VATICAN CITY --"The problem of abuse by clergy is solved more by a spirit of penitence and conversion by its members than by a radical change of church structures, Pope Benedict XVI said...
In St. Hildegard's time, there were calls for radical reform of the church to fight the problem of abuses made by the clergy, the pope said.
However, she "bitterly reproached demands to subvert the very nature of the church" and reminded people that "a true renewal of the ecclesial community is not achieved so much with a change in the structures as much as with a sincere spirit of penitence" and conversion, the pope said.
...Her work shows how "even theology can receive the distinctive contribution of women, because they are able to speak of God and the mystery of faith with their distinctive intelligence and insight," he said.
The pope encouraged female theologians to continue their special contribution to the church in a spirit of fidelity and by enriching their reflections with prayer."
Bridget Mary's Reflection: It is great that Pope Benedict praised St. Hildegard of Bingen, a prophet and advocate of church reform. But , unfortunately, he sees her through rose colored glasses, centuries removed. In his address, the pope fails to mention that Hildegard, who believed that women and men are equal partners in doing God's work, and who undertook four preaching missions, challenging the corruption and abuses of the 12th century clergy, was condemned by the hierarchy of her time. Her entire community suffered the harsh punishment of interdict. Reproving Pope Anastasius iV Hildegard wrote: "Wherefore, O man, you who sit on the papal throne, you despise God when you embrace evil. For in failing to speak out against the evil of those in your company, you are certainly not rejecting evil. Rather you are kissing it. And the whole world is being led astray..." Can you imagine the uproar if anyone spoke these words of condemnation to Pope Benedict today? Hildegard preached an unpopular message of reform to church officials, and if she lived in our time , Hildegard, like modern day feminist theologians, would be calling for spiritual conversion and the transformation of structures that are blockages to living Gospel equality and justice in our world. I believe that St. Hildegard would be a supporter of women priests or perhaps one of our bishops! ! Hildegard would be a modern day feminist, unafraid to name patriarchy as the elephant in the Catholic Church's living room. Perhaps, St. Hildegard would even call on Pope Benedict to resign if he failed to reform church structures including removing bishops who covered up the sexual abuse of children and ending centuries of gender apartheid. Ask yourself, would this saintly, gutsy nun receive a warm welcome at the Vatican today or would she be excommunicated for her prophetic witness to the Gospel, unafraid to speak truth to power, like Roman Catholic Womenpriests who are serving the Catholic community in a renewed priestly ministry? Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP, sofiabmm@aol.com,703-505-0004
Bridget Mary's Reflection: It is great that Pope Benedict praised St. Hildegard of Bingen, a prophet and advocate of church reform. But , unfortunately, he sees her through rose colored glasses, centuries removed. In his address, the pope fails to mention that Hildegard, who believed that women and men are equal partners in doing God's work, and who undertook four preaching missions, challenging the corruption and abuses of the 12th century clergy, was condemned by the hierarchy of her time. Her entire community suffered the harsh punishment of interdict. Reproving Pope Anastasius iV Hildegard wrote: "Wherefore, O man, you who sit on the papal throne, you despise God when you embrace evil. For in failing to speak out against the evil of those in your company, you are certainly not rejecting evil. Rather you are kissing it. And the whole world is being led astray..." Can you imagine the uproar if anyone spoke these words of condemnation to Pope Benedict today? Hildegard preached an unpopular message of reform to church officials, and if she lived in our time , Hildegard, like modern day feminist theologians, would be calling for spiritual conversion and the transformation of structures that are blockages to living Gospel equality and justice in our world. I believe that St. Hildegard would be a supporter of women priests or perhaps one of our bishops! ! Hildegard would be a modern day feminist, unafraid to name patriarchy as the elephant in the Catholic Church's living room. Perhaps, St. Hildegard would even call on Pope Benedict to resign if he failed to reform church structures including removing bishops who covered up the sexual abuse of children and ending centuries of gender apartheid. Ask yourself, would this saintly, gutsy nun receive a warm welcome at the Vatican today or would she be excommunicated for her prophetic witness to the Gospel, unafraid to speak truth to power, like Roman Catholic Womenpriests who are serving the Catholic community in a renewed priestly ministry? Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP, sofiabmm@aol.com,703-505-0004
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.