"Lack of Women Will Irreversibly Harm the Church" by Sr. Joan Chittister/NCR

Oct 17, 2011 "From Where I Stand"

"The story is an old one and I've told it before, but never has it felt so ominous as it does right now.It happened this way: About 15 or 20 years ago, I gave a series of conferences in a parish in Canada.So I was surprised when the topic came up at lunch from the couple hosting my visit. More than that, I was surprised at what triggered it..."

"It wasn't the dearth of theology around the question of the ordination of women that piqued them. It wasn't the growing statistic on the coming decline in the priesthood that worried them. It wasn't the fear of merging parishes that troubled them.On the contrary. They had a good parish, they said, a fine and loving parish priest, the kind of congregation that was family to them and the kind of faith to trust the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit among them.What bothered them was their 4-year-old daughter. She was a quick-minded child. Precocious. Persistent. Confident. They knew, they told me, that some day, she would question the difference between what her brother could do in the church and what she could do. That would be years away, of course, but still — maybe more for themselves than for her — they were struggling, to no avail, to find a reason good enough to appease her, they said.

Then, suddenly, one Sunday morning after Mass as they sat at the family breakfast table, it happened.

"Mama," she said suddenly, "why don't we have any girl priests at our church?"

They looked at one another, dumbstruck, unprepared. Too late. There was nothing left to do now but be honest.

"Because, darling," the mother said, "our church doesn't allow girl priests."

The little girl pursed her lips and frowned. "Then why do we go there?" she demanded.

With the retreat to Vatican I in full force, this question and its answer get closer and closer.

Feminine language is fast being cut from the very prayers of the church. The invisibility of women is official policy again. Women have been removed from various church boards stealthily but steadily...

Source URL: http://ncronline.org/blogs/where-i-stand/lack-women-will-irreversibly-harm-church

Bridget Mary's Reflection: Out of the mouths of babes, the Spirit speaks a question for all in our church to hear. Maryknoll priest, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, women priests Janice Sevre-Duszynska, Ree Hudson, deacon Donna Rougeux, Erin Hanna, executive director of Women's Ordination Conference, Miriam Duigian, from womenpriests.org, Bob Heineman, Nicole Sotelo and other supporters of women's ordination are raising the question of God's call to women to embrace a renewed priestly ministry in Rome this week. Let us pray that this prophetic message of justice and equality for women in our church is heard by all including the Vatican.