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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

In Defense of My Anger by John Chuchman/ A, Prophetic Call , the Ministry of Irritation- Response by Bridget Mary Meehan




Most with whom I share my Anger
at our abuse at the hands of
a corrupt church hierarchy
respond with affirmation
and positive encouragement
to keep on speaking out
for all to hear.

Some, albeit only a few,
bemoan it,
suggesting I be more peace-like,
more accepting of a church
that has accomplished much good and
survived the centuries
despite its human frailties.

God knows that each and every day that passes,
I consider simply moving on
like thirty million American Catholics
have already done,
leaving the corruption and abuse
to its own demise.

But I keep being reminded
(by whom I know not, but suspect)
that silence in the face of abuse is complicity;
that, as Martin Luther King said,
We begin to die when silent in the face of the things that really matter;
that, as Bishop Desmond Tutu said,
Choosing to be neutral in the face of oppression
is choosing the side of the oppressor;
that, as Roy Bourgeois urged,
We are all called to speak out loudly
against the hierarchical sins of discrimination;
and that
Over the Pope stands my conscience
which must be obeyed before all else.

Sister Joan Chittister
urged those who leave institutional church
to leave loudly so all know why,
and those like me who stay to help reform church
to stay LOUDLY. 

As one of the ordained Roman Catholic Woman Priests professed,
It’s a Ministry,
a Ministry of Irritation.

Richard Rohr
said that non-dualistic thinking
as part of an Everything-Belongs Spirituality
does not preclude the need
to speak out against abuse and discrimination
as long as I don’t let my anger possess me.

Does my anger possess me?
I certainly am passionate in my efforts,
but I daily work at focusing
on life’s positives,
on Spiritual Growth and Nurturing
rather than religious malfunctions,
on helping others
not get stuck or trip over life’s stumbling blocks.

It surely would be easier
to ignore, accept, overlook
institutional church corruption,
and simply pay, pray, and obey.
Many do just that,
including the ordained
who risk loss of income, pension, and benefits.
(I judge them not.)

But not speaking out against
the hierarchs who make institutional church
so un-Christlike
is simply not part of my DNA.

Mother Theresa
taught me that
True Peace
is not silence, tranquility, restfulness,
but that True Peace is
Love in Action.

So I will continue to
Speak Out and
put my love of church, as Jesus intended,
into Action.

Bridget Mary's Reflection
John's thoughts reflect the thoughts of millions of Catholics who stay in the church in order to reform the corrupt institution out of loving faithfulness to our community of faith.  A ministry of irritation is a blessed exercise in transforming the old boys patriarchal club to an open, inclusive community worthy of Jesus in the Gospels. One could argue that the ministry of irritation is a time-honored, integral part of the prophetic call.
Bridget Mary Meehan, arcwp

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