Mr. and Mrs. Jesus: 'Gospel Of Jesus's Wife' Papyrus Not A Forgery, Harvard Says by SCOTT NEUMAN April 10, 2014

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/04/10/301432378/gospel-of-jesus-wife-papyrus-not-a-forgery-harvard-says?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20140411&utm_campaign=dailydigest&utm_term=nprnews

The tiny fragment, 
written in Egyptian Coptic, 
contains a purported 
reference by 
Jesus to his wife. 
New evidence dates it to between 
the sixth and ninth centuries.

Bridget Mary's Response;
Mr. and Mrs. Jesus, now doesn't that sound wonderful!

This also may give an extra push to the Roman

Catholic Church to go with optional celibacy!

Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

Abuse Scandal, Accountability, Pope Francis v. Fr. Doyle - Myth v.Reality

http://christiancatholicism.com/abuse-scandal-accountability-pope-francis-v-fr-doyle-myth-v-reality/

Pope Francis Challenges "Dictatorship of Narrow Thought"/ How about Challenging Vatican to Back Off Modern Day Inquisition?

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-francis-warns-against-the-dictatorship-of-narrow-thought/
Bridget Mary's Response:
I agree completely with Pope Francis's homily.  However, I'd like to see him apply the "dictatorship of narrow thought" to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and their failures to affirm the freedom of conscience of many Catholics today who are living in prophetic obedience to the Spirit including Roman Catholic Women Priests and our supporters. The Pope needs to acknowledge the elephant in his own living room and  to challenge the Vatican to back off  the modern day Inquisition!
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

"Secrets of the Vatican" Watch online pbs.org/frontline/secrets-of-the-vatican/

This Week's Pick:Secrets of the Vatican: FRONTLINE's February 2014 film exploring the scandals that rocked Benedict's papacy, including clergy sex abuse, and illuminating the challenges facing Pope Francis as he tries to reform the powerful Vatican bureaucracy.
Why Watch Now? Today, in a speech to members of the International Catholic Child Bureau, Pope Francis made one of his strongest statements yet on clergy sex abuse, calling it "evil," saying that he feels compelled to "personally ask for forgiveness" from victims, and stating that sanctions "must be imposed" on clergy who abuse children.
Where to Watch: Online at pbs.org/frontline/secrets-of-the-vatican/ 

Carter: Pope Said He Wants to Boost Role of Women in the Church By Melanie Batley

http://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/jimmy-carter-pope-women-catholic-church/2014/04/11/id/565090/

"Former President Jimmy Carter has revealed that Pope Francis told him in a correspondence that the future status and role of women in the Roman Catholic Church should be "improved or enhanced."

In an interview with Time magazine, Carter said he wrote a letter to Pope Francis urging the church to do more to denounce atrocities like genital mutilation and, in some societies, the continued practice of child marriage, and he was pleased with the response. 

"His letter was very gracious to me, his response. He said that he thought that the status of women and the role of women in the Catholic Church in the future should be improved or enhanced. I was very pleased to get that response," Carter said.

Francis:Pope’s Hidden Life Revealed.

"I noticed that now, about 10 days ago, Pope Francis appointed an eight-person committee to deal with the problem of priests abusing children. Half of the committee members were women, one of whom had been abused as a girl by a priest."

Carter said he hoped to have the chance to meet the Pope.

"If he comes to the United States, I'd like very much to meet him. If I go to Italy, I will certainly request to meet with Pope Francis, whom I admire very much."

In the wide-ranging interview, Carter talked about a number of the themes in his recent book, "A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power."

Carter, a deeply committed Christian, explained the contention in his book that Jesus Christ was the greatest liberator of women in his culture."

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Jimmy-Carter-Pope-women-Catholic-Church/2014/04/11/id/565090#ixzz2yd66Jepr 

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community- New Website

http://www.marymotherofjesus.org/

Priest as "Midwife of Grace"- Rebuilidng a Church of Justice and Compassion

Former Dominican Priest and author of dozens of books on spirituality, Matthew Fox, has a new blockbuster book out: Letters to Pope Francis,  Rebuilding a Church of Justice and Compassion which outlines a reform/renewal agenda for Pope Francis.
In the section on revisioning the sacrament of ordination and priesthood, he affirms that Jesus did not ordain anyone at the Last Supper and agrees with historians that the priesthood developed in the second century. 
He states; "I have proposed that the basic meaning of priesthood, its archetypal power is as a "midwife of grace" I propose that if anyone is doing good work among us,  work that qualifies as a midwife of grace, that person is a priest."

Albany Inclusive Catholic Community Liturgy are April 7, 2014 liturgy .
Mary Theresa Streck, ARCWP is one of the  presiders in this community. 

Matthew goes on to make the case that "such people need instruction in the experiences of grace...The need to get in touch with their mystical selves and prophetic dimensions of their work."
He challenges Pope Francis to get rid of seminaries, in his words, "do away with the  "hothouse atmosphere of make- believe clerical worlds."  "Let them learn of the mystical and prophetic paths, "Fox pleads, "elbow to elbow, and shoulder to shoulder with the artists, therapists, social workers, teachers activists and others who are learning it...And working with the poor and not just others involved in formal education. "
I highly recommend this book for folks interested in renewing and reforming the Roman Catholic Church. 
I believe that our international Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement is offering a new paradigm that affirms a renewed priestly ministry in a community of equals. We offer an inclusive sacramental ministry with the people of God. In our grassroots communities we are working to rebuild a church of justice and compassion where all are welcome and all celebrate the sacraments.  

One example, the community prays the Eucharistic Prayer and shares in the dialogue homilies. In my local Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community, we have ordained and non-ordained co-presiders who function together in liturgical planning and leadership.  Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

"No mandatory reporting in Italian norms for handling abuse allegations" Carol Glatz

http://ncronline.org/news/accountability/no-mandatory-reporting-italian-norms-handling-abuse-allegations

ROME

"The Italian bishops' conference encouraged its members to cooperate with civil authorities in cases of clerical sexual abuse, but said the bishops have no legal obligation to report abuse allegations to the police or other civil authorities.

In addition, the new Italian church norms say the bishops "are exonerated" from releasing to the state documents in their possession or information connected with abuse cases.

Because a bishop is not a public official and is not charged with duties of "public service, he does not have the juridical obligation -- save for a moral duty to contribute to the common good -- to report to civil judicial authorities news he has received concerning illicit matters" of sex abuse, the guidelines said..."
"The guidelines also stated that the Holy See and the Italian bishops' conference as a whole hold "no responsibility, direct or indirect, for eventual cases of abuse."

Bridget Mary's Response:

What a cop out! The Vatican and bishops hold the top administrative positions in the church! How can they claim  "no responsibility, direct or indirect...etc.?

So much for transparency and accountability in the Catholic Church!
 The Vatican is quick to punish women priests and our supporters, but does nothing to pressure the Italian bishops to turn over priests abusers as a matter of justice and care for Catholic youth who are victimized by clergy. Jesus would weep at this sad state of affairs.
Where is their pastoral heart reflecting the Heart of Christ's love and compassion? 

Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

"Our Place in the Whole" Leonardo Boff Theologian-Philosopher Earthcharter Commission

 Ethics in the dominant society are utilitarian and anthropocentric. That is: society's ethics accepts the illusion that nature's beings only have reason to exist to the degree they serve human beings, and that humans can dispose of them at will. Humans consider themselves the kings and queens of creation.

The Judeo-Christian tradition reinforced this idea with its "subdue the Earth and dominate all that lives and moves upon Her” (Gn 1,28).

Now we know that we humans were among the last beings to enter the scene of creation. When it was 99.98% complete, we appeared. The universe, the Earth and her eco-systems did not need us to organize themselves and to arrange their majestic complexity and beauty.

Each being has intrinsic value, independent of the use we make of it. Each being is a manifestation of that background Energy, as the cosmologists say, or of that Abyss generator of all beings. Each being has something to reveal that only that being, even the least adapted, can do, and after that, through natural selection, it will forever disappear. But it is important for us to listen to and celebrate the message which that being reveals to us.

Gravest, however, is the idea all modernity and much of the contemporary scientific community have about planet Earth and nature. They consider them a simple “res extensa”, something that can be measured, manipulated, and according to Francis Bacon's rude language,«tortured as the inquisitor does to his victims, until he has forced out all their secrets». The prevailing scientific method largely maintains that aggressive and perverse logic.

Rene Descartes sets forth in his Discourse on Method something of aclamorous reductionism in understanding: «I do not understand for “nature” a goddess or any other type of imaginary power; instead, I use that word to mean matter». Descartes considers the planet as something inert, without purpose, as if human beings were not part of that nature.

The fact is that we entered the process of evolution when it had already reached a very high level of complexity. Then, human life arose, conscious and free, as a subchapter of life. Through us the universe gained consciousness of itself.  And that occurred in the miniscule part of the universe that is the Earth. This is why we are that portion of the Earth who feels, loves, thinks, cares and venerates. As the Argentinean singer-songwriter Atahualpa Yupanqui says, "We are the Earth that walks".

Our specific mission, our place in the whole of life, is to be those who can appreciate the grandeur of the universe, who can listen to the messages that every being articulates, and who can celebrate the diversity of beings and of life.

And as the carriers of sensibility and intelligence, we have an ethical mission: to care for creation and to be her guardians so that she may continue with vitality and integrity and under conditions allowing her to continue evolving as she has done for 4.4 billion years. Thanks be to God, the Biblical author, for correcting the text we quoted above, who says in the second chapter of Genesis: “The Lord took the human being and placed him in the Garden of Eden(the original Earth) for him to cultivate and care for it” (Gn 2,15).

Regrettably, we are not good at fulfilling this mission, because as biologist E. Wilson says «humanity is the first species of the history of life that has turned out to be a geophysical force; the human being, that biped being, such an air-brain, has already altered the atmosphere and the weather of the whole planet, diverting them far from their usual norms; spreading thousands of toxic chemical substances throughout the world, and leaving us on the verge of exhausting our drinking water” (A Criação: como salvar a vida na Terra, 2008, 38). Sorrowful at seeing this, and living under the threat of a nuclear apocalypse, Norberto Bobbio, the great Italian philosopher of the law and democracy, asked himself: «Does humanity deserve to be saved?» (Il Foglion. 409, 2014, 3).

If we do not want to be expelled from Earth by the Earth herself, as enemies of life, we must change our behavior towards nature, but above all, we must embrace the Earth as the United Nations did in April, 2009, as Mother Earth, to care for her as such, and to recognize and respect the history of every being, living or inert. They existed millions and millions of years before us, and without us. Therefore, they must be respected as we do the elderly, people we treat with respect and love. More than we, they have a right to the present and to the future, together with us. Otherwise, neither technology nor promises of unlimited progress can save us.

Leonardo Boff 

03-21-2014

Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community:Retreat at "Mercy on the Manatee", Ellenton, Florida

left to right, Judy Kim, Carol Ann and Bridget Mary
second row, Jenai, Sherry,  Lee and Kevin,
Yvonne Aarden took photo. 
On April 6th, 8 members of Mary Mother of Jesus gathered with Kimberly Braun, a spiritual leader and author to meditate on the integration and transformation of the feminine and masculine in the mystical tradition and in our life experiences. 
Carol Ann and Lee Breyer, a married priest couple, who co-preside at our liturgies, hosted a festive brunch at their home on  the Manatee River in Ellenton, Florida.

Carol Ann and Lee Breyer, a married priest couple, who co-preside at our liturgies, hosted a festive brunch at their home on Manatee River in Ellenton, Florida.

The community blessed Kevin and Judy Connelly on their 45th wedding anniversary.

Before departing we blessed Kim who is leaving our area later this month. She will continue her retreat and spirituality ministry in Colorado. 
Bridget Mary Meehan, www.marymotherofjesus.org

"Time for Pope Francis To Talk To Jimmy Carter" by Maureen Fiedler/National Catholic Reporter

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/time-pope-francis-talk-jimmy-carter

"He attributes the abuse of women largely to the “false interpretation of religious texts,” whether those are in the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament or the Quran. In the case of Christianity, he makes clear that Jesus fully embraced gender equality, and in the case of Islam, he makes a similar point with the Prophet Mohammed. He is also quite clear that some men embrace these misreadings even after the errors in their interpretations are pointed out, simply because men all too frequently like their sense of superiority, however unfounded.

He also addressed the unequal treatment of women in religious denominations, and favors the full equality of women as pastors, preachers, priests, bishops, rabbis, imams, etc. In fact, he and his wife Rosalynn left the Southern Baptist Convention over issues about the roles of women in the year 2000 and affiliated with the more progressive Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.    

Now, the only question that remains: how to set up that meeting between Carter and Pope Francis, and include a couple Catholic feminists to accompany Carter. I’m just sayin’. …  

Bridget Mary's Response:

How about a meeting between Carter, Pope Francis, a couple of Catholic feminists and women priests!

Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

Homily: The Fifth Sunday In Lent: The Death of a Friend by Rev. Judy Lee ARCWP

The Gospel account of the dying and raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-45) weaves the themes of friendship and death together in a poignant and prophetic way.  And I can think of no more important connection in the life and ministry of Jesus or in my own life and ministry. When I am in trouble, I need my friends. And my friends turn to me when trouble is near.  In addition to my lifelong and personal friends, the people I minister with and to are my friends. We turn to one another to share joy and sadness, fears and frustrations, life and death.  Pastoring is from the cradle to the grave and so is true friendship. And the “being there” of friends is all the difference.

Just thirteen months ago I had to face major life threatening surgery.  It was so hard to function as I moved almost robotically toward that date. Two things essential to me went on “automatic pilot”- my faith and the loving relationships in my life. I called for Jesus and I called for my other friends to be there with me. They were all there. There was a great cloud of witnesses around me, those that could be seen and those whose presence I could not see but could feel.  It was their love that got me through the surgery and through a very difficult time of slow recovery. Thanks be to God, I am well and have been for many months. I could not have done this alone. I needed my friends.

My friend and neighbor is an older woman of great faith. We visit and pray in the mornings. She told me that she is at peace in her life and when God comes for her she wants to die in her bed with someone there with her. She programmed my number in her phone so I could come if needed as her children do not live nearby. She is still full of life but I pray that I can be there for her. She in turn is there for a friend in a Nursing home and for one who has had a stroke.  Another friend, a woman who lives alone with her pets, just lost her beloved dog who made it to eighteen because of the love and care she poured into him. She is bereft. There is nothing I can say, but I am there for her.  Dying is a time for friends. So is living.  Another beloved friend of over fifty years is living in another state and facing her much loved husband’s struggles with a stage 4 cancer. I went to visit them as soon as I knew, and several times after. But, thanks be to God, he is living with cancer not dying with it and it is over two years later now. Yet we stay close and share the journey. Young or old, joys or sorrows, that’s what friends are for.

Jesus had friends in Bethany. There was Mary and Martha and Lazarus and also Simon, the Leper. Jesus visited them and taught in their homes. It must have been a great comfort to a tired itinerant preacher and teacher to have friends who welcomed him “home” and supported his ministry. Mary is described by the author of John as being the same woman who anointed Jesus with expensive perfume and dried his feet with her tears. This event at Simon’s house is also described in Mark 14 and Matthew 26 and John 11 and 12.  In Luke 10:38 Martha opens her home and hospitality to Jesus and Mary sits at his feet the way disciples did. Clearly Jesus included women and lepers in his circle of friends. Jesus loved with a radical love.  We recall that he shared his identity as the Messiah with a Samaritan woman and in the story of Lazarus and Mary and Martha, Martha displays her great faith in him and he discloses his identity as Messiah to her. Clearly she is his disciple and his friend.  When her brother is sick she calls for her friend Jesus.

Even choosing Bethany as a place to gather his friends and disciples may be a statement of how radical his love is. In Jesus’ Aramaic language Beth Anya means “house of misery/poverty”. There is also some historical evidence in tradition and archeology and in ancient writings like that of Eusebius and others that Bethany was a place where the Essenes had a hospice, a caring home for lepers and for other poor people.  So Bethany was associated with the care of the sick and the poor. Jesus chose Bethany and all of the world’s Bethanys to be with his friends, the poor and the marginalized. Jesus chose Bethany as the place to stay with friends and to teach. He chose it as the place to depart from on Palm Sunday.  And it was the place that he was last seen before returning home to God.  Bethany is now a West Bank Palestinian city and there is still poverty and struggle there. How blessed are we that Jesus chose to be a friend to the poor in the city of the poor and outcast.

Now let’s establish more of a context for the story of Lazarus dying. Jesus has already been stoned in Jerusalem. He got away in the crowd but his enemies are hot after him. He healed the man born blind and exposed the blindness of the religious leaders who made laws but lacked compassion and a sense of justice.  He claimed that he was the Christ, the Anointed one, the Messiah. He had a large following.  He was now safely outside of Judea. Yet he receives word that Lazarus is dying.  He waits awhile for his own reasons that become obvious later, but he then suggests “Let’s go back to Judea” (John 11:7). The disciples try to stop him, “you were just stoned there!”  But, his friends need him, he will go back to Judea.

Then Thomas makes his friendship with Jesus clear “Let us go with Jesus, so that we can die with him.” Jesus says in John 15:9 “Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends….I call you friends….” Thomas and the disciples feel this kind of reciprocal love for Jesus although it will be very hard for them to live up to it. Jesus knows what lies ahead in Jerusalem, and still he responds to the call of his friends. In John 11:5 we learn that “Jesus loved these three very much”.  He gets there in time for the funeral and for the recriminations of Mary and Martha who say “He wouldn’t have died if you were here in time”. But this is the way it is in life. We all die. Jesus will die. But something else will happen here.  Jesus was deeply moved with grief, theirs and his own. He wept. “See how he loved Lazarus,” they said. He truly did. He then prays his heart out, thanks God for hearing him, and tells Lazarus to come forth from his tomb.  Lazarus comes forth wrapped in the garments of death and is set free of death. Imagine the amazement and belief of the crowd now. Jesus told Martha that he was the resurrection and the life, she believed him and now everyone can believe him. Jesus and the way of love, justice and equality he teaches can be chosen by the people.  But the authorities cannot let this happen. Jesus will have to give his life for his friends.

Yet, like Lazarus, he will rise. And we will rise with him. We rise from the many deaths we live in our lives. The death of hope, of motivation, of physical strength and abilities, of opportunity, of our communities and families, of relationships, of loved ones, of our friends. Through Christ we rise now and forevermore. Our Friend is right there beside us.

Even as Jesus wept for Lazarus and his other bereft friends, God must weep at the death of God’s children and friends. And God must have wept mightily at the horrifying death of God’s Beloved, Chosen One Jesus. And God raised him from the dead and he was seen by many of his friends and believers until he returned to God, sending the Holy Spirit to be with us.   Ultimately God is with us and within us, we are never separated from God.  But when life is hard and death and loss is real it is so good to have our Friend beside us to comfort us and raise us up.

Let us live in friendship with our loving God.  Let us rise from the dead now and forever. Let us love our friends as Jesus did.  Thanks be to God.

Amen.

Ryan's New Budget" "Take from the Poor, Give to the Rich"

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/paul-ryan-s-new-budget
by Maureen Fiedler 

"Here we go again! Paul Ryan has issued yet another Draconian budget plan. NETWORK, the Catholic social justice lobby, immediately issued a press release calling it flatly “immoral.” In fact, NETWORK says it’s worse than his previous budgets which were protested by “Nuns on the Bus.” 

Ryan’s philosophy is simple: take from the poor and give to the rich. Here’s how the Associated Press reported it: 

“House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan unveiled an updated Republican budget plan Tuesday that would slash $5.1 trillion in federal spending over [the] coming decade and promises to balance the government's books with wide-ranging cuts in programs like food stamps and government-paid health care for the poor and working class. Ryan's plan would also cut Pell Grants for low-income students and pensions for federal workers.”

Ryan actually begins by making the Affordable Care Act null and void, thus sending those 7.1 million new health insurance enrollees back to square zero..."  

"Longtime peace activist removed from ministry after concelebrating Mass with Woman Priest" by Brian Roewe/ National Catholic Reporter

http://ncronline.org/news/peace-justice/longtime-peace-activist-removed-ministry-after-concelebrating-mass-woman-priest

Fr. Jerry Zawada co-presided with Janice Sevre Duszysnska at SOA liturgy in 2011.
On March 21, 2014, the Vatican CDF removed Fr. Jerry. See story below of prophetic, courageous Franciscan priest.

Bridget Mary's Response:
One day the church may canonize some of our women priests and supporters.
Pope Benedict canonized two formerly excommunicated nuns: St. Sister Theodore Guerin and St. Mother Mary MacKillop.  Excommunication, condemnation by the Vatican could be the fast track to sainthood in another era! Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

A longtime peace and human rights activist arrested countless times, Franciscan Fr. Jerry Zawada has been removed from public ministry for concelebrating Mass with a woman priest in 2011.

The letter removing the 76-year-old's public priestly faculties -- a copy of which NCR obtained March 21 -- came from the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which reviewed documentation related to the Nov. 22, 2011, liturgy Zawada concelebrated with Roman Catholic Womanpriest Janice Sevre-Duszynska.

"Having carefully examined the acts of the case, and the vota of the former Minister General and the Rev. Zawada's Provincial Superior, this Dicastery has decided to impose on Rev. Jerome Zawada, OFM, a life of prayer and penance to be lived within the Queen of Peace Friary in Burlington, Wisconsin," the letter states.

In addition, Zawada cannot present himself in public as a priest or celebrate the sacraments publicly; however, he can concelebrate Mass with other friars at the friary and in private.

"I don't mind the prayer part," Zawada told NCR Monday, "but when they called, when they say that I need to be spending time in penance, well, I'm not going to do penance for my convictions and the convictions of so many others, too."...

Sevre-Duszynska was ordained in August 2008 a priest in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests. The participation of Roy Bourgeois in that ceremony led to his excommunication and eventual dismissal in November 2012 from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. The next month, Jesuit Fr. Bill Brennan of Milwaukee had his priestly ministries removed by Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listeki for also participating in a liturgy with Sevre-Duszynska at SOA Watch.

"They're holy men," Sevre-Duszynska told NCR. "They're men with the strength and grace that Jesus had, speaking truth to power. And I'm grateful they're my friends."

She said she was saddened by the ruling on Zawada, whom she considers a mentor, but predicted it would not stop the ministry of a man "whose voice is one that gives direction to so many."

Zawada, who turns 77 next month and suffers from neuropathy and some mild memory issues, said he lacks the energy to take a larger role in the women's ordination movement, though he will openly discuss his beliefs when people approach him or if it comes up in the context of peace and justice issues..."

"Miracles, saints, and the sex abuse crisis " by Nicole Sotelo/National Catholic Reporter

http://ncronline.org/blogs/young-voices/miracles-saints-and-sex-abuse-crisis

"Just last month, Pope Francis told an Italian reporter that he thought the Catholic church was the only institution to have addressed abuse "with such transparency and responsibility." Then last week, the Vatican turned around and backed a new policy by Italian bishops that does not require church officials to report suspected child abuse. The bishops cited concerns over privacy. Luckily, Catholic advocates responded with concern for children. Groups like Bishop Accountability and Catholic Whistleblowers shine a light on the truth of abuse and keep the Vatican from perpetuating the ongoing cover-up...

Later this month, the Vatican will canonize two saints known both for their incredible strides but also for their systemic cover-up of abuse. Pope John XXIII issued a confidential document to bishops asking them to keep mum on abuse cases, and Pope John Paul II let known perpetrators such as Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado of the Legionaries remain undisciplined. ,,

It can be easy to lose hope when I hear stories about church officials retaining the power to hide child sex crimes or commissions being led by those responsible for covering up abuse. I hear people say, "It would take a miracle to change the Vatican."

But I have no doubt the abuse crisis will eventually end because whistleblowers and lawyers, survivors and allies are working together to end the cover-up."

Bridget Mary's Response:

Sadly, it does not look like the Vatican has changed when they support lack of transparency in the case of the Italian bishops.  

The culture of cover-up by the Vatican continues. Tragic, indeed.

Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

President Jimmy Carter At Book Signing of " A Call to Action" in Cincinnati/Roman Catholic Woman Priest, Rosemarie Smead ARCWP Attended

President Jimmy Carter at book signing
of  A Call to Action
Rosemarie Smead ARCWP Attended


Bridget Mary's Response:
Rosemarie Smead, ARCWP, attended  President  Carter's book signing  for a "Call to Action" in Cincinnati on April 1, 2014

Dr. Smead  purchased several copies of  A Call to Action. She gave President Carter a copy of my book, Living Gospel Equality Now and the award winning documentary about our  international Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement: "Pink Smoke Over the Vatican" by film maker, Jules Hart.  He looked up and smiled and said "Oh! when Rosemarie informed the President that these resources were from  the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power 

by Jimmy Carter  

The world’s discrimination and violence against women and girls is the most serious, pervasive, and ignored violation of basic human rights: This is President Jimmy Carter’s call to action.

President Carter was encouraged to write this book by a wide coalition of leaders of all faiths. His urgent report covers a system of discrimination that extends to every nation. Women are deprived of equal opportunity in wealthier nations and “owned” by men in others, forced to suffer servitude, child marriage, and genital cutting. The most vulnerable, along with their children, are trapped in war and violence.

"Vatican misled UN committee on compensation to Magdalene women"/Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/vatican-misled-un-committee-on-compensation-to-magdalene-women-1.1746416

"Claims made by the Vatican in a submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) last December were so inaccurate, it prompted Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to write to Rome seeking clarification, The Irish Times has learned.

The Vatican asserted to the UNCRC that the four religious congregations that ran Magdalene laundries in Ireland were willing to pay part of a compensation scheme developed by the State for women who had been in the laundries.

However, two of the religious congregations concerned have since repeated their unwillingness to contribute to any compensation scheme for the women.

Criticism
When the UNCRC issued its final report on the Vatican’s child protection record last February, Rome came in for unprecedented worldwide criticism.

In its response, the Vatican said it was “heartened by the openness of the religious sisters to engage in discussions about issues of compensation and their willingness to pay a part of a compensation package developed by state authorities”.

But the four congregations involved have all publicly declined to contribute to the proposed compensation scheme.

A spokesman for Mr Shatter this week confirmed that the Minister had been so surprised by the Vatican statement he wrote to the congregations, asking whether, “based on the statement from the Holy See, they had reconsidered their position with regard to making a financial contribution to the scheme”..."

‘

"Again Vatican Punishes Gender Equality More Swiftly Than Sexual Abuse" by Patricia Miller

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/patriciamiller/7743/again__vatican_punishes_gender_equality_more_swiftly_than_sexual_abuse/'

...The Vatican’s equivocation of women’s ordination and pedophilia, and the relative speed with which it has disciplined dissenters, is ironic given its less-than-rapid response to actual pedophiles and the bishops who covered up their actions.

In 2012 the CDF expelled Maryknoll Father Roy Bourgeois from the priesthood four years after he took part in the ordination of Sevre-Duszynska and stripped 92-year-old Jesuit Bill Brennan of his faculties as a priest three weeks after he said mass with Sevre-Duszynska at an annual protest at the School of the Americas. Bourgeois founded the School of the Americas Watch, which seeks the closure of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Benning, GA, formerly known as the School of the Americas, which trained notorious dictators such as Gen. Manuel Noriega and was implicated in a number of human rights abuses in Latin America, including the murder of six Jesuits.

In contrast to the relative alacrity with which the CDF moved against three elderly peace activists who celebrated mass with a woman, it took the Vatican 13 years to finally expel Michael Fugee from the priesthood in mid-March. Fugee admitted to fondling a 14-year-old boy in 2001 but his conviction was overturned on a technicality. Under an agreement with prosecutors, the archdiocese of Newark, NJ, agreed to supervise him and banned him from contact with children, but appointed him as chaplain of a hospital without informing the hospital of his history. Fugee continued to have contact with children, including traveling with them on retreats, until last year when a local newspaper brought his activities to light and a public outcry forced his ouster...."
Bridget Mary's Response:
It is outrageous that the Vatican punishes women priests and male priests for their support of gender equality in our church, yet fails to hold bishops accountable for turning a blind eye to the criminal behavior of priests who have raped and sexually abused Catholic children. Both women priests and our supporters are following our consciences. Yet the CDF puts us in the same category as pedophiles and treats us as criminals in our church. This is a travesty of justice in the Roman Catholic Church. It is my prayer that Pope Francis will take action soon to correct this grave in justice against women priests, male priests and our supporters. We are beloved sisters and brothers in the Catholic family and should be treated as such.
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

Rev. Chava’s Reflection on the Blindness of Prejudice with Pastor Judy’s Commentary

http://judyabl.wordpress.com/2014/03/31/rev-chavas-reflection-on-the-blindness-of-prejudiceshe-had-the-courage-to-ask-me-why-i-did-not-put-it-up/

This is a beautiful reflection by Rev. Chava Redonnet  on how ingrained the blindness of prejudice and discrimination is in our world. Rev. Chava discusses the repeat of the black and white doll test in contemporary Mexico. This test was originally done many decades ago in the United States with the same results, black children preferring white dolls. During the Civil Rights era in the United States the tests were repeated many times as consciousness was raised and black is beautiful was internalized. Finally the black dolls were seen as most beautiful by black children. I am not sure what would happen if the test were given here these days. I do know that of my beautiful black children in the Sunday School and Youth Group only one or two at most color Jesus and his followers black or even light brown. Mostly they leave the white page showing and leave him white despite my constant and strong teaching that Jesus was of Near Eastern Semitic heritage and with all probability did not have light skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. We are blessed to have a wonderful artist in our church,Hank Tessandori, who painted Jesus as Near Eastern for us and in all of our pictures he is various shades of brown.    We also have images of an African Jesus with Jesus Mafa paintings displayed. We use only culturally African American or ethnically mixed educational materials. Still our kids do not paint or color him brown without our encouragement. Our younger children seem to be hearing us and seeing what is on the walls while our older children leave Jesus white. We keep at it for we think it is critically important that our children see themselves and God’s Beloved Jesus as beautiful in shades of brown or black.

The problem exists in all non- white groups as Rev. Chava notes as she illuminates the legacy racism that insidiously becomes internalized. In our Good Shepherd church, we have one family where the mother is from Southern Italy. Recently she gave a gift to the church of a beautiful large picture of The Sacred Heart Of Jesus. I very gratefully accepted it as it was a true gift of love and thanksgiving on her part. Yet, I did not put it up as the Jesus was light white skinned with bright blue eyes. She had the courage to ask me why I did not put it up. I explained that as she could see in our other pictures of Jesus, that he looked more like her (she is distinctively dark) than like Robert Redford or Paul Newman and most of our people are dark so they need to know that Jesus looked more like them.  She said “Your’e kidding,right? Every picture of Jesus I ever saw in Italy had the blonde hair, blue eyed Jesus. I thought it was truth that Jesus looked like Northern Italians and Germans but not like me”. I said that we have no photos, of course, but Jesus was a person of his Jewish and Near Eastern Culture. I think he looked more like you. She said “My God, I was the blackest sheep in my family and my blue eyed sisters called me the black dog. I hope one day that they learn this too-don’t put the picture up , Pastor Judy, let these kids learn that Jesus looks like them.” She added “thanks for telling me this, I really did not know Jesus could look like me.”

This is Rev. Chava’s Reflection

Oscar Romero Inclusive Catholic Church
Bulletin for Sunday, March 30, 2014
4th Sunday in Lent
Dear friends,

A friend who works at a Catholic Worker house in Mexico posted something on
facebook today that broke my heart. It was a video of an experiment in
which Mexican children were shown two baby dolls, identical except for the
color of their plastic skin.  Child after child was shown the dolls and
asked which was pretty, which ugly, which doll was good or which doll was
bad, and child after child identified the white doll as pretty and good,
and the black doll as ugly and bad. One or two were able to say “they’re
the same,” but others, asked why the doll on the left was ugly or bad, said
clearly, “because it’s brown.” Racism is deep, not only in our culture here
in the United States, but in lots of other places. I remember being in El
Salvador and watching TV, and realizing that although most people on the
streets have Indian features, all the actors on TV looked European.

Racism is our inheritance, along with the profound economic inequalities in
the world. Most of the kids in that video had light brown skin, somewhere
in between those two dolls. They are “mestizo,” mixed race, which in Mexico
means that they are descended from Indian women raped by Spanish soldiers,
centuries ago. That’s most of the population of Mexico. In this country, we
have the legacy of slavery. When I was growing up, the image of slavery I
got from school and movies (like “Gone With the Wind”) was enforced
servitude, people being made to work and not being free to leave. The
reality was so much worse. Have you seen “12 Years a Slave”? or read Toni
Morrison’s book “Beloved”? To be a slave was to be treated as less than
human. Because I am white, I have to look at the legacy I inherited from
slavery: a legacy of denial and blindness as well as privilege.

So that, I think, is original sin. Original sin isn’t some stain on our
human character because Adam and Eve ate some apples. It’s the human legacy
of inequality and injustice that we often can’t even see because it’s
normal. That was what hit me, watching “12 Years a Slave”: all that used to
be legal. What horrors am I accepting as normal, today?  How about the 80%
of the world living on less than $10 a day? How about, it costs as much to
gift-wrap an item on Amazon as most people in El Salvador earn in a day? Or
that little kids are growing up in neighborhoods where I’m scared to drive
down the street?

Rachel McGuire tells the story of a white woman at a conference on racism,
who, feeling the target of accusations about this collective legacy, cried
out, “I wasn’t there!” When I read that, I recognized the feeling. It’s not
my fault. I’m not to blame. But you know what – it’s not about fault, or
blame. It’s about responsibility. We’ve inherited a world of racism and
injustice, and some of us benefit from it. So what are we going to do about
it?

First, I think, we name it. We look at it without fear and recognize these
gross inequalities and feel the anger and shame and horror without hiding
from it. And then, well, I don’t have any long-term answer but I think we
commit ourselves to keeping our eyes open. We move out of our comfortable
blindness and into recognizing that the system is not fair and we’ve got
the easy side of the equation, the side where there’s three meals a day and
shoes and running water and people being polite to us in stores and at
airports because of the way we look, dress and speak. And we recognize the
people on the hard side of that equation as our sisters and brothers, with
the same need to be fully alive and fully themselves that we have, and the
same loves and hopes and aspirations. And we recognize that our privilege
is a handicap that we can’t even see. And we repent of it, not with
sackcloth and ashes, but with humility and listening and open eyes.

Like the man in this week’s Gospel, we are blind from birth, and it’s not
our fault or our parent’s fault, but we sure do need to be healed of it.
Let God put mud on our eyes, and may we see the reality around us.

May the next generation of children see every doll as beautiful.

Blessings and love to all,
Chava

Oscar Romero Church
An Inclusive Community of Liberation, Justice and Joy
Worshiping in the Catholic Tradition
Mass: Sundays, 11 am
St Joseph’s House of Hospitality
402 South Ave, Rochester NY 14620

Madre Maria y Bebe Jesus by La Tienda de la  Sororidad in Cali,Colombia, SA

Write Letters to Peace Activists in Prison: Sister Megan Rice Michael Walli, Gregory Boertje- Obed//Addresses below

Megan Rice 881010-20

Metropolitan Detention Center

P.O. Box 329002

Brooklyn, NY 11232

MICHAEL WALLI #92108-20

FCI McKean

Box 8000

Bradford, PA 16701

GREGORY BOERTJE-OBED #080052-016

USP Leavenworth

PO Box 1000

Leavenworth, KS 66048

Michael and Gregory are not permitted to receive note paper or stamps. Books and newspapers must come from the publisher. I know they would appreciate news clippings and copies of online articles.                                                                               

__._,_.___

Marie Collins, Irish Survivors' Advocate Appointed to Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/preventing-child-abuse-must-outweigh-fears-about-catholic-church-1.1743640

"I have been disappointed and let down often in my hopes for change in the way the Catholic Church handles the child abuse issue. At times I have despaired to the point where I wanted nothing more to do with the church. This was particularly true after my participation in the church’s failed Lynnott Committee, tasked with writing child protection guidelines in Ireland in 2003. Why then accept the appointment to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors?

I have asked myself the same question. Am I an incurable optimist or a fool? I hope I am neither. I have accepted for the same reason I decided to take up the invitation to speak at the Vatican’s Towards Healing and Renewal seminar on child abuse in Rome in 2012 – saving children from abuse is more important than any personal fear of hurt or humiliation. If there is the slightest chance that this commission can bring in change within the church that will lead to children being better protected and survivors being better treated then I cannot turn my back on it..."

Bridget Mary's Response;

I was deeply impressed by Marie Collins , who spoke at a Symposium of the Irish Press in Aug. 2010 in Castlebar, County Mayo. In her presentation,  Ms. Collins challenged the  Irish bishops and the Vatican for their callous treatment of sexual abuse survivors and their families. So, in my view, this was a wise choice by the Vatican. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org