"...
Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in
......"

Leonard Cohen

Women make the agenda in the African Church...
 
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African Catholic delegates target good governance, peace, women
Catholic News Service
May 27, 2010

MAPUTO, Mozambique (CNS) -- Representatives of justice and peace commissions from churches in Africa identified good governance, peace-building and the role of women as issues of primary concern to Catholics on the continent. Participants in the May 23-26 meeting also stressed the need to increase church personnel's ability to work in peace-building, including offering courses on it in seminaries and other religious formation centers, said a statement issued at the end of the meeting. About 135 participants from 46 African countries met to discuss the results of the October Synod of Bishops for Africa in a meeting organized by the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar and Caritas Africa. They committed themselves to work together more closely by strengthening communication within church structures on the continent and called on the church to play more of an advocacy role in national and international forums. Seven of the church's nine regional groups in Africa presented reports on initiatives identified as important at the synod and about plans to meet the commitments in the 57 pastoral propositions that synod delegates offered to Pope Benedict XVI, said the press statement. The synod propositions called for a new spirituality to counter bad government, ethnic tensions, disease, exploitation by multinational companies and the cultural agenda of foreign aid organizations.
 
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20100527.htm#head9

Bishops: World Cup Cloaks Human Trafficking

Prelates Call for Global Attention to Problem

ROME, MAY 27, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Bishops of southern African nations are trying to bring global attention to the problem of human trafficking in their region.

The prelates, collaborating with the group Planet Waves, organized a meeting last week on the phenomenon, which affects an unknown number of people. Four episcopal conferences were represented at the meeting: Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

It's estimated 300 people a week enter South Africa illegally from Mozambique alone.

Trafficking in the region is "complex and is fueled by a wide range of factors and these include poverty, dysfunctional economies, conflicts and demands for cheap labor," the bishops noted in a communiqué, Fides reported. "The exact number of people who are lured into trafficking in the [area] remains unknown because of the non-availability of official statistics on this scourge."

The Interregional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa is formed by the bishops' conferences of Angola and Sao Tome, Botswana, South Africa and Swaziland, Losotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

The prelates lamented that their governments give too little attention to the problem, though they are aware of it. They acknowledged that the nations lack both human and financial resources to deal with the issue.

However they affirmed, "Religious groups can play a significant role in raising awareness and acting on this issue with the support of their governments to curb this problem."

Hiding

The prelates also noted how the World Cup to be held in South Africa from June 11 to July 11 has become a way to send people to traffickers.

"All those people who would like to make some money during the World Cup have become vulnerable to trafficking, especially girls who are told that they will be waitresses or tour guides for the visitors," they said.

The participants at the meeting organized a series of workshops to be held through November, focusing on the definition of trafficking, how traffickers operate, how to identify and help victims, the Church's position on the issue, and the way forward.

Host country

Earlier this month in South Africa about 1,000 people gathered in Pretoria to pray for an end to human trafficking.

It is estimated that as many as 40,000 sex workers and prostitutes will be imported to the nation during the World Cup.

Sister Melanie O'Connor, coordinator of the Counter Trafficking in Persons Office of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference, is warning parents of the dangers of leaving their children unattended. She has noted how research increasingly shows that women recruiters are becoming more prominent in the trafficking process.

"South Africa is recognized internationally as a 'hot spot' for human trafficking -- being a country of origin, transition and destination for trafficking," the bishops' conference noted on their Web site, "and there is the fear that trafficking of women and children will increase significantly during the World Cup."
 
http://www.zenit.org/article-29399?l=english

Mary Robinson and Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda 
:Listening to the Courageous Women of Zimbabwe
The Huffington Post 
May 28, 2010 

Against the odds, women leaders in Zimbabwe have committed to put aside their divides and work together to foster equality, democracy and peace in their troubled country. Women leaders from the three main political parties reached a first of its kind agreement to protect the well-being of Zimbabwean women and ensure their voices were heard at this pivotal moment in their nation's history. 

We were invited by the Unity Government at the urging of women ministers from different political parties to join them in Zimbabwe and listen to and support the country's women as they sought to forge a shared path forward. Our delegation, which visited Zimbabwe in late April , included six women leaders from different part of Africa. We found a vibrant women's movement, but one still struggling with political tensions, and in need of support to achieve empowerment and equality.

During our week-long mission, we met a cross section of Zimbabwean society including women in rural areas, civil society organizations, government officials, advocacy groups, human rights defenders, young women and adolescents living with HIV as well as representatives of the diplomatic community. We learned first-hand of the high incidence of domestic violence and the ongoing fear of renewed political violence. With our delegation's encouragement, representatives from each of the women's wings of the three political parties in the Inclusive Government of Zimbabwe -ZANU-PF, MDC-T and MDC-M -- met and adopted a resolution committing them to joint action. What had been planned as a half-hour exchange turned into a four -hour meeting that allowed the breakthrough to occur. As the discussion unfolded, we realized that these female political leaders welcomed the rare opportunity to talk together that our presence provided. 


Olivia Muchena
Minister of Women Affairs 
Gender and Community Development (ZANU-PF)

Olivia Muchena, Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development (ZANU-PF) said the moment the agreement was reached was one of the happiest of her life. Minister of State Sekai Holland, one of three members of Zimbabwe's Organ on National Healing Reconciliation and Integration, welcomed it as the first step in genuine building of trust and reconciliation. As a follow up to our visit, members of the Organ invited the Women's Coalition to an event‑--its first formal meeting with women's organisations, to seek views on how to address the fear in communities as the Constitutional outreach commences. Plans are already underway to develop a roadmap for dialogue and action for women's empowerment and leadership on peace building that will lead to a national symposium in 2011 and possibly an international symposium in 2012. The potential significance of these steps depends upon the follow up support and resources women receive to implement their vision and roadmap. 

We were encouraged that both President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai expressed support for the roadmap going forward and for women's voices being heard in the constitutional review process. These signs of a more unified women's movement give us hope, but must be set against a wider context. The political environment in Zimbabwe remains fragile. 

Indicators suggest the ongoing constitutional review process may not be as inclusive and participatory as hoped for if communities participate with fear or intimidation. Some expressed concern that a move to early elections could trigger another round of violence. If political violence continues in Zimbabwe, along with threats and lack of support for survivors of torture and those displaced by conflict, then women and girls will be the most impacted -- as persons, mothers, and community leaders. Yet, the Zimbabwe women we met, visited and interacted with are seeking economic empowerment and real opportunities for the future of their children. 

The world community needs to recognize the scale of the challenges facing the women of Zimbabwe and find new ways to support their brave efforts to navigate the painful and politically difficult past. There are a number of steps that should be taken to demonstrate solidarity with Zimbabwe. 

For example, the region and the international community should seek to act as observers of the current constitution-drafting and outreach process, as a sign of supporting positive efforts of the inclusive government and provide a measure of assurance and security to all those who participate in the process. Current restrictive measures imposed on Zimbabwe should be re-considered as they are proving to be blunt instruments that may well impede the very democratic processes they aim to foster. 

Supporting the courageous efforts of women leaders in Zimbabwe could pay handsome peace dividends. We have seen the positive effects of ensuring women's active role in conflict resolution and reconstruction in other parts of Africa--in Liberia, where women played an important role in ending the bloody civil war, in post apartheid South Africa, and the role women played in the constitution making process--and there are similar initiatives blossoming in the Sudan and the Mano River Region. Women in Zimbabwe deserve our full support and encouragement. Their actions are speaking loudly and eloquently. We must listen.

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Mary Robinson is President of Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative. She is a former president of Ireland and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. 



Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, a Zimbabwean, is General Secretary of the World YWCA, and Founding Chairperson of Rozaria Memorial Trust.  
http://www.huffingtonpost....html?ir=Daily%20Brief

PRESS RELEASE FROM WOMENPRIESTS.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Therese Koturbash: koturbash@btconnect.com
tel + 44(0)1923 779 446
Website: womenpriests.org
 
Commemorating Ordained Women During The Year of the Priest
 
‘A document that provides the names and biographical details of women who were ordained deacons in the Early Church will be handed to Pope Benedict XVI in Rome on June 8, 2010.  The presentation will be made by dignitaries of international Catholic groups. It happens in the context of the Catholic Church’s concluding celebrations for the Year of the Priest. The representatives will ask the Pope to give formal recognition to the women’s historical diaconate and to begin the reforms needed to include women in priesthood.’  A press conference in Rome’s ADISTA news agency will follow at 11 am that day. A demonstration in Saint Peter’s Square to raise awareness about women’s call to priesthood will also be held.

Historical Background

Historical records document the service of tens of thousands of ordained women deacons in parishes during the first millennium of the Church (Romans 16, 1; 1 Tim 3, 8-11).  Their service is witnessed in literary records and inscriptions on tombs.  Some women deacon saints are commemorated in the current liturgical calendar. Ongoing historical research now makes many of these women known to us by name. Ancient manuscripts preserve the exact rite of their ordination (for more, see: womenpriests.org/deacons/default.asp).
 
Why is the Vatican is Suppressing the Historical Facts

Analysis of the woman deacons ordination rite shows that it was a true sacrament with a bishop laying hands on the candidate and invoking the Holy Spirit.  In all essentials it was identical to the one for men deacons. This means women did receive Holy Orders.  This evidence gives further supports to the case which says there is no justification for the exclusion of women from Holy Orders and priesthood today. It is known that on July 15, 1563 the Council of Trent defined that the diaconate as much as the priesthood and the episcopacy belongs to the sacrament of Holy Orders. ‘If anyone says that in the Catholic Church there does not exist a hierarchy, established through divine ordination, which consists of bishops, priests and deacons, let him be anathema.’ (Denzinger no 966).

Women as Priests?

In an interview, Therese Koturbash, a  Canadian lawyer and International Coordinator of Women Can Be Priests! womenpriests.org confirms: ‘Thanks to historical research, we now know conclusively that women did receive the sacrament of Holy Orders in our faith tradition.  But somewhere along the way, the door to women slammed shut. Those ordained women deacons have been forgotten in this year’s celebrations [for the Year of the Priest.] Today the Vatican justifies exclusion of women from priesthood by saying that we don’t look like Christ. This kind of thinking is new to Catholic faith.  It is unorthodox theology.  Christ teaches that we see His face in every person we meet,’ she said. ‘What has become clear is that ancient unChristlike prejudice against women has crept into the Church and bars women from priesthood today.  Little more than one hundred years ago, the Vatican maintained that slavery was willed by God.  We don’t want this same kind of mistake to continue about the dignity of women.  During this Year of the Priest, we have asked that women’s historical service in Holy Orders be remembered and that reforms be put in motion to welcome women into priesthood! Women can and should be priests!’

The Document Containing the Names of the Ordained Women:

The document to be presented to the Pope is based on historical research  and was compiled by a  Team working under the direction of Dr. John Wijngaards at womenpriests.org in England. The team is made up of faithful Catholics who believe that women should be ordained.  They are working to help make that happen.

International dignitaries who will be present at the function include Therese Koturbash (UK and Canada), International Coordinator womenpriests.org and National Work Group member of Canada’s Catholic Network for Women’s Equality (CNWE), Erin Saiz Hanna (USA), President of Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC), Colette Joyce (UK), New Wine, along with others from countries around the world including Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Japan and other countries.

Contact:
 
Jos Rickman
jos@womenpriests.org
t:  +44 (0)1923 779446
Therese Koturbash
koturbash@btconnect.com
t: + 44 (0)1923 779 446
url: womenpriests.org

 Women's Ordination Advocates Hold Press Conference During 'Year for Priest' Celebrations,  Vigil Calling on Pope to Ordain Women


 
ROME, ITALY - Today, at 11:00 o'clock in the office of redazione di ADISTA, Via Acciaioli 7, 00186 Roma, representatives of Catholic organizations from around the world called for the full and equal participation of women in the Roman Catholic Church, including ordination as deacons, priests and bishops. The remarks came during a press conference held by Women's Ordination Conference, Women's Ordination Worldwide, and other pro-ordination groups to protest the Vatican's "Year for Priests" celebration, which begins tomorrow.  After the press conference, the groups staged a vigil in St. Peter's Square.
 
"The absolute hypocrisy of the 'Year for Priests' celebration cuts to the core of what is wrong with the hierarchy today," said Erin Saiz Hanna, executive director of the U.S. based Women's Ordination Conference.  "The Vatican is all too happy to turn a blind eye when men in its ranks destroy the lives of children and families, but jumps at the chance to excommunicate women who, in good conscience, are prophetically answering their call to ordination and responding to needs of their communities."  (Read Hanna's full statement here.)
 
On June 19, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI declared a 'Year for Priests' to celebrate and honor the male, clerical, priesthood.  From June 9-11, 2010, the year-long celebration culminates with an international gathering of priests hosted by Pope Benedict in Rome to pay tribute to their work.
 
"At the end of a disappointing 'Year for Priests' and a disastrous year for the Roman Catholic Church we call for a Decade of the People of God," stated Angelika Fromm, representative from International Movement We are Church and the Purple Stole Movement in Germany. "The current global crisis within the church demonstrates that the clerical hierarchy alone can't serve any longer as the foundation of the Catholic church's institutional structure and authority." Fromm continued, "Our church urgently needs large numbers of male and female pastors to serve our parishes. Charisma should be important, not gender."
 
Therese Koturbash, a Canadian lawyer and International Coordinator of the womenpriests.org campaign, stated, "Thanks to historical research, we now know conclusively that women did receive the sacrament of Holy Orders, at least in the diaconate. And we know that the Council of Trent stated clearly that the diaconate is part of Holy Orders. However, somewhere along the way, the door to women slammed shut." Koturbash continued, "During this 'Year for Priests,' we have asked that women's historical service in Holy Orders be remembered and that reforms be put in motion to welcome women into priesthood! Women can and should be priests."
 
Mary Ann M. Schoettly, ordained through Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP), an international initiative within the Roman Catholic Church that advocates for a new model of priestly ministry, stated, "After years of considerable study and reflection, the women of RCWP are following their well formed consciences and accepting the gift of ordination."
 
According to the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, in a statement published on May 29, 2008 published in L'Observatorio Romano, the Vatican's official newspaper, all Roman Catholic Womenpriests and the bishops who ordain them are automatically excommunicated, known as latae sententiae.
 
Schoettly continued, "Roman Catholic Womenpriests reject the penalty of excommunication. We are loyal members of the church who stand in the prophetic tradition of holy obedience to the Spirit's call to change an unjust law that discriminates against us."
 
"The discrimination against women in faith communities and in particular by the Catholic Church underpins the violence against women in everyday life," stated Mary Leslie of Catholic Women's Ordination, UK.
 
Colette Joyce from New Wine, another UK based group, continued, "It is very difficult for a Catholic woman active in her own parish and community to come forward and say this is her calling because there is nowhere for her to take it. I want to talk to the leaders of my church about women's ordination - not journalists - but every time I try the door is continually being closed." 
 
In 1976, the Biblical Commission of Pope Paul VI determined there was no scriptural reason to prohibit women's ordination. Despite the Commission's finding, the pope issued a statement later that year declaring the Vatican is not authorized to ordain women.  In 1994, Pope John Paul II officially closed discussion of the subject.  Today, an overwhelming Catholics support the issue, yet people who work for the church can be fired if they even talk about women priests.
 
"For far too long, only ordained, male, celibate clergy have dictated -or tried to dictate- how Catholics worship, pray and make decisions," concluded Hanna.  "Canon 1024, which states that only men can validly receive the sacrament of ordination, is unjust and does not value the gospel message of Jesus.  It must be changed."    


                                                               ###
 

 
Women's Ordination Worldwide, founded in 1996, is an ecumenical network, whose primary mission at this time is the admission of Roman Catholic women to all ordained ministries. 
 
Catholic Women's Ordination (CWO) is a national group of women and men in the UK (including Scotland and Wales) who seek a renewed model of priesthood in the Catholic Church so that there is proper scope for the distinctive ministry of ordained women within it. Renewal of the Church is our first aim but the importance of women's ministry is integral to that, as is women's leadership within the church. Contact: Mary Leslie
               
Housetop's www.womenpriests.org is the largest internet site providing information and documentation on the ordination of women. Though its focus is on the Catholic Church, its work benefits all Christian Churches. Offering thousands of documents in English and 24 other languages, the website covers decrees of councils and synods, the teaching of the Fathers of the Church, medieval theologians, recent papal decrees, contemporary articles and ongoing discussions on scripture, tradition and the teaching authority of the Church. Contact: Therese Korturbash
 
International Movement We are Church (IMWAC), founded in Rome in 1996,  is committed to the renewal of the Roman Catholic Church on the basis of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and the theological spirit developed from it. We are Church evolved from the Church Referendum in Austria in 1995 that was started after the pedophilia scandal around Vienna's former Cardinal Groer. We are Church is represented in more than twenty countries on all continents and is networking world-wide with similar-minded reform groups. Contact: Christian Weisner or Angelika Fromm, mobile in Rome: +49-177-9224542
 
Lila Stola (Purple Stole Movement), founded in 1996 in Mainz/Germany, is a section of We are Church that is active in promoting full equality of women in the Roman Catholic Church. At ordination ceremonies of male deacons and priests, women as well as men, regularly demonstrate for the renewal of ministry by wearing purple stoles. Purple is the colour of the women's movement as well as the ecclesiastic colour of repentance and new beginning. Contact: Angelika Fromm, mobile in Rome: +49-177-9224542
 
New Wine is a group for women who live in Great Britain and provides an informal context for the mutual support, nourishment, and development of women in the Roman Catholic tradition, who believe they are called by God and by the community to ordained ministry in that tradition. Contact: Colette Joyce
 
Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP) is an international initiative within the Roman Catholic Church that advocates for a new model of priestly ministry united with the people with whom they serve.  The movement is an initiative within the Church that began with the ordination of seven women on the Danube River in 2002. Women bishops ordained in full apostolic succession continue to carry on the work of ordaining others in the Roman Catholic Church. Contact: Mary Ann Schoettly
 
Women's Ordination Conference (WOC), founded in 1975 and based in Washington, D.C., is the oldest and largest national organization working for the ordination of women as priests, deacons, and bishops into an inclusive and accountable Roman Catholic Church. WOC also promotes new perspectives on ordination that call for less separation between the clergy and laity. Contact: Erin Saiz Hanna, ehanna@womensordination.org or U.S. mobile in Rome + 011-39-401-588-0457    

London taxis to extol virtues of Islam
Fifty eight per cent of the British public associate Islam with extremism but a new campaign is promoting the religion on London transport
by Ruth Gledhill
Religion Correspondent
The Sunday Times
June 8, 2010
 
The purple, pink and green sign on the yellow London taxi reads: “The rights of women are sacred.”
 
This is not some spiritual feminist mantra born of the New Age, but comes out of one of the most traditional religions in the world.
 
The advertisement marks the launch of a campaign to promote a positive image of Islam, a religion not widely known for its promotion of the rights of women.
 
The negative view of a faith followed by nearly 1.6 billion people, or one fifth of the world’s population, is the main reason for the launch of the Inspired by Muhammad campaign.  Besides London taxis, the advertisements are to appear on Underground trains and bus stops.
 
After a new poll showed that 58 per cent of people associate Islam with extremism and 50 per cent with terrorism, the campaign is intended to promote a positive Islamic message about the environment and social justice as well as women.
 
The campaign was launched by the Exploring Islam Foundation, a new and privately funded group run by young British Muslim professionals.
 
The YouGov poll of 2,152 adults found that just 13 per cent of those questions believed Islam to be a religion of peace and even fewer, six per cent, associated it with justice.
 
More than four in 10 disagreed that Muslims have a positive impact on British society, nearly seven in ten said Islam encourages the repression of women and fewer than two in ten said Islam promotes fairness and equality.
 
The campaign was launched at Tower Bridge, an image of London used on postcards throughout the world.
 
Quilliam, the counter-extremism think tank, welcomed the campaign as “a valuable and timely step to help improve relations and foster deeper understanding between British citizens.”
 
The last census in 2001 found 1.6 million Muslims living in Britain, or 2.8 percent of the population, making it the second most common religion after Christianity. London had the highest proportion of Muslims in Britain, at 8.5 percent.
 
Sarah Joseph, editor of the Muslim lifestyle magazine Emel and an ambassador for the foundation, said the campaign made an impact on social network media as soon as it was launched. “The essential viral feedback is that it is positive. People are supportive of the idea of something which is positive and celebratory. I posted it to my Facebook page and immediately 30 people said they liked it and made comments such as fantastic idea.”
 
But she added: “The YouGov survey is quite worrying. It seems to show increased levels of ignorance and hostility. It is increasingly worrying that we cannot seem to turn it around in terms of the public’s opinion about the faith or about ordinary Muslims. There is a very skewed level of engagement with Islam.”
 
Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, assistant general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, said: “Any exercise that helps to create a better understanding and better knowledge of Islam and Muslims is to be welcomed. Many of the difficulties we face stem from people not knowing what mainstream Muslims really believe. This is a step in the right direction. We need more of this.”
 
Remona Aly, the foundation’s campaigns director, said: “We do not receive any donations from the government. We did not want to be seen to be associated with anyone in particular. We were not going to be tainted by any one organisation.”
 
She also described the poll results as troubling. “It is a cause of deep concern. It indicates that there is a real need for a campaign of this nature. We wanted to promote the universal values that Muslims hold. We are very proud of being British and being Muslim. There is no conflict of identity there and this is the message we want to give to people.”
 

 Vatican police ask women priest campaigners to leave

WORLD / NEWS 
CNN
June 8, 2010 
 
Vatican City (CNN) -- Activists campaigning for the Catholic Church to ordain women as priests were asked to leave the Vatican on Tuesday.
 
They argue that women in the priesthood could have helped lessen the impact of the child abuse scandal sweeping the church.
 
"We believe that if women had a say in the church, if there was more accountability and more transparency, that the men would have been held more accountable," said Erin Saiz Hanna, executive director of the U.S.-based Women's Ordination Conference.
 
The half-dozen campaigners had unfurled a banner and were handing out leaflets when Vatican police asked them to go.
 
They left peacefully, returning to Italian soil from the small patch in Rome controlled by the Roman Catholic Church. Vatican police regularly ask protesters to leave.
 
The activists were trying to draw attention to the church's refusal to allow women to be priests, bishops or deacons, they said.
 
One woman who was ordained in 2002 -- and was excommunicated as a result -- said the child abuse scandal was partly a result of the church's disrespect for women.
 
"If women and children were respected -- and that includes if they respected us enough to ordain us -- then that would set a different tone," said Mary Ann M. Schoettly.
 
"Any abuse of children or women or the pedophile crisis itself probably would have been mitigated," she said.
 
Thousands of people have come forward in the United States, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria and Pope Benedict XVI's native Germany saying they were abused as children by Catholic clergy.
 
The crisis has particularly shocked deeply Catholic Ireland, where three government-backed investigations have uncovered physical and sexual abuse stretching back decades.
 
Critics charge that the Vatican systematically covered up abuse around the world by shuffling abusive priests from one parish to another or quietly pushing them to retire.
The pope has met with victims in the United States and Malta, and vowed that the church will seek justice for the victims.
 
Schoettly rejects her excommunication and acts as a priest for a congregation of 40 to 70 people, she said. She has performed baptisms, and will officiate at her first wedding next month, she said.
 
"The Catholic people have accepted us. Many priests accept us," she said of women priests, adding that there were now more than 100. "We are not going away," she said.
 
Therese Koturbash, a Canadian lawyer and the international coordinator of the womenpriests.org campaign, said her group was seeking "dialogue" with the Vatican hierarchy.
 
"Obviously, our church leaders aren't showing us leadership and dialogue. So if they are not doing it, we are here gracefully showing leadership, coming, knocking at the door year after year," she said. "Please, we want to talk about this."
 
The Catholic Church has traditionally not ordained women, noting that all of Jesus's disciples were men.
 
CNN's Hada Messia contributed to this report.
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/06/08/vatican.city.women.priests/index.html

Welcoming women's ministry


By Savi Hensman
Ekklesia
27 Jun 2010
The Church of England is sometimes generous to minorities.
General Synod, the national decision-making body, resolved in 1975 that it considered there were no fundamental objections to ordaining women as priests. By then, some other denominations had long recognised that all forms of ministry should be open to both men and women.

But the Church of England waited a generation before any women became priests, and went to great lengths to create space for the small minority strongly opposed to women’s ordination. If a visitor were to stray into certain Church of England parish churches even today, they would see no evidence that women clergy existed.

It has taken another generation to move forward on the ordination of women as bishops. After a long process in which various options were examined and discussed, a committee proposed a way forward in May 2010 which would allow such churches to continue to have only male clergy passing through their doors. Even if their bishop was a woman, she would have to delegate functions such as confirmations to a male bishop. This was backed by the House of Bishops.

Though the proposal, due to go before Synod in early July 2010, required major concessions by those who had worked for women’s ordination, they agreed, though some felt unhappy that women bishops would be treated differently from their male counterparts. As Women and the Church explained, it had “always campaigned for the simplest possible legislation for women bishops” which “would have signalled that the Church now values women as much as men. What is being proposed falls short of this ideal.”

However, for some 'traditionalists' ardently opposed to women’s ordination, the proposal still meant recognising women as bishops and so was a step too far. To please them, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York put forward a complicated proposal in June, involving “co-ordinate jurisdiction”. A male bishop, nominated to provide leadership and pastoral care to local churches unwilling to recognise a woman bishop, would not be delegated by her to act in her place: instead “both the diocesan and the nominated bishop would possess ‘ordinary jurisdiction’”.

Though well-intentioned, this was confusing and could create the impression that every consecrated woman had to share her role with a 'proper' male bishop, offending not only women clergy but also a different kind of 'traditionalist' believing that there should only be one diocesan bishop in each diocese, as has long been Anglican practice. What is more, the amendment would be tabled at the last possible moment so that Synod members would barely have time to read and absorb it, let alone propose amendments.

Not surprisingly, some have felt hurt and undermined, and if the Archbishops get their way, some women who might make excellent priests and indeed bishops, may be put off from pursuing the ordained ministry. There is evidence that already the Church of England’s image (along with that of some other churches) is driving sizeable numbers of lay women away and putting off potential members. In 2008, the sociologist Dr Kristin Aune, estimated that 50,000 women a year were leaving congregations because they felt the church was not relevant to their lives: "Young women tend to express egalitarian values and dislike the traditionalism and hierarchies they imagine are integral to the church.” Men and boys unwilling to be in spaces where women are unequal may also be put off.

The damage however may be even more far-reaching. Quite apart from the unfairness of treating women as inferior, to some Christians the problem touches on the very nature of the church and Christian faith. To treat some people as second-class is to dishonour a Creator who made all humankind in the divine image, a Redeemer whose self-giving love offers fullness of life to all and a Spirit who, like the wind, cannot be tamed, generously bestowing sometimes unexpected gifts.

And such unequal treatment undermines the whole church’s calling to care for the needy and challenge the world by witnessing to the possibility of a new way of life in which none are exploited or marginalised. To behave as if a cleaner struggling to get by on low pay and care for her children or elderly relatives is as important as a millionaire banker, or that a destitute survivor of domestic violence or a boy trying to break free of macho gang culture matters as much as a top politician – or wealthy potential donor – is hard. A clear stance on women’s acceptability in all forms of ministry can empower lay women, men and youth in our own vital ministry and mission.

It is sad that a compromise cannot be found that is acceptable to everyone, but sometimes this is impossible. At the end of the day, the church is called to witness to the reality that, in St Paul’s phrase in Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”.

----------
© Savitri Hensman works in the voluntary sector in community care and equalities in the UK, and she is also a respected writer on Christianity and social justice. Savi is an Ekklesia associate and regular columnist. A version of this article will also appear in her regular Guardian Comment is Free column: http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/savitrihensman

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/12487

Row over appointment of female cleric as Commons chaplain

An attempt to block the appointment of a white man to a senior clerical post within the House of Commons has been branded “political correctness” by his congregation.

By Andrew Hough and Richard Savill
The Guardian
27 Jun 2010
 
John Bercow, the Speaker, reportedly stepped in to prevent Canon Andrew Tremlett being promoted to the position of Commons Chaplain.
 

He is said to favour the Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, a Jamaican-born priest and the current vicar of a hugely deprived parish in east London. 
 


The Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin Photo: CHANNEL 4
She is set to be named within days as the chaplain in the first such appointment to the centuries-old role.
 
Sources close to the negotiations said Mr Bercow refused to accept "another white middle aged man" and instead wanted a “priest with the personal and popular touch”.
 
Sally Barnes, spokesman for Women and the Church, backed the decision saying Mrs Hudson-Wilkin was a “worthy candidate”
 
“She is a women with great strengths, abilities and gifts," she added.
 
It is the latest controversy to surround the Speaker who has been criticised for refusing to wear the traditional Speaker’s outfit and giving his grace-and-favour Westminster apartment a £45,000 refit.
 
On Sunday, Mr Tremlett, the 46-year-old Canon of Bristol Cathedral, said he was not in a position to comment, but the move was criticised by his congregation.
One said he would be a “first rate” candidate for any post.
 
“He is warm, approachable, engaging, and is very empathetic,” another congregation member told The Daily Telegraph. “He can always see both sides of an argument and is a credit to the clergy. I would not hesitate to go to him with a problem.”
 
Another congregation member added: “He is learned but he does not push it. One has to ask whether this is another example of political correctness rather than selecting the best person for the job.”
 
The row is said to have divided opinion at Westminster where the post traditionally combines a dual role – acting as the “Vicar of Parliament” and sub dean of Westminster Abbey.
 
Very Rev John Hall, the Dean of Westminster Abbey, is believed to have favoured Mr Tremlett.
 
He will now be made a Canon at Westminster Abbey while Mrs Hudson-Wilkin, one of the Church of England's leading female clerics, will take up the role of Commons chaplain.
 
It is understood Mrs Hudson-Wilkin will be allowed to continue her work at her east London parish as well as providing advice to the Commons.
 
But given the role will be split, she will not preside over services at the Abbey or live in the grace-and-favour apartment in the Abbey cloisters.
 
“In a perfect world we would have found a candidate for both jobs and we would have preferred that,” said one source close to the negotiations.
 
“But in this situation the dean wanted one person and the speaker wanted another and it is fair to say there was a difference in opinion.
 
“But she (Mrs Hudson-Wilkin) is a happy bunny, the speaker is a happy bunny and the dean, to a certain degree, is also a happy bunny as he gets to maintain his autonomy.”
As the Abbey’s sub dean, the vicar would have been involved in many of the services of national commemoration including such past events as the funerals of the Queen Mother and Diana, Princess of Wales, as well as the Queen's golden jubilee.
 
The retiring incumbent, Canon Robert Wright is sub dean at Westminster Abbey, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Queen, as well as being chaplain to the House of Commons. The chaplain is based at St Margaret's church opposite the Houses of Parliament.
 
A spokesman for Westminster declined to comment but denied a rift between the two offices.
 
“There is no rift at all. It is absurd to suggest otherwise,” he said. “There is a good relationship between the Cathedral and the Speaker’s office and that relationship remains that way.”
 
A spokesman for the speaker would not comment.
 
“We expect an announcement to be made soon,” he added.
 
A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace last night declined to comment as did a spokesman for the Church of England.
 
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7857329/Row-over-historic-appointment-over-female-cleric-as-vicar-of-Westminster.html

Editorial

The Pope’s Duty
Published: July 8, 2010
The New York Times
 
When rolling scandal forced the American Catholic bishops conference to take action against pedophile priests, the prelates issued a tough policy requiring accused child molesters be reported immediately to secular authorities. This mandate finally acknowledged that crimes against children should take priority over bureaucratic church policies that served to cloak rogue priests and bishops in a fog of ecclesiastical evasion. 
 
Eight years after the American church’s overdue order, it is shocking that Pope Benedict XVI and the Vatican have not yet applied it to the worldwide Roman Catholic Church. The pedophilia scandal has erupted in other nations, leaving parents concerned about a repetition of the harrowing experience in America, where more than 700 priests had to be dismissed across a three-year period. Yet the Vatican is reportedly working on new “guidelines” — not mandates. They are likely to fall short of zero-tolerance and other requirements in the American church that parishes and communities be alerted to abusers.
 
It is becoming clear that, as a Vatican administrator for two decades, the future pope handled the pedophilia scandal with no great distinction. Church policy under his aegis was too often a study in confusion and frustration for diocesan authorities looking for firm guidance from Rome, according to an investigative report by Laurie Goodstein and David Halbfinger in The Times. Alarmed bishops in English-speaking nations put unusual pressure on the Vatican to have a secret meeting in 2000 to consider stronger countermeasures.
 
Unfortunately, a dynamic policy has yet to emerge. As new reports arise of pedophile abuses and diocesan cover-ups in Europe, Chile and Brazil, Benedict has had to face the scandal and its victims more directly. He has put aside defensive Vatican complaints about anti-Catholic persecution and admitted the problem is “born from the sin in the church.”
 
In this spirit, Benedict has the obligation to shepherd not just guidelines but credible mandates that all priest-abusers and bishops who abetted their crimes face disclosure and punishment.

A version of this editorial appeared in print on July 9, 2010, on page A22 of the New York edition.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/opinion/09fri3.html?_r=2&th&emc=th

Revised Vatican norms to cover sex abuse, attempted women's ordination
By John Thavis
Catholic News Service
July 9, 2010

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican is preparing to update the 2001 norms that deal with priestly sex abuse of minors, in effect codifying practices that have been in place for several years.

At the same time, it will include the "attempted ordination of women" among the list of most serious crimes against church law, or "delicta graviora," sources said.

Sexual abuse of a minor by a priest was added to the classification of "delicta graviora" in 2001. At that time the Vatican established norms to govern the handling of such cases.

The revisions of those norms have been in the pipeline for some time and were expected to be published in mid-July, Vatican sources said. While the changes are not "earthshaking," they will ultimately strengthen the church's efforts to identify and discipline priests who abuse minors, the sources said.

The revisions will be published with ample documentation and will be accompanied by a glossary of church law terms, aimed at helping nonexperts understand the complex rules and procedures that the Vatican has in place for dealing with sex abuse allegations.

The revisions were expected to extend the church law's statute of limitations on accusations of sexual abuse, from 10 years after the alleged victim's 18th birthday to 20 years. For several years, Vatican officials have been routinely granting exceptions to the 10-year statute of limitations.

The revisions also make it clear that use of child pornography would fall under the category of clerical sexual abuse of minors. In 2009, the Vatican determined that any instance of a priest downloading child pornography from the Internet would be a form of serious abuse that a bishop must report to the doctrinal congregation, which oversees cases of sexual abuse.

In addition, the revisions will make clear that abuse of mentally disabled adults will be considered equivalent to abuse of minors. In the law on the sexual abuse of minors, the term "minors" will include "persons of who suffer from permanent mental disability," sources said.

When Pope John Paul II promulgated the norms on priestly sex abuse in 2001, he gave the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith juridical control over such cases.

The revisions incorporate changes made by Pope John Paul in 2003; those simplified some of the procedures and gave the doctrinal congregation the power, in some "very grave and clear cases," to laicize without an ecclesiastical trial priests who have sexually abused minors.

In April, the Vatican placed online a guide to understanding the church's provisions for sex abuse cases. That guide mentioned the revisions under preparation and said those revisions would not change the basic procedures already in place.

The sources said the Vatican was not preparing to publish other documents on priestly sex abuse. Although some have argued that some of the strict sex abuse norms adopted by U.S. bishops in 2002 should be universalized, the sources said there was no imminent plan to do that.

Pope John Paul's 2001 document distinguished between two types of "most grave crimes," those committed in the celebration of the sacraments and those committed against morals. Among the sacramental crimes were such things as desecration of the Eucharist and violation of the seal of confession.

Under the new revisions, the "attempted ordination of women" will be listed among those crimes, as a serious violation of the sacrament of holy orders, informed sources said. As such, it will be handled under the procedures set up for investigating "delicta graviora" under the control of the doctrinal congregation.

In 2008, the doctrinal congregation formally decreed that a woman who attempts to be ordained a Catholic priest and the person attempting to ordain her are automatically excommunicated. In 1994, Pope John Paul said the church's ban on women priests is definitive and not open to debate among Catholics.
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1002827.htm

A Fear Based Church: Why Are So Many Catholics Afraid of Speaking Out?
Rev. James Martin, SJ
The Huffington Post
July 9, 2010
 
On June 1, Bishop Kevin Dowling, an outspoken Catholic bishop in South Africa, gave a surprisingly frank talk to a group of prominent Catholics in Cape Town. The other day a friend sent me a link to his address, posted on Independent Catholic News, parts of which I posted on our magazine's blog. Many read it, and other sites picked it up.
 

Rev. James Martin, SJ
 
Then, somewhat mysteriously -- or so it seemed -- his candid talk was removed from ICN. Then it was posted again a few hours later. (This was due to a glitch involving some incorrectly deleted words, the website's editor explained in an email.)
 
Subsequently, the National Catholic Reporter reported that the bishop had intended the talk to be off the record. "Given the fact that it would be a select group with no media present," he said, "I decided I would be open and honest in my views to initiate debate and discussion."
 
Now, I've done some off-the-record speaking myself. But after I read his superb talk I wondered: Why wouldn't a bishop want such a carefully crafted, well-thought-out address, which would clearly be of great help to so many, disseminated more widely? Why not be "open and honest" with everyone?
 
Bear with me. For I've been thinking about his talk not so much to unravel the twisted skein of the on-again, off-again posting saga, but to meditate on what it might say about the Catholic church.
 
Bishop Dowling's blunt address was not only about what he called the "dismantling" of the Second Vatican Council, which reformed the church in the 1960s, but something else: the overwhelming "pressure to conform." Here's an irony: the one speaking out about speaking out apparently did not feel that he could speak out, at least not broadly, or at least not to everyone, or at least not publicly. His desire not to speak more publicly on the topic may have proved his point.
 
None of this is meant to be a slight against Bishop Dowling, whom I've greatly admired for some time. He is a terrific leader, a wonderful teacher and, in many ways, a real prophet. What a bishop should and could be.
 
But neither is this surprising. Today in the Catholic Church almost any disagreement to almost any degree with almost any church leader on almost any topic is seen as dissent. And I'm not speaking about the essentials of the faith -- those elements contained in the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed -- but about less essential topics. Even on those topics -- for example, the proper strategy for bishops to deal with Catholic politicians at odds with church teaching, the new translations of the Mass, the best way for priests to address complicated moral issues, and so on -- the slightest whiff of disagreement is confused with disloyalty.
 
Certainly disagreement with statements from Rome, even on non-dogmatic or non-doctrinal matters, is seen as close to heresy. As Bishop Dowling said:

What compounds this [frustration over the church's unwillingness to be critiqued], for me, is the mystique which has in increasing measure surrounded the person of the pope in the last 30 years, such that any hint of critique or questioning of his policies, his way of thinking, his exercise of authority etc. is equated with disloyalty. There is more than a perception, because of this mystique, that unquestioning obedience by the faithful to the pope is required and is a sign of the ethos and fidelity of a true Catholic. When the pope's authority is then intentionally extended to the Vatican curia, there exists a real possibility that unquestioning obedience to very human decisions about a whole range of issues by the curial departments and cardinals also becomes a mark of one's fidelity as a Catholic, and anything less is interpreted as being disloyal to the pope who is charged with steering the bark of Peter.

Even for bishops! Kevin Dowling is a bishop: Catholic theology considers him a successor to the apostles. For Christ's sake (and I mean that literally) he's not some lowly functionary. He's not simply a branch manager of the Vatican's main office. He is a teacher in his own right. And even he feels the "pressure to conform."
 
. . .
 
Read complete article, click here:
 

• 'Our Duty to Raise Loyal Questions':  http://www.womenpriests.org/circles/fb.ashx?m=35434
• or here 'Speaking Out':  http://www.womenpriests.org/circles/fb.ashx?m=35433

Dear Friends,  
 
We need your financial help!
 
Here are some updates about some of the work we've been doing here at womenpriests.org.

• In June, I participated in a press conference and  vigil for women's ordination at St. Peter's Square.  The event, which was strategically planned to coincide with the Vatican's concluding celebrations for The Year of the Priest, was a resounding success.  Against the backdrop multitudes of clergy gathering in Rome, our little band of 8 women managed to garner the attention of more than 2,000 media outlets around the world.  The CNN story about us is here:  http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/06/08/vatican.city.women.priests/index.html
• Last Friday BBC TV News invited me to participate in a live interview about the Vatican's  'crime of attempted ordination by a woman'  v. 'priest pedophelia.' The film segment of the interview is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0lKwYZ-ttI&feature=player_embedded

We are in the midst of introducing  new features to our homepage that will encorporate dynamic elements in our presentation of the case for advancing women's leadership in the Catholic Church.
 
Please encourage your friends and acquaintances who are attuned to the spirt of our work to become our Members, Friends, and/or Donors.  If you aren't already a member, please do sign up.  The annual rate for Membership is a modest £12.  £60 will qualify someone as a Friend.  Financial support for our work is critical if we are to keep going.  Information about how to enrol  is found here: www.womenpriests.org -- See the link on the right hand side that says Become a Member (and above that 'Donate'). 
 
In hope, we struggle.  With your help (and sometimes I think the Vatican's), we are making it happen! Please be as generous as you can in helping us realise a gift for the Church.
 
In Christ's peace,
oremus pro invicem!
 
Therese (aka Sophie -- the name that reminds me of solidarity with those among us still fearful about speaking out!)                                         
__________________________
Therese Koturbash
International Coordinator
womenpriests.org
111A High Street
Rickmansworth, Herts.
WD3 1AN, United Kingdom
t: +44 (0)1923 779 446
e: koturbash@btconnect.com
s: therese.koturbash

Become a member of womenpriests.org today!
Visit: womenpriests.org
 
'A custom without truth is merely ancient error.'
Saint Cyprian

Media Release 
Vatican Miscategorizes Women's Rights Advocates with Child Abusers
International Catholic organizations issue statement denouncing the oppression of women and the inadequate response to child sex crimes 
  
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 16, 2010                                             

Yesterday, the Vatican issued a clarification of its canonical procedures for how dioceses should handle priests who sexually abuse children. As part of the statement, they have added that the "attempted ordination of a woman" has now been added to the list of "delicta graviora," or most serious crimes in church law, alongside the sexual abuse of minors.
 
This morning, twenty-seven international Catholic organizations issued the following joint statement in response:
 
We, the undersigned, express our solidarity with Catholics who continue to seek equality, including those who practice feminist ministries and those who are ordained. We know these women and men to be firm in their faith and courageous in their work as they seek an inclusive and accountable church, undeterred by threats of excommunication or other canonical penalties. In addition, we stand with our brother priests and bishops who are also being threatened by this new policy for their support of women's equality in the church.  Furthermore, we take great offense that good faith struggles for gender equality could be misunderstood as a sacrilege and placed on par with the sexual abuse of children. In 1976, the Vatican's own Pontifical Biblical Commission concluded there is no valid scriptural reason for denying ordination to women. Therefore, we welcome such efforts to expand the scope and variety of ministry and we celebrate women's faithfulness despite huge institutional obstacles.
 
We are gravely disappointed that the Vatican would largely repackage its sexual abuse policy norms from 2001 in yesterday's re-issued statement without adding many meaningful changes to canonical procedures on how to handle the sexual crimes of its religious leaders. We stand with survivors in calling for the release of the names of all credibly accused Catholic religious leaders and for the Vatican's immediate adoption and implementation of global child protection policies. Nothing less is adequate to the crying needs of a community torn asunder by its own leaders' crimes.
 
Catholic Organization Signatories
 
Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC), USA
Patrick B. Edgar, D.P.A., M.Div., President
 
BASIC (Brothers And Sisters In Christ), Ireland.
Contact: Una Ruddock
+353 1 621 6816
 
DignityUSA
Marianne Duddy-Burke, Executive Director,
617-669-7810
 
Call To Action, USA
Jim FitzGerald, Executive Director
773.404.0004
 
Catholics for Choice- Canada
Rosemary Ganley, Coordinator
 
Catholic Coalition for Church Reform, USA
Paula Ruddy, Bernie Rodel, Michael Bayly, Co-chairs
(612) 379-1043
 
Catholic Network for Women's Equality, Canada
Paula MacQuarrie, Coordinator
 
CORPUS, USA
Contact: William Manseau

Corriente Somos Iglesia, Spain
Raquel Mallavibarrena, Coordinator
+34 649332654
 
Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir, Mexico
Maria Consuelo Mejia, Director
+5255 5658 1163
 
Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir, Spain
Mar Grandal, President
352 88946
 
8th Day Center for Justice - Women's Group, USA
www.8thdaycenter.org
 
Femmes et Hommes en Eglise/Genre en Christianisme, France  
Danielle Penuel-Monneron, President
(0)2 33 90 78 10
 
Institute for Feminism and Religion, Ireland.
Mary Condren, Th.D., Director
001-353-1-4624504
 
Interreligious Convention of European Women Theologians
Lee Wax, Coordinator
0044-208 884 0476
 
Kerk Hardop, Netherlands
Marleen Wijdeveld, President
Isaac Wüst, Editor-in-Chief
0031-20-441.3339 
 
National Coalition of American Nuns, USA
Contact: Donna Quinn
 
Noi Siamo Chiesa (Italian Section of IMWAC), Italy
Contact: Vittorio Bellavite
 
Nous sommes Aussi l'Eglise, France
Lucienne Gouguenhem, Vice-President
33 1 45 88 04 92
 
Pax Christi Maine, USA
Bill Slavick, Coordinator
207-773-6562

RAPPORT, USA
Conatct: Gloria Ulterino
 
Roman Catholic Faith Community Council of the Federation of Christian Ministries
William J. Manseau, Evelyn Hunt, and Thomas Quinn, Co-Chairs
603-886-7158 
 
Roman Catholic Women Priests, Europe-West.
I. Riedl, Coordinator   
0049-089 845 830
 
Roman Catholic Womenpriests-USA, Inc
Contact: Alice Iaquinta
414-791-9952
 
Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER), USA
Mary E. Hunt and Diann L. Neu, Co-directors
301 589-2509
 
Women's Ordination Conference, USA
Erin Saiz Hanna, Executive Director
202-675-1006 
 
WomenPriests.Org
Therese Koturbash, International Coordinator
+44 (0)1923 779 446
 

Shirley Paulson: Vatican isn’t the only one
Shirley Paulson, Christian Science practitioner 
Chicago Tribune
July 20, 2010



After the Pope’s extraordinary statement on how pedophilia and the ordination of women are equally egregious to him, it’s good to hear from Sister Flanagan and Rev. Barron how to even conceive of the Pope’s reasoning. He believes both compromise his authority.   
In one sense, that’s understandable. But then again: is it?  

Why do religious authorities almost across the board keep silent when child sexual abuse is discovered in the first place? Why do ordained men prefer to keep women below them in the religious hierarchy?  

I see this is a wake-up call, because the Pope isn’t the only one. We must not reinforce the ‘code of silence’ that preserves power and privilege over others.  

In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus’ parable about the Jewish priest and Levite ignoring the needs of the battered Gentile, these men were probably not bad people and would likely have been the first to nurse someone of their own class. But the code of silence – the looking the other way, the power that preserves the privileged - is the scourge of the human race.  

The ancient Romans used to believe – truly – that males were those fetuses who had realized their full potential, and women were merely failed males. Did God do that, or was that just an excuse for another era to justify the dominance of men over women? Would God pit some people over others, or have we satisfied ourselves that our social privilege came solely from our hard work?
 
Most of us are pretty convinced of the injustice and cruelty of pedophilia. But have we understood the depth of the injustice and cruelty of the debasement of women -- misogyny? The silencing of women in religious leadership sends a clear message to the rest of society: It’s OK to belittle women. They’re not as important. They’re not as smart. They are naturally humble, so it’s OK for men to maintain their privilege and power.  

What does this say to the developing world? What does it say to those who believe women are chattel? What does it say about God’s relationship with women?  

What if Jesus’ parable about the Samaritan’s care for the downtrodden was really a message for us: break the code of silence. Act and speak as though we respect those we deem beneath us as much as we want them to respect us.


http://newsblogs.chicagot...om/religion_theseeker/

The Rev. Robert Baron: Vatican Statement is not Anti-Woman
by the Rev. Robert Baron
Chicago Tribune
July 15, 2010 
  
How could the Vatican possibly construe the ordination of a woman as an offense as serious as the sexual abuse of a child? Isn’t this, at the very least, disproportionate, and doesn’t it prove that the church continues to be clueless in regard to issues of concern to women? 

Without defending for a moment the Vatican’s public relations acumen (which seems sorely lacking much of the time), I would like to offer perhaps a context for understanding this juxtaposition.

This morning, the Vatican issued new directives concerning the manner in which “grave crimes” in the life of the church are addressed. The bulk of the statement has to do with the issue of sex abuse by priests. 

The Pope now has the ability to deal personally, directly, and rapidly with particularly egregious offenses, bypassing the somewhat cumbersome process of an ecclesiastical trial. Furthermore, the Vatican clarfied that the possession of any kind of child pornography by a priest will conduce immediately to that priest’s dismissal from the clerical state. Finally, the statute of limitation for clergy sex crimes has been extended from ten years to twenty—and even further if the case is sufficiently serious. With all of this, I’m quite sure, people of good will are in agreement. 

But the statement addressed other matters that it characterized as “grave delicts” (Vaticanese for “serious crimes”), and these include the desecration of the Blessed Sacrament, the violation of the seal of confession and the attempted ordination of a woman. This last specification has set off a firestorm of protest. 

The statement deals with a series of offenses against the integrity of the mystical body of Christ, that is to say, against that network of relationships that makes up the organism of the church. The sexual abuse of children by those who are ordained to guide and shepherd them is a massively serious violation of that integrity. But so, in the eyes of the Vatican, is the breaking of the seal of confession, which undermines the trust that must obtain between a sinner and his confessor, and so is an attack on the Blessed Sacrament, which amounts to an attack on Christ himself. 

By the same token, the attempt by a bishop to ordain a woman to the priesthood (a move that has been ruled out of court by the Vatican) would sever that bishop’s relationship with the Pope and hence with his brother bishops. It would place him outside the communion of the church, and since he is the sign and instrument of his people’s unity, it would compromise their relationship with the universal church as well. 

If you have any doubt as to the division that can be caused in a church through the unilateral action of a group of bishops, take a good, hard look at the Anglican communion today. 

Therefore, today’s statement isn’t anti-woman in any sense; it is an expression of concern over the number of ways that the church’s organic unity can be unravelled.  


The Rev. Robert Barron, priest and theology professor, University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein and author of Word on Fire

http://newsblogs.chicagot...ent-not-antiwoman.html

Desmond Tutu Announces His Retirement from Public Life
by staff writers
ekklesia.co.uk
July 23, 2010
 
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu has announced his intention to wind down his public engagements, when he turns 79 in October 2010.   
 
"I think I have done as much as I can, and I really do need time for other things that I have wanted to do," Dr Tutu told a media briefing at St George's Cathedral in Cape Town.
 
He also thanked South Africans for their contribution to the world.
 

Archbishop Desmond Tutu
 
 
The internationally renowned campaigner for social justice, peace and human rights has recently been an active member of 'the elders', an informal group of senior statespersons - including the Dalai Lama and former UN chief Kofi Annan - who have built up great personal influence and are now able to use it to make humanitarian interventions across the globe.
 
 
Archbishop Emeritus Tutu is also a key figure in world Christianity. Former Anglican archbishop of Cape Town, and a strong anti-apartheid activist in South Africa and internationally, he is a figure even those who are critical or organised religion and belief frequently warm to.
 
 
Campaigners for gay rights have lauded his outspoken criticism of the negative stance some churches and faith groups have taken to homosexuality, and his refusal of a stereotyped version of African Christianity being promoted by Christian conservatives.
 
 
Dr Tutu also played a key role in the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, which has acted as an inspiration to other similar initiatives in conflict situations across the globe.
 
 
He was an enthusiastic backer of the recent football World Cup in South Africa, but has argued that combatting poverty and exclusion is the real 'legacy' issue.
 
 
Desmond Tutu has had his own personal struggles too - including one against cancer.
 
In his later years he has continued to write and lecture across the world.
 
----
 
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has written a foreword to Ekklesia's recent book, Fear or Freedom? Why a warring church must change, edited by Simon Barrow and published by Shoving Leopard.
 
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/12703

The Global Elders
 
 
Dear friends,
 
As a member of The Global Elders, Desmond Tutu has made enormous contributions towards challenging faith communities regarding discrimination against women.
 
For more about this, see here:  http://www.theelders.org/womens-initiatives
 
with love and blessings,
 
~Sophie~

 
 
  
  
  
  
  
 
On this day July 23 in 1929 – The Fascist government in Italy bans the use of foreign words.