The Divine Feminine Returns- Matthew Fox

We have been meditating on a revolution in values that the return of the Divine Feminine represents. Such archetypes as Mary and the Black Madonna carry this energy forward.

Julian of Norwich talks of Jesus as Mother due to his emphasis on compassion.    What if the Europeans who set sail for the “New Worlds” one century after Julian had acted more motherly to the indigenous peoples they encountered?   How different history would have been had they arrived on foreign lands not with swords drawn but with compassionate hearts.   Values of Kinship, Relationship, Compassion, Caring are in stark contrast to values of control  and power-over that patriarchy holds up.   My friend and colleague Andrew Harvey, who was born and raised in India, the birthplace of many religions and a land with a long history of honoring the Great Mother, did all of us a huge favor when he wrote a major work on The Return of the Mother in 1995.  “She Who Hears the Cries of the World” set to Jennifer Berezan’s “She Carries Me” and voiced by Olympia Dukakis. Video by Unanimous. The book is deeply ecumenical and chapters include teachings on the Great Mother from Ramakrishna, Aurobindo, Sufis, the Buddha and the Tao.  The last two chapters are on “Mary Our Mother” and on “Christ the Mother." Harvey tells us that Mary is far less interested in adoration than imitation. The Mother doesn’t just want to be loved; she wants that love to be made active in all things and in all moments so that the reign of her love can begin on earth.   He invokes the teaching of Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff about Mary as a “prophetic woman of liberation” in his book, The Maternal Face of God.   Boff says Mary brings both “denunciation and proclamation, prophecy and liberation.”    He recognizes that under the influence of conquest and colonialism, Mary has often been sentimentalized or forgotten. “As a result, for centuries Christianity has rendered the liberating” message of the Magnificat “impotent.”    Detail of “Virgin Seamstress: with the Virgen de Guadalupe being so ubiquitous, there is no real imagery of Latinas at the work that we do.” Image by Gozamos on Flickr. But we can develop a prophetic image of Mary…as the strong, determined woman, the woman committed to the messianic liberation for the poor from the historical social injustice under which they suffer.*    Among the poor so suffering today is of course Gaia, our Mother  *Andrew Harvey, The Return of the Mother, pp. 374, 377f. See Matthew Fox, “Divine Feminine and the Mother of God,” in Fox, Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic—and Beyond, pp. 45-58, 102f. See also Fox, Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth.” Banner Image: Lavanderia Cultural Murals, Historic Pilsen Barrio, Chicago. Photo by Richie Diesterheft on Flickr.   Statement of Solidarity with Israel/Palestine. Queries for Contemplation   Do you agree that imitation of Mary is more needed than adoration of the same? And that she carries, especially in the “Magnificat,” a “liberating message” for Mother Earth and all who suffer from injustice today? Responses are welcomed. To add your comment, or read other comments and enter into dialog, please click HERE to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments field.   Recommended Reading   Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic–and Beyond Julian of Norwich lived through the dreadful bubonic plague that killed close to 50% of Europeans. Being an anchoress, she ‘sheltered in place’ and developed a deep wisdom that she shared in her book, Showings, which was the first book in English by a woman. A theologian way ahead of her time, Julian develops a feminist understanding of God as mother at the heart of nature’s goodness. Fox shares her teachings in this powerful and timely and inspiring book. “What an utterly magnificent book. The work of Julian of Norwich, lovingly supported by the genius of Matthew Fox, is a roadmap into the heart of the eco-spiritual truth that all life breathes together.”  –Caroline Myss Now also available as an audiobook HERE.     Creation Spirituality: Liberating Gifts for the Peoples of the Earth Fox’s spirituality weds the healing and liberation found in North American Creation Spirituality and in South American Liberation Theology. Creation Spirituality challenges readers of every religious and political persuasion to unite in a new vision through which we learn to honor the earth and the people who inhabit it as the gift of a good and just Creator. “A watershed theological work that offers a common ground for religious seekers and activists of all stripes.” — Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice.     In the Beginning There Was Joy: A Cosmic Celebration for Kids of All Ages The first book in the Father Fox’s Fantastical Fables series tells the story of the big bang and how humans fit into the awesome, fantastical, cosmic picture! With artwork curated from illustrators around the world, this book expresses the joy and wonder of all peoples and cultures, planting seeds of respect, cooperation and hope to work together for the healing of our planet.   "This delicious book for children of all ages celebrates joy as the essential truth of reality." -  Andrew Harvey, Author of The Hopeand Radical Regeneration   "I absolutely LOVED reading this beautiful, creative, stirring story—a charming, whimsical, powerful, parable." - Robert Holden, Author of Happiness NOW! and Higher Purpose   Receive a 20% discount when you buy this and one other book from Matthew Fox’s store! Use Promo Code 20% at checkout. To be continued.

Will Pope Francis Reach Out to Roman Catholic Women Priests and Bishops like he did to the Woman Anglican Bishop?

 https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/pope-invites-anglican-woman-bishop-council-cardinals-meeting

Roman Catholic Women Priests and Bishops have lots of good news about living the Synodal Church with Pope Francis. We have been working in the emerging Church for over 20 years- welcoming everyone to celebrate the sacraments and to serve one another especially the most marginalized Catholics who no longer feel they have a home in the institutional Church. Pope Francis says the Church must be a Church for everyone. So do we and this is what women priests have been busy doing. This is our mission. This is the reason we ordain women. This is the call of Jesus in our times.  I look forward to the day Pope Francis invites us to the table. We are his beloved sisters and brothers!

Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

Pope Francis and his international Council of Cardinals continue their discussion of women's role in the church at the Vatican Feb. 5, 2024. Pictured, clockwise from the left, are: Cardinals Gérald Lacroix of Québec; Juan José Omella Omella of Barcelona; Seán O'Malley of Boston; Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of Kinshasa, Congo; and Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. Continuing, to the right of the pope are: Bishop Marco Mellino, council secretary; and Cardinals Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India; Sérgio da Rocha of São Salvador da Bahia, Brazil; Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, president of the commission governing Vatican City State; and Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg. Bishop Jo Bailey Wells, deputy secretary-general of the Anglican Communion, left, Salesian Sr. Linda Pocher and Giuliva Di Berardino, a consecrated virgin from the Diocese of Verona, Italy, are the women who addressed the group. (CNS/Vatican Media)

With the help of a woman Anglican bishop, a Salesian sister and a consecrated virgin, Pope Francis and his international Council of Cardinals devoted the first morning of their February meeting "to deepening their reflection, begun last December, on the role of women in the church," the Vatican press office said.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, said Feb. 5 the pope and cardinals heard from Bishop Jo Bailey Wells, deputy secretary-general of the Anglican Communion; Salesian Sr. Linda Pocher, a professor of Christology and Mariology at Rome's Pontifical Faculty of Educational Sciences "Auxilium," and Giuliva Di Berardino, a consecrated virgin and liturgist from the Diocese of Verona, Italy.

The pope and council were to continue meeting the afternoon of Feb. 5 and all day Feb. 6, focusing on other themes, Bruni said.

The Vatican has not shared details about the discussions on the role of women in the church nor the texts of presentations made at the meeting.

Celebrate Black History Month by Listening to Sister Thea Bowman’s inspiring address to the U.S. Bishops in 1989

 

Celebrate Black History Month by listening to Sister Thea Bowman’s  FSPA, address the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in this inspiring video.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uOV0nQkjuoA

 from June 1989. Sister Thea was an energetic. Spirit-filled preacher, teacher, musician and prophetic voice for justice. , She is now a candidate for sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.

I am Willing- by Holly Near, Video by Donna Panaro ARCWP

 

Relics of St. Brigid to return home to Kildare 1,500 years after her death, Irish Independent

 Relics of St. Brigid to return home to Kildare 1,500 years after her death

St. Brigid’s remains were moved from Kildare in the year 800 to protect the relics from Viking attacks

Aisling Bolton-Dowling

Thu 25 Jan 2024 at 10:47

The relics of St. Brigid will be welcomed home to Kildare for the first time in 1,000 years

On the 1500th year of the passing of St. Brigid, her relics will return home to Kildare after nearly a millennium.

The relics of St. Brigid will be welcomed ‘home’ to Co Kildare, where they will go on permanent display at Kildare Town Parish Church.

In preparation for the return of St. Brigid to Co Kildare, Into Kildare, which is the Kildare Tourism Board have mapped the movements of St. Brigid’s relics which have been away from Kildare for 1,000 years.

According to Into Kildare, it is believed that St. Brigid died in 524AD and was buried beside the main alter in her monastic church in Co Kildare. Her grave became an attraction for pilgrims throughout Ireland and Europe.

In the eighth century, a shrine was built for the saint, which was adorned by gold, silver and precious stones.

However, around the year 800, Vikings came to Ireland and plundered and attacked towns and churches around the country.

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To protect the body of St. Brigid from Viking attack, her remains were moved to Downpatrick Cathedral in Northern Ireland, where she was buried in an unmarked grave beside St. Patrick and St. Columba.

The grave was purposely left unmarked in an attempt to protect it and keep the location a secret.

As years passed, the graves became too good of a secret as the location of the saints’ bodies including St. Brigid’s was forgotten.

For approximately 300 years, the location of the graves of Ireland’s patron saints was unknown.

That was until 1185, when according to the stories surrounding St. Brigid, the Bishop of Down was shown the location of the sacred relics by God, when the bodies of the three saints was found by a beam of light which shone on a section of the church floor.

The bodies of the three saints were found under the floor, with St. Patrick in the middle and St. Brigid and St. Columba on either side.

In 1186, the bodies were enshrined for 400 years, until Lord Leonard Grey, the appointee of King Henry VIII destroyed the shrine.

St. Brigid’s remains were saved although the shrine was destroyed, and her remains were secretly transported to the continent.

According to tradition, three Irish knights took a bone fragment from her head to Lumiar, which is a small town outside Lisbon in Portugal in the 13th Century. The relic is still in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Lumiar.

David Mongey, The Chairman of Into Kildare, the Kildare Tourism Board explained, “The relics of St. Brigid have not been in County Kildare for nearly 1,000 years. This year is the 1500th year of the passing of the saint and what could be more special than to bring St. Brigid’s relics home, where she belongs?

"She built her church in Kildare and her legacy as a peace maker and a protector of nature is still as relevant today as ever.”

He added: “It has been a long process to finally bring her relics back to the county and together with my colleagues at Into Kildare we would like to thank Kildare County Council and the Brigideen sisters in for their great work in bringing Brigid home.”

Thousands of people are expected to attend this momentous occasion, will take place on Sunday January 28. A procession will accompany the relics from Solas Bhride Centre in Tully outside Kildare Town at 10.30am, where they will then proceed to Kildare Town Parish Church.

The relics will then be taken into the church by the Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin, Bishop Denis Nulty who will celebrate a special mass at 11am.