women presided at Eucharist in the house churches in apostolic times, thousands of women were ordained deacons in the east and faithful women served their communities as presbyters until the 12th century, the church today is returning to its ancient tradition of women priests and (drum roll, please) all the top jobs in the Vatican will now be open to women who will fill at least half of them. He will affirm the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement as a prophetic gift to the church and the change it has brought in grassroots communities of a more open, inclusive, people-empowered church. At this time, he will invite all to join hands and hearts in the following prayer of thanksgiving; "God, our Mother and Father, we pray that all people today will be blessed by the gifts of women and men, partners and equals, living Jesus' vision of Gospel equality, justice and non-violence in our time..."
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
: James Martin, S.J.
From Reuters: The Vatican issued an "instruction" to bishops as a follow-up to a 2007 papal decree authorizing the wider adoption of the Latin Mass, which was in universal use before the 1962-1965 Vatican Council introduced masses in local languages. The re-instatement of the Latin mass was one of the demands of ultra-traditionalists whose leaders were excommunicated in 1988, prompting the first schism in modern times. The pope, in a nod the traditionalists, satisfied many of them in 2007 when he allowed a wider use of the Latin mass, in which the priest faced east with his back to the faithful for most of the service. But some bishops around the world said privately it was a headache because of the scarcity of priests trained in Latin, and logistical problems inserting Latin mass in their schedule.
Bridget Mary's Reflection
If Pope Benedict can promote the old Latin Mass to keep the ultra traditionlists happy, (whose leaders were excommicated just 23 years ago), how long will it take the Vatican to promote inclusive language in liturgies that incorporate feminine images of God to make progressives in the church happy?
Even though the bishops are mumbling, even complaining about this latest mandate from the Vatican that gives them extra work and costs to train priests to say a proper Tridentine Mass facing East, I prefer to view this move backward to Medieval times as another example of the Vatican as the gift that keeps on giving! This demonstrates how quickly the institutional church can move backwards or forwards! Just imagine the joy of millions in the church, when (in less than 23 years perhaps) we move forward with a renewed priestly ministry in a people empowered church. Can't you just see a future pope standing in the midst of the crowd in St. Peter's Square. Cameras roll, crowds cheer as Pope X declares that as the church has always believed and taught, Jesus treated women and men as disciples and equals, Mary of Magdala was the first witness to encounter the Risen Christ and was known as the apostle to the apostles, many women presided at Eucharist in the house churches in apostolic times, thousands of women were ordained deacons in the east and faithful women served their communities as presbyters until the 12th century, the church today is returning to its ancient tradition of women priests and (drum roll, please) all the top jobs in the Vatican will now be open to women who will fill at least half of them. He will affirm the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement as a prophetic gift to the church and the change it has brought in grassroots communities of a more open, inclusive, people-empowered church. At this time, he will invite all to join hands and hearts in the following prayer of thanksgiving; "God, our Mother and Father, we pray that all people today will be blessed by the gifts of women and men, partners and equals, living Jesus' vision of Gospel equality, justice and non-violence in our time..."
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community: Mini-Retreat: A Reflection on Compassion at "Mercy on the Manatee" in Florida
Hildegard of Bingen's Mandala:
The Person in Sapphire Blue: Compassion
Katy Zatsick (right) hangs Mandela
on Wall of "Mercy on the Manatee"
Members of MMOJ gather for
Reflection on Compassion
On Sunday, May 15, 2011, members of Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community gathered for a mini-retreat. We reflected on compassion and its meaning in our lives and ministries. We reviewed insights from Bishop Patricia Fresen's presenation on the power of compassion that connects all beings in the energy of the Holy One, and empowers us with overflowing love that pulses through all in the circle of life. We shared stories from our lives that illustrated how we grew in the awareness and practice of compassion in everyday life. We also celebrated a delicious brunch provided by our hosts, Carol Ann and Lee Breyer, who live in this awesome spot of beauty, their home on the Manatee River surrounded by stunning views of blue sky and water, " Mercy on the Manatee."
We concluded our time by hanging the framed mandala on the wall of Hildegard's vision of compassion, given by Bishop Patricia to our community. Then, Michael and Imogene Rigdon, Carol Ann and Lee Breyer, Sheila Carey and her friend Ed, Judy and Kevin Conolly and Shekila, bid farewell to snowbirds: Dick Fisher, Jack and Bridget Mary Meehan.
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
(MMOJ Liturgies will continue at St. Andrew UCC in Sarasota, Florida on first Sat. of month from June-Oct. at 6PM) Weekly liturgies start in Nov. Check www.marymotherofjesus.org for more information)
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Abundant life in Christ Leads to Contemplation of Feminine Face of God
In today's Good Shepherd Gospel, Jesus is saying to each of us: "I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly." Jesus is the source of our nourishment and it is through personal relationship with Jesus and through the community, the Body of Christ that we experience this fullness.
We can glimpse God's presence in a fuller way now as we explore the feminine awakening in which women and men from different religions and traditions are voicing their truth, claiming their inner authority, turning away from patriarchal values, embracing their spiritual experiences and advocating justice, equality and non-violence for all.
Inclusive language attempts to present a richer, deeper understanding of God, who is always more and beyong human comprehension. The impact of a fuller imaging of God and the naming of this experience empowers, transforms and heals both women and men. This reimagining heals the wounds inflicted on the people of God by overexposure to the distorted male-only God.
As theologian Elzabeth Johnson states that using exclusively male imagery for God reduces God to an idol, justifies patriarchy and implies that women are less like God. "if God is 'she' as well as he, and in face neither, a new possibility can be envisioned of a community that honors difference but allows women and men to share life in equal measure. " (Elizabeth Johnson, Quest for the Living God, pp. 100-101)
It is obvious that part of the reason, the institutional church has such a hostile view to women priests is that the hierarchy does not see women as capable of being "persona Christi", "in the person of Christ" ! Women priests remind us that all women are "persona Christi" by their baptism. (Gal. 3;28, In Christ, there is.... neither male and female... all are one.")
Gender equality is part of the fullness that Jesus promises us in today's Gospel. Since women are created in God's image, our faith communities need to contemplate the feminine face of God in both women and men to grow more whole and holy. Let us continue to live Gospel equality now, loving in the heart of God, and experience the abundant life Christ promised in our worship, community, and service.
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
"Head of Philly Priest Sex Abuse Review Panel Criticizes Her Church Leaders
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20110514_Head_of_Philly_priest_sex-abuse_review_panel_criticizes_her_church_leaders.html
"A nurse who has served eight years on the archdiocesan review board, Catanzaro was elaborating on a sharply critical article she wrote for the current issue of the Catholic biweekly Commonweal.
Only after a Philadelphia grand jury report in February excoriated both the board and hierarchy for shielding accused priests, she said, did the panel members discover that most cases had been kept from them."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
How can the Philadelphia Archdiocese justify withholding cases from its own Review Board? This action makes a mockery of the Charter to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse that the U.S. bishops adopted after their historic meeting in Dallas. How can a pro-life church not be pro-child? Catholics in Philadelphia should be outraged, hold their church leaders accountable and withhold financial contributions from the Archdiocese until there is genuine reform and transparency. It is time for a renewed priestly ministry including married priests and women priests in a people-empowered Catholic Church if the institutional church wants to move forward with genuine reforms.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
"A nurse who has served eight years on the archdiocesan review board, Catanzaro was elaborating on a sharply critical article she wrote for the current issue of the Catholic biweekly Commonweal.
Only after a Philadelphia grand jury report in February excoriated both the board and hierarchy for shielding accused priests, she said, did the panel members discover that most cases had been kept from them."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
How can the Philadelphia Archdiocese justify withholding cases from its own Review Board? This action makes a mockery of the Charter to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse that the U.S. bishops adopted after their historic meeting in Dallas. How can a pro-life church not be pro-child? Catholics in Philadelphia should be outraged, hold their church leaders accountable and withhold financial contributions from the Archdiocese until there is genuine reform and transparency. It is time for a renewed priestly ministry including married priests and women priests in a people-empowered Catholic Church if the institutional church wants to move forward with genuine reforms.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
Friday, May 13, 2011
Clips from Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community Liturgies Can be Viewed on Yidio/ Internet TV
http://www.yidio.com/search/entertaiment/mary+mother+of+jesus+inclusive+catholic+community/1?find=mary+mother+of+jesus+inclusive+catholic+community
You can now view clips from our Easter Vigil Celebration on Yidio -- Internet TV.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
sofiabmm@aol.com
You can now view clips from our Easter Vigil Celebration on Yidio -- Internet TV.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
sofiabmm@aol.com
Sex Crimes and the Vatican/ Secret Document Swore All Parties to Secrecy Under Penalty of Excommunication
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/sex-crimes-and-the-vatican/
"Created in 1962, a now infamous document was issued in secret to bishops. Called Crimen Sollicitationis, it outlined procedures to be followed by bishops when dealing with allegations of child abuse, homosexuality and bestiality by members of the clergy. It swore all parties involved to secrecy on pain of excommunication from the Catholic Church. This document was reissued in 2001 by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and sent to all bishops. Yet rather than ordering more openness and cooperation with the authorities as demanded by both law enforcers and the victims, he reiterated its policies and ensured that the Code of Silence be applied to all cases of child abuse involving a priest. Cardinal Ratzinger also instructed that all cases should now be referred to his office directly and that he would maintain ‘exclusive competence’ over the handling of allegations. This is the Catholic Church’s policy to this day and Cardinal Ratzinger is now Pope Benedict XVI. The policy laid out in the above document has led to systemic failure by the result that a significant number of priest have, in effect, been allowed to abuse again, and further children have been put at risk.As the documentary explores, Colm O’Gorman is the man responsible for breaking open decades of abuse by Catholic Priests in Ireland in the BAFTA award-winning BBC special Suing the Pope. He links international ‘systemic evidence’ to argue the Vatican has a policy to cover up the sexual abuse of thousands of children across the world."
"Created in 1962, a now infamous document was issued in secret to bishops. Called Crimen Sollicitationis, it outlined procedures to be followed by bishops when dealing with allegations of child abuse, homosexuality and bestiality by members of the clergy. It swore all parties involved to secrecy on pain of excommunication from the Catholic Church. This document was reissued in 2001 by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and sent to all bishops. Yet rather than ordering more openness and cooperation with the authorities as demanded by both law enforcers and the victims, he reiterated its policies and ensured that the Code of Silence be applied to all cases of child abuse involving a priest. Cardinal Ratzinger also instructed that all cases should now be referred to his office directly and that he would maintain ‘exclusive competence’ over the handling of allegations. This is the Catholic Church’s policy to this day and Cardinal Ratzinger is now Pope Benedict XVI. The policy laid out in the above document has led to systemic failure by the result that a significant number of priest have, in effect, been allowed to abuse again, and further children have been put at risk.As the documentary explores, Colm O’Gorman is the man responsible for breaking open decades of abuse by Catholic Priests in Ireland in the BAFTA award-winning BBC special Suing the Pope. He links international ‘systemic evidence’ to argue the Vatican has a policy to cover up the sexual abuse of thousands of children across the world."
May 13th Vigil for Women's Ordination in Boston/ A Sign of Hope as Young People Lead the Way
May 15th Vigil for Women's Ordination in Boston.
Greetings!
"My name is Emily Jendzejec and I am first year Master of Divinity student at Harvard Divinity School. I am also on the Call To Action young adult leadership team (CTA 20/30). I wanted to cordially invite you to an exciting upcoming event for the movement for Catholic women's ordination in Boston.
On Sunday, May 15th, 2011, from 10:30am -- 12pm, we will be gathering at the Boston Cathedral of the Holy Cross to hold a peaceful prayer vigil for women's ordination. May 15th is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations in the Catholic Church, and we will be standing in solidarity praying for vocations for all women and men, particularly for women's vocations to the priesthood. We would love for as many of you as are able to join us that day! There will be singing, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and maybe even some bagels! "
The address is:
Boston Cathedral of the Holy Cross, 1040 Washington StreetSouth End, Boston, MA 02118
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
My prayers will be with you, and hope that you inspire many young people to come forward to support an inclusive priestly ministry, specifically young women who are called to a renewed priestly ministry. Women now have found a way with the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement!
I look forward to seeing the photos! I am happy to publish on my blog!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
Greetings!
"My name is Emily Jendzejec and I am first year Master of Divinity student at Harvard Divinity School. I am also on the Call To Action young adult leadership team (CTA 20/30). I wanted to cordially invite you to an exciting upcoming event for the movement for Catholic women's ordination in Boston.
On Sunday, May 15th, 2011, from 10:30am -- 12pm, we will be gathering at the Boston Cathedral of the Holy Cross to hold a peaceful prayer vigil for women's ordination. May 15th is the World Day of Prayer for Vocations in the Catholic Church, and we will be standing in solidarity praying for vocations for all women and men, particularly for women's vocations to the priesthood. We would love for as many of you as are able to join us that day! There will be singing, prayer, the Holy Spirit, and maybe even some bagels! "
The address is:
Boston Cathedral of the Holy Cross, 1040 Washington StreetSouth End, Boston, MA 02118
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
My prayers will be with you, and hope that you inspire many young people to come forward to support an inclusive priestly ministry, specifically young women who are called to a renewed priestly ministry. Women now have found a way with the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement!
I look forward to seeing the photos! I am happy to publish on my blog!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
"Woman Bishop Talks Compassion, Rather than Ordination" by Jamie Manson/NCR/Feminine Love Births Creation/Hildegard/Meditation
Bishop Patricia addresses Mary Mother of Jesus
Inclusive Catholic Community on "Compassion" on April 9, 2011
http://ncronline.org/blogs/grace-margins/woman-bishop-talks-compassion-rather-ordination
"As the progressive Catholic world continues to lament the imminent expulsion of Fr. Roy Bourgeois from the Maryknoll community, Bishop Patricia Fresen stands as a quiet reminder that many Catholic women have already suffered a similar fate for publicly supporting women's ordination"...
..."Many of Fresen's thoughts were drawn from one of Hildegard of Bingen's icons, sometimes called "The Compassionate Person." ...In The Hidden History of Women's Ordination, scholar Gary Macy demonstrates that throughout the Middle Ages, popes and bishops referred to the commissioning of abbesses as an ordination. "Early abbesses were powerful and acted independently not only of the papacy, but also of the local bishop," writes Macy.
Hildegard's image shows a Christ figure in the center of an egg-colored mandala. The mandala is surrounded on four sides by sapphire blue, which is meant to evoke the sky and sea. Because of their vast, all-encompassing nature, the sky and sea are a perfect symbol for the compassion of God.... In this gesture, Hildegard's Christ figure reminds us that, like Jesus, our bodies are meant to radiate goodness and healing throughout our world..."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Our community was deeply touched by Bishop Patricia's inspiring presentation. The power of compassion connects us to our fellow human beings on the planet and all beings in the cosmos. We are all one, loved and held in the dynamic, all-encompassing, overflowing love of the Holy One pulsing through all in the circle of life.
In 1991, in my book on feminine imagery of God, Exploring the Feminine Face of God, p. 67. I wrote a meditation based on this vision in Hildegard's Illuminations, entitled: "Feminine Love Births Creation"
" Hildegard describes God birthing creation and holding all of creation in perfect harmony and balance. Hildegard shared this vision of what she saw in a letter with Abbot Ebrach: "an extraordinary beautiful young woman... wearing shoes which seemed of purest gold whom the whole creation called Lady. The image spoke to a person pictured in sapphire blue and said: "Dominion is yours on the day of your power in the radiance of the saints. I have brought you forth from my own womb before the daystar."
According to Hildegard's vision, feminine love births creation.
"But why does the whole creation call this maiden 'Lady'?
Because "it was from her that all creation proceeded since love was the first.
She made everything." Love created humankind...Love was in eternity and it brought forth in the beginning all holiness, all creatures..."
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
sofiabmm@aol.com
Prominent Theologian Hans Kung Says Only Radical Reforms Can Save the Catholic Church
May 07, 2011 by
Anli Serfontein
Munich, May 6 (ENInews)
"The Catholic Church is seriously, possibly terminally ill and only an honest diagnosis and radical therapy will cure it, one of the sharpest critics of Pope Benedict XVI, the Swiss Catholic theologian Hans Kung, has written.... In his new book, Can the Church be Saved, Kung argues that the malady of the church goes beyond recent sexual abuse scandals. According to him, the church's resistance to reform, its secrecy, lack of transparency and misogyny are at the heart of the problem. He said that the Catholic church in the United States has lost one-third of its membership."The American Catholic church never asked why," he said."Any other institution that has lost a third of its members would want to know why. He also said that eighty percent of German bishops would welcome reforms"...
Bridget Mary's Reflection;
I agree with Hans Kung and look forward to reading his new book.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
Anli Serfontein
Munich, May 6 (ENInews)
"The Catholic Church is seriously, possibly terminally ill and only an honest diagnosis and radical therapy will cure it, one of the sharpest critics of Pope Benedict XVI, the Swiss Catholic theologian Hans Kung, has written.... In his new book, Can the Church be Saved, Kung argues that the malady of the church goes beyond recent sexual abuse scandals. According to him, the church's resistance to reform, its secrecy, lack of transparency and misogyny are at the heart of the problem. He said that the Catholic church in the United States has lost one-third of its membership."The American Catholic church never asked why," he said."Any other institution that has lost a third of its members would want to know why. He also said that eighty percent of German bishops would welcome reforms"...
Bridget Mary's Reflection;
I agree with Hans Kung and look forward to reading his new book.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Swiss Bishop Speaks Out for Women's Ordination/ Preparing the Way for Women Priests
http://www.praytellblog.com/index.php/2011/04/24/swiss-catholic-bishop-speaks-out-for-womens-ordination/
April, 24,2011
Posted by Anthony Ruff, OSB in Ordained Ministry
These Easter Sunday words of a Swiss Catholic bishop suggest that the topic of women’s ordination won’t be going away anytime soon.
Markus Büchel calls for far-reaching reforms in the Catholic Church. The bishop of the diocese of St. Gallen [St. Gall] spoke out openly for women’s ordination. “We must search for steps that lead there,” he said. “I could imagine that women’s diaconate could be such a step.”
One has not been permitted to discuss women’s ordination for a good while. “We can’t afford this anymore.” Regarding priesthood for women, Büchel said, “We can pray that the Holy Spirit enables us to read the signs of the times.”
He made this explosive statement in the St. Galler Pfarreiblatt [St. Gall Parish Paper]. Sabine Rüthemann, media spokesperson for the diocese, confirmed: “The interview is authorized. What Bishop Büchel said is what he means.”
Source: Der Sonntag.
Markus Büchel calls for far-reaching reforms in the Catholic Church. The bishop of the diocese of St. Gallen [St. Gall] spoke out openly for women’s ordination. “We must search for steps that lead there,” he said. “I could imagine that women’s diaconate could be such a step.”
One has not been permitted to discuss women’s ordination for a good while. “We can’t afford this anymore.” Regarding priesthood for women, Büchel said, “We can pray that the Holy Spirit enables us to read the signs of the times.”
He made this explosive statement in the St. Galler Pfarreiblatt [St. Gall Parish Paper]. Sabine Rüthemann, media spokesperson for the diocese, confirmed: “The interview is authorized. What Bishop Büchel said is what he means.”
Source: Der Sonntag.
Bridget Mary's Blog:
Hurray for Bishop Markus Buchel, another courageous bishop for speaking up for women's ordination. Last week Pope Benedict fired Bishop Morris, an Australian bishop who raised that possibility of married priests and women priests in a pastoral letter five years ago. Apparently some conservatives complained to the Vatican and there was no due process for Bishop Morris.What an injustice!
Let's hope that Bishop Buchel inspires other bishops to stand up to the Vatican's bullying! This could be the beginning of a spiritual revolution in the Catholic Church! It seems like women priests are the holy shakeup that is at the heart of a tsunami of change threatening the Vatican's staus quo! Every attempt to squash our movement has backfired and blessed us! None of the excommunications hurled our way has dampened enthusiasm among our supporters who are growing every day.
Today, I found out that our Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive liturgies for Easter have been put up on a popular internet station that advertises pop artists some of whom I never heard of!http://www.yidio.com/movie/mary,+mother+of+jesus/16972
The call for the full equality of women in the church is the call of the Holy Spirit in our times. Catholics are already experiencing partnership and equality in women priests' inclusive communities where all are welcome to receive sacraments. A new day of hope is dawning for the Catholic Church!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
"Presbyterians Set to Approve Gay Ministers" New York Times/Time for a Reality Check from Catholic Hierarchy
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/11/us/11presbyterian.html?hp
Presbyterians Set to Approve Gay Ministers
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: May 10, 2011
EXCERPT:
If the vote goes as expected, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) would join other mainline Protestant churches (including The United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Episcopal Church) in dropping their prohibitions on gay clergy members.
Bridget Mary's Reflection;
Msgr. Donald Cozzens, a former rector of a Catholic seminary, points out that gay seminarians make up approximately 60% of the young men preparing for priesthood . (Sacred Silence) It is sad that the Roman Catholic hierarchy, like an ostrich who buries its head in the sand, appears to be in denial, continues to be homophobic and fails to recognize the gifts of gays, lesbians and transgendered who have been called by God and have served the church faithfully over the years, indeed, over the centuries. It is about time the Vatican acknowledges the reality and tells the truth. All God's children are beloved images of the divine in our midst. No orientation is defective and those who are called should be free to serve in ministry.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
Presbyterians Set to Approve Gay Ministers
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
Published: May 10, 2011
EXCERPT:
If the vote goes as expected, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) would join other mainline Protestant churches (including The United Church of Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Episcopal Church) in dropping their prohibitions on gay clergy members.
Bridget Mary's Reflection;
Msgr. Donald Cozzens, a former rector of a Catholic seminary, points out that gay seminarians make up approximately 60% of the young men preparing for priesthood . (Sacred Silence) It is sad that the Roman Catholic hierarchy, like an ostrich who buries its head in the sand, appears to be in denial, continues to be homophobic and fails to recognize the gifts of gays, lesbians and transgendered who have been called by God and have served the church faithfully over the years, indeed, over the centuries. It is about time the Vatican acknowledges the reality and tells the truth. All God's children are beloved images of the divine in our midst. No orientation is defective and those who are called should be free to serve in ministry.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Vatican Bullying Will Not Stop Movement for Justice and Equality for Women in Catholic Church in Australia
Christopher Pearson
From: The Australian
May 07, 2011
"What are the likely repercussions for the Australian Catholic Church?
Morris's departure will further fortify the position of Cardinal George Pell and the more traditionally minded bishops.
The more realistic, liberal bishops are going to have to kiss goodbye to any lingering fantasies they clung to in the 90s of ordaining nuns, or at least keep them to themselves.
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
I disagree with the author's analysis. While it is true that the pope's firing of Bishop Morris is meant to intimidate the bishops, priests, nuns and anyone under the control of the institutional church! However, it is also an opportunity to be prophetic witnesses for justice for women in the church, including the ordination of women in a renewed priestly ministry. It gives me great hope that there are courageous priests like Maryknoll Fr. Roy Bourgeois, who co-presided at Janice, Sevre-Duszynska's ordination as a Roman Catholic Woman Priest and bishops like Bishop Morris, who expressed an open attitude to solving the shortage of priests with married priests and women priests. It is also encouraging to hear public criticism of the Vatican's abuse of power from priests groups like the Australian Priests who challenged the Vatican in its removal of Bishop Morris. They are joining other reform minded Catholics who love the church enough to speak truth to power.
The Bible teaches that God is always on the side of the oppressed. And women are definitely excluded from equal status in the Catholic Church. Canon law prohibits women from official decision-making roles in the church. Only the ordained are allowed this function. In a world where women are heads of state and presidents of companies, Catholic women are not allowed to officate at the sacraments or preach at regular Sunday worship. Women are treated like second class members of their own church. But now there is hope. We have Roman Catholic Women Priests. And the Vatican , the gift that keeps on giving, is placing its finger in a dike. But the dam has broken and there is a river of hope and promise, spilling forth, women priests, renewing the church with deep love and faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus. Roman Catholic Women Priests are part of the movement for the full equality of women in the Catholic Church which is the voice of God in our time.
I believe the Spirit is a'moving and before long we will see Catholic communities in Australia calling women to be ordained as priests to serve the church there. The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests stand in solidarity with the women called to priesthood in Australia and offer our prayerful support to Bishop Morris, who has inspired millions of Catholics, as he continues to stand in his truth. When the history of the church is written, Bishop Morris will be one of its heroes.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
703-505-0004
Friday, May 6, 2011
Bishop Morris: "You've Got to Stand In Your Truth"
NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER
http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/bp-morris-you%E2%80%99ve-got-stand-your-truth
Bp Morris: 'You’ve got to stand in your truth.'
"Meanwhile, in an on-camera video accounts to emerge from Toowoomba, Morris admitted he may have stepped on “too many toes” when he suggested in the 2006 pastoral that his rural diocese might benefit from the Vatican considering the ordination of women and married men."
"But, the bishop -- whose diocese contains 68,000 Catholics in 35 parishes, with 16 active priests -- continues: “You’ve got to stand in your truth.”
Bridget Mary's Reflection;
We owe gratitude to Bishop Morris for his concern for the pastoral care of the people of his diocese by raising the important issue of married priests and women priests as a response to the needs of God's people..
Bishop Morris' prophetic stance has propelled him into the international arena as a voice for justice and equality in the Roman Catholic church. When is he coming to the United States on a speaker's tour? He will be welcomed by millions of U.S. Catholics!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/bp-morris-you%E2%80%99ve-got-stand-your-truth
Bp Morris: 'You’ve got to stand in your truth.'
"Meanwhile, in an on-camera video accounts to emerge from Toowoomba, Morris admitted he may have stepped on “too many toes” when he suggested in the 2006 pastoral that his rural diocese might benefit from the Vatican considering the ordination of women and married men."
"But, the bishop -- whose diocese contains 68,000 Catholics in 35 parishes, with 16 active priests -- continues: “You’ve got to stand in your truth.”
Bridget Mary's Reflection;
We owe gratitude to Bishop Morris for his concern for the pastoral care of the people of his diocese by raising the important issue of married priests and women priests as a response to the needs of God's people..
Bishop Morris' prophetic stance has propelled him into the international arena as a voice for justice and equality in the Roman Catholic church. When is he coming to the United States on a speaker's tour? He will be welcomed by millions of U.S. Catholics!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Vatican: "Clueless or Complicit"/ Married Clergy and Women Priests Serve Church Now
Michael and Imogene Rigdon
bless assembly with water on
Easter Sunday at renewal
of baptismal promises
(left to right: Priest Partner Lee Breyer,
Patricia Fresen, visiting RCWP bishop
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP, Katy Zatsick, RCWP
Priest Partner Michael Rigdon)
(left to right)
Priest Partner and wife
Carol Ann and Lee Breyer,
Bridget Mary Meehan , RCWP
http://www.ucanews.com/2011/05/03/clueless-or-complicit/
by William Grimm
May 3, 2011
"The archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, has inadvertently presented another reason that the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church probably needs a married clergy.Responding to complaints that the beatification of Pope John Paul II was over-hasty and unseemly in light of the sex abuse scandal that will always be a blot on his papacy, the archbishop did not deny the problem. He simply said that beatification is not a “medal for good management service.No, Archbishop. Letting the chancery office run out of toilet paper is poor management service. Refusing to see or seeing, refusing to act against the rape of children is something else..."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
The Roman Catholic Church already has a married clergy made up of male priests from other denominations who are opposed to women priests. I believe they number around 200 in the United States. Pope Benedict has set up an ordinariate for Anglicans who are opposed to women bishops and priests. So, as long as they are opposed to women clergy, the Roman Catholic Church has opened the door to married male priests. It makes no sense why the pope keeps the door closed on RC priests who left active ministry to marry.
Our RC married priests are priests forever by their ordination and their service to God's people. In our community, (Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community in Sarasota, Florida) we refer to our married priests as partner priests. Michael and Imogene Rigdon, Carol Ann and Lee Breyer, Katy Zatsick, RCWP and I work within a leadership circle and share presiding responsibilities with our MMOJ community each week.
A new paradigm of ministry is dawning with the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement in grassroots communities. Women priests who are married and married male priests and their wives are serving together in inclusive Catholic communities that are organized in a circular model so that the community is empowered and their charisms called forth as we evolve and grow. It may be true that the Vatican is clueless, but married priests and Roman Catholic Women Priests are already living the change we want to see happen now!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
Joan Chittister: Why Maryknoll Should NOT Dismiss Fr. Roy Bourgoeis/ Article NCR
http://ncronline.org/blogs/where-i-stand/expulsions-religious-orders-family-and-minority-wisdom
Clearly, if the Vatican feels obliged to punish those who ask questions of present church practice -- as Martin Luther did about the selling of relics and indulgences, for instance -- then the Vatican is perfectly within its right to suspend a priest’s liturgical faculties or limit his public priestly functions. But what does that have to do with his commitment to his religious life?
After all, the Vatican did not expel pedophile priests or abusing bishops from the secular priesthood for violating children. In some cases, in fact, they protected the perpetrators repeatedly and even refused to defrock them -- civil law or no civil law. And are, apparently, doing it even now. Only behavior related to women’s issues, it seems, qualifies for expulsion.
Nor did religious communities routinely expel religious order men who were also pedophiles. Instead, rather than put them on the streets where they could be an even greater danger to children and to themselves, these religious congregations maintained their life-long consecrated commitment to these men, monitored their behavior, and nurtured their recovery within the community itself. "
Bridget Mary's Reflection
Right on Sister Joan! A religious order is one's family, and in this case, Fr. Roy belongs to the family of Maryknoll. Maryknoll should have the courage to stand up to the Vatican's bullying tactics and say "no". They should follow the example of the Benedictines and Mercy Orders who refused to throw out the nuns who had run into trouble with the Vatican over issues of conscience. Fr. Roy Bourgeois has been a faithful member of Maryknoll, now Maryknoll should stand up for him and refus to dismiss him from Maryknoll.
The Vatican and religious orders were in no such rush to throw out the pedophiles. They recycled criminal priests and sent them from parish to parish. So, let's get this straight, the Vatican and religious orders obviously consider the support of women priests a greater crime than pedophila! That brings us to the Vatican decree that was issued in July putting women priests in the same category as pedophiles, which outraged millions of Catholics worldwide. See media coverage of this event. (check blog July 2010) The Vatican is pushing Maryknoll to throw out one of its prophets who consistently raises the issue of sexism in the church citing Jesus' example in the Gospels. Fr. Roy is a prophet and his threatened dismissal from Maryknoll is an outrageous injustice.
Jesus would weep!
Expulsions from religious orders, family, and minority wisdom
by Sister Joan Chittister
Clearly, if the Vatican feels obliged to punish those who ask questions of present church practice -- as Martin Luther did about the selling of relics and indulgences, for instance -- then the Vatican is perfectly within its right to suspend a priest’s liturgical faculties or limit his public priestly functions. But what does that have to do with his commitment to his religious life?
After all, the Vatican did not expel pedophile priests or abusing bishops from the secular priesthood for violating children. In some cases, in fact, they protected the perpetrators repeatedly and even refused to defrock them -- civil law or no civil law. And are, apparently, doing it even now. Only behavior related to women’s issues, it seems, qualifies for expulsion.
Nor did religious communities routinely expel religious order men who were also pedophiles. Instead, rather than put them on the streets where they could be an even greater danger to children and to themselves, these religious congregations maintained their life-long consecrated commitment to these men, monitored their behavior, and nurtured their recovery within the community itself. "
Bridget Mary's Reflection
Right on Sister Joan! A religious order is one's family, and in this case, Fr. Roy belongs to the family of Maryknoll. Maryknoll should have the courage to stand up to the Vatican's bullying tactics and say "no". They should follow the example of the Benedictines and Mercy Orders who refused to throw out the nuns who had run into trouble with the Vatican over issues of conscience. Fr. Roy Bourgeois has been a faithful member of Maryknoll, now Maryknoll should stand up for him and refus to dismiss him from Maryknoll.
The Vatican and religious orders were in no such rush to throw out the pedophiles. They recycled criminal priests and sent them from parish to parish. So, let's get this straight, the Vatican and religious orders obviously consider the support of women priests a greater crime than pedophila! That brings us to the Vatican decree that was issued in July putting women priests in the same category as pedophiles, which outraged millions of Catholics worldwide. See media coverage of this event. (check blog July 2010) The Vatican is pushing Maryknoll to throw out one of its prophets who consistently raises the issue of sexism in the church citing Jesus' example in the Gospels. Fr. Roy is a prophet and his threatened dismissal from Maryknoll is an outrageous injustice.
Jesus would weep!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
ABC News/"Secrecy and Silence Continues in the Catholic Church"/Full Equality of Women is Voice of God In Our Time
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/03/3206333.htm
By Madonna King
In a newsletter, Bishop Morris reflected on an aging clergy and worried about the shortage of priests in Australia. .
"Several responses have been discussed internationally, nationally and locally,'' he says, including ordaining married, single or widowed men, welcoming former priests back, ordaining women, married or single, and recognising Anglican, Lutheran and Uniting Church orders.
"While we continue to reflect carefully on these options, we remain committed to actively promoting vocations to the current celibate male priesthood and open to inviting priests from overseas.''
...But Bishop Morris's supporters privately point to the role of a small group of conservative Catholics determined the rules should be religiously enforced. That means no oxygen from the pulpit for controversial topics like female ordination."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
What a sad state of affairs that a small minority of Catholics take it upon themselves to "police" their parish priests' and diocesan bishops homilies and writings for so-called adherence to Vatican policies on hot button issues like women priests!
If it true that Pope Benedict wants a "smaller, more orthodox, church" as some have reported, than perhaps,sadly, this is what is happening.
One in ten people in the United States is a former Catholic. So that is I believe approximately 33 million Catholics.
But is our church following the example of Jesus who welcomes all, and sends no one away?
Will our church resemble the community of faith that Jesus called for in the Gospel, or will it look more like a cult, that adheres to man-made rules that the church, the majority of Catholics no longer follow or even recognize?In the wake of a global sex abuse scandal, the shortage of male celibate priests and the growing alienation of women, including the young , is the Roman Catholic Church on the precipice? We know that God is with those who are on the margins, those who are outsiders, the exluded.
God is love and calls us to be reflections of love and liberation in our world. Our energy should be on living Jesus' love for all, working for justice, and following his example of inclusivity and compassion.
During his earthly life, Jesus certainly encountered more than his fair share of complainers who condemned him as a major rule breaker for things like healing on the Sabbath and hanging out with the wrong people at parties -like sinners which (gasp!!) included women. Jesus' dialogue with the Samaritan woman, the longest conversation recorded in the Gospels, violated cultural, religious and gender taboos. Yep, Jesus was a real rule breaker all right and we know where that led! Right, It was the women who stood by Jesus at the cross in his sufferings and were the first ones to encounter the Risen Christ. Jesus reversal of centuries of misogny! We just celebrated Easter and heard once again the story of Mary of Magdala, The Risen Christ appeared first to Mary of Magdala, not Peter or John or any of the males hiding out in the upper room. Mary was the apostle to the apostles. Jesus turned sexist practices upside down and taught the radical equality of women and men as disciples and equals.
Now fast forward to the 21st century and the Vatican's reprehensible treatment of women as second class citizens. Women priests are disobeying an unjust law in order to change it because the full equality of women in the church is the voice of God in our time.
And the Vatican knows it! Silencing, firing, and exommunicating supporters including priests and bishops like Bishop William Morris and Fr. Roy Bourgeois will not work. God is never on the side of the oppressor.
The God of justice and liberation is rising up in the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement as courageous women follow God's call to a renewed priestly ministry in a community of equals. We pray that many more people join us in this human rights movement for women in the Catholic Church!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
sofiabmm@aol.com
By Madonna King
In a newsletter, Bishop Morris reflected on an aging clergy and worried about the shortage of priests in Australia. .
"Several responses have been discussed internationally, nationally and locally,'' he says, including ordaining married, single or widowed men, welcoming former priests back, ordaining women, married or single, and recognising Anglican, Lutheran and Uniting Church orders.
"While we continue to reflect carefully on these options, we remain committed to actively promoting vocations to the current celibate male priesthood and open to inviting priests from overseas.''
...But Bishop Morris's supporters privately point to the role of a small group of conservative Catholics determined the rules should be religiously enforced. That means no oxygen from the pulpit for controversial topics like female ordination."
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
What a sad state of affairs that a small minority of Catholics take it upon themselves to "police" their parish priests' and diocesan bishops homilies and writings for so-called adherence to Vatican policies on hot button issues like women priests!
If it true that Pope Benedict wants a "smaller, more orthodox, church" as some have reported, than perhaps,sadly, this is what is happening.
One in ten people in the United States is a former Catholic. So that is I believe approximately 33 million Catholics.
But is our church following the example of Jesus who welcomes all, and sends no one away?
Will our church resemble the community of faith that Jesus called for in the Gospel, or will it look more like a cult, that adheres to man-made rules that the church, the majority of Catholics no longer follow or even recognize?In the wake of a global sex abuse scandal, the shortage of male celibate priests and the growing alienation of women, including the young , is the Roman Catholic Church on the precipice? We know that God is with those who are on the margins, those who are outsiders, the exluded.
God is love and calls us to be reflections of love and liberation in our world. Our energy should be on living Jesus' love for all, working for justice, and following his example of inclusivity and compassion.
During his earthly life, Jesus certainly encountered more than his fair share of complainers who condemned him as a major rule breaker for things like healing on the Sabbath and hanging out with the wrong people at parties -like sinners which (gasp!!) included women. Jesus' dialogue with the Samaritan woman, the longest conversation recorded in the Gospels, violated cultural, religious and gender taboos. Yep, Jesus was a real rule breaker all right and we know where that led! Right, It was the women who stood by Jesus at the cross in his sufferings and were the first ones to encounter the Risen Christ. Jesus reversal of centuries of misogny! We just celebrated Easter and heard once again the story of Mary of Magdala, The Risen Christ appeared first to Mary of Magdala, not Peter or John or any of the males hiding out in the upper room. Mary was the apostle to the apostles. Jesus turned sexist practices upside down and taught the radical equality of women and men as disciples and equals.
Now fast forward to the 21st century and the Vatican's reprehensible treatment of women as second class citizens. Women priests are disobeying an unjust law in order to change it because the full equality of women in the church is the voice of God in our time.
And the Vatican knows it! Silencing, firing, and exommunicating supporters including priests and bishops like Bishop William Morris and Fr. Roy Bourgeois will not work. God is never on the side of the oppressor.
The God of justice and liberation is rising up in the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement as courageous women follow God's call to a renewed priestly ministry in a community of equals. We pray that many more people join us in this human rights movement for women in the Catholic Church!
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/
sofiabmm@aol.com
Women's Ordination Conference and Call to Action Support Bishop Morris/ Challenge Culture of Bullying by Vatican
"The Women's Ordination Conference, based in Washington, D.C., issued a statement May 2 reacting to the news that an Australian bishop had been removed from his diocese after expressing views on the ordination of women, among other issues. The women's group is the oldest and largest national organization working for the ordination of women into the Roman Catholic Church. The statement follows:
"Just three weeks after the Vatican pressured the Maryknoll religious order to remove Fr. Roy Bourgeois, it has been revealed that the Vatican has been involved in removing another member of the clergy over his views on women's ordination. Sunday, Bishop William Morris of the Toowoomba Diocese of Australia issued a letter saying the Vatican had forced him into early retirement due to a 2006 Pastoral Letter that he issued regarding the priest shortage. In the letter, Bishop Morris had suggested women's ordination as one of a few potential solutions to the priest crisis.
After Bishop William Morris issued the 2006 pastoral letter, a small group of local Catholics complained to the Vatican which began an apostolic investigation. The Vatican assigned U.S. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver to investigate and write a report of the situation. To this day, Bishop Morris has not been permitted to see the report that ultimately resulted in the Vatican's attempt to remove him. Rather than succumb to Vatican pressure to resign, Bishop Morris offered a compromise solution of early retirement."
Bishop Morris wrote in a letter to the people of the Toowoomba Diocese yesterday: "I have never wavered in my conviction that for me to resign is a matter of conscience and my resignation would mean that I accept the assessment of myself as breaking communio which I absolutely refute and reject and it is out of my love for the Church that I cannot do so."
"It is a sad day when the faithful, out of love for the church, offer possible solutions to address serious challenges and are punished by the Vatican," said Jim FitzGerald, Executive Director of Call To Action. "I applaud the courageous Catholics such as Fr. Roy Bourgeois and Bishop William Morris who will not allow the Vatican to bully them into silence."
"The culture of silence and bullying within the Catholic Church cannot be tolerated," said Laura Singer, Board President of Women's Ordination Conference. "Bishop Morris is an example of a priest of courage who joins the momentum of the women's ordination movement, grounded in justice and equality."
Bridget Mary's Reflection
Ultimately, the Vatican's bullying will be seen for what it truly is a last gasp effort to stop the rising tide of support for justice and equality for women in the Catholic Church. Silencing and bullying are the shameful tools of oppressive power. The Vatican has already lost control, and is now using the tactics that dictators use. In the end, prophetic voices of men like Bishop William Morris and Fr. Roy Bourgeois and the supporters of the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement worldwide will prevail. Our liberating God is on the side of the marginalized, which includes justice and equality for women, half the church's membership. Let us follow Catherine of Siena's advice every time the Vatican attempts to bully or punish those who stand Gospel equality: "cry out as if you had a million voices, it is silence that kills the soul!"
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
Roman Catholic Women Priests Association
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
"Just three weeks after the Vatican pressured the Maryknoll religious order to remove Fr. Roy Bourgeois, it has been revealed that the Vatican has been involved in removing another member of the clergy over his views on women's ordination. Sunday, Bishop William Morris of the Toowoomba Diocese of Australia issued a letter saying the Vatican had forced him into early retirement due to a 2006 Pastoral Letter that he issued regarding the priest shortage. In the letter, Bishop Morris had suggested women's ordination as one of a few potential solutions to the priest crisis.
After Bishop William Morris issued the 2006 pastoral letter, a small group of local Catholics complained to the Vatican which began an apostolic investigation. The Vatican assigned U.S. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver to investigate and write a report of the situation. To this day, Bishop Morris has not been permitted to see the report that ultimately resulted in the Vatican's attempt to remove him. Rather than succumb to Vatican pressure to resign, Bishop Morris offered a compromise solution of early retirement."
Bishop Morris wrote in a letter to the people of the Toowoomba Diocese yesterday: "I have never wavered in my conviction that for me to resign is a matter of conscience and my resignation would mean that I accept the assessment of myself as breaking communio which I absolutely refute and reject and it is out of my love for the Church that I cannot do so."
"It is a sad day when the faithful, out of love for the church, offer possible solutions to address serious challenges and are punished by the Vatican," said Jim FitzGerald, Executive Director of Call To Action. "I applaud the courageous Catholics such as Fr. Roy Bourgeois and Bishop William Morris who will not allow the Vatican to bully them into silence."
"The culture of silence and bullying within the Catholic Church cannot be tolerated," said Laura Singer, Board President of Women's Ordination Conference. "Bishop Morris is an example of a priest of courage who joins the momentum of the women's ordination movement, grounded in justice and equality."
Bridget Mary's Reflection
Ultimately, the Vatican's bullying will be seen for what it truly is a last gasp effort to stop the rising tide of support for justice and equality for women in the Catholic Church. Silencing and bullying are the shameful tools of oppressive power. The Vatican has already lost control, and is now using the tactics that dictators use. In the end, prophetic voices of men like Bishop William Morris and Fr. Roy Bourgeois and the supporters of the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement worldwide will prevail. Our liberating God is on the side of the marginalized, which includes justice and equality for women, half the church's membership. Let us follow Catherine of Siena's advice every time the Vatican attempts to bully or punish those who stand Gospel equality: "cry out as if you had a million voices, it is silence that kills the soul!"
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
Roman Catholic Women Priests Association
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
National Council of Priests in Australia Support Bishop Morris/ Critique Abuse of Power by Vatican
3 May 2011
Media Release
The NCP executive would like to express its sadness at the forced early retirement of Bishop William Morris of Toowoomba.
We are appalled at the lack of transparency and due process that led to this decision by Church authorities.We are embarrassed about the shabby treatment meted out to an outstanding Pastor of this diocese who has faithfully ministered in the Church in Queensland and throughout Australia since his priestly ordination in 1969.We are concerned about an element within the Church whose restorationist ideology wants to repress freedom of expression within the Roman Catholic Church and who deny the legitimate magisterial authority of the local Bishop within the Church.
Jesus rightly condemned the righteous scribes and Pharisees of his time for adhering to their interpretation of the Mosaic law at the expense of God's ultimate commandment of love.Many of the people influencing these decisions have limited pastoral experience and appear to show little concern for the sensus fidelium.We appeal to the Bishop of Rome in his acknowledged role as first among equals and the source of communio within the Church to listen and build bridges of trust, faith and love with those who have been hurt by this decision.We stand in prayerful solidarity with the priests and people of Toowoomba who are justifiably aggrieved by this pronouncement.We pray for Bishop Morris who has undergone an extraordinary period of trial over the last few years of his Episcopal ministry and trust that history will accurately record the benefit of his ministry as a faithful, human servant of the Gospel of Jesus. We wish him well in his retirement and have appreciated his support for his priests and the work of the NCP.To the Catholics of the Toowoomba we pray for a worthy successor to Bishop Morris.
Ian McGinnityNCP Chairman===================================
Media Release
The NCP executive would like to express its sadness at the forced early retirement of Bishop William Morris of Toowoomba.
We are appalled at the lack of transparency and due process that led to this decision by Church authorities.We are embarrassed about the shabby treatment meted out to an outstanding Pastor of this diocese who has faithfully ministered in the Church in Queensland and throughout Australia since his priestly ordination in 1969.We are concerned about an element within the Church whose restorationist ideology wants to repress freedom of expression within the Roman Catholic Church and who deny the legitimate magisterial authority of the local Bishop within the Church.
Jesus rightly condemned the righteous scribes and Pharisees of his time for adhering to their interpretation of the Mosaic law at the expense of God's ultimate commandment of love.Many of the people influencing these decisions have limited pastoral experience and appear to show little concern for the sensus fidelium.We appeal to the Bishop of Rome in his acknowledged role as first among equals and the source of communio within the Church to listen and build bridges of trust, faith and love with those who have been hurt by this decision.We stand in prayerful solidarity with the priests and people of Toowoomba who are justifiably aggrieved by this pronouncement.We pray for Bishop Morris who has undergone an extraordinary period of trial over the last few years of his Episcopal ministry and trust that history will accurately record the benefit of his ministry as a faithful, human servant of the Gospel of Jesus. We wish him well in his retirement and have appreciated his support for his priests and the work of the NCP.To the Catholics of the Toowoomba we pray for a worthy successor to Bishop Morris.
Ian McGinnityNCP Chairman===================================
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