THIS IS A Catholic blog. I am a Catholic journalist and author. If you enjoy this Blog, you'll probably enjoy my books - so contact me (via a Comment to this blog) and ask me about them.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
On feminism...
....and the Church, and where we go from here, and so on. You might like to read this...
A very good article Joanna. The Cathoic Church is extremely supportive of women and women's issues. It is pro woman to be pro-life. I have found the most passionate pro-life people in the church are of the female gender.
Your article about the Church and women should be required reading at Catholic universities and seminaries as it seeks truth. At my recent Catholic school reunion, there was a discussion of the role played by EWTN in keeping Catholicism alive and well for many women. This is especially true for those who have had negative experiences at some parishes. EWTNs Raymond Arroyo, Doug Keck, and Fr. Mark Cristina have been very responsive to my "remember the ladies" reminders about panel selections; and women host many of EWTNs most popular programs. On the parish level, deacons (usually family men) are often both welcoming to women and respectful collaborators in many ministries. Deacons and women involved in ministry should NEVER be treated like 2nd-class citizens, but rather as Christians who are fulfilling the mission to which they have been called by Christ. Sheila A. Waters Bronxville, NY 10710
My question is: "Where is the heart of the Church now?" I mean those women religious who undertook the intrinsically feminine and maternal work of caring and nurturing. The determination of women to do whatever men do has led to these tasks being neglected - at least in Europe. Another question that might be asked is:"Since women cannot be priests, Is there a role they can have that men cannot?" Clare Cambridge, UK
There's an obsession with formal roles today. For instance I was solemnly told that our parish had a "ministry of welcome". At my father's Protestant church, we used to hand out hymn books to the congregation as they arrived. It was a perfectly appropriate job for small children. We never imagined it was any kind of ministry.
Auntie has learned, with mingled pleasure and amusement, that her Blog annoys some people, especially angry dogmatic ones, and entertains and encourages others of a gentler sort. This has confirmed her decision to continue blogging although Auntie's life is busy and she has duties and responsibilities which on the whole she knows to be of more importance.
Auntie enjoys (although not neccesarily in this order)her work (writer, biographer, historian) and domestic duties, academic studies(Maryvale Institute), family, friends, and community responsibilities. She relishes the new translation of the Mass, the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, her own excellent local Catholic parish, traditional hymns (especially, perhaps, Anglican ones) rain, good literature, sleep, the English coast, Autumn, buttered toast, and a number of other things too precious and important to list here. She feels priviledged to belong to a Church which produced John Paul II and Benedict XVI and she finds their teachings an inspiration.
4 comments:
A very good article Joanna. The Cathoic Church is extremely supportive of women and women's issues. It is pro woman to be pro-life. I have found the most passionate pro-life people in the church are of the female gender.
Your article about the Church and women should be required reading at Catholic universities and seminaries as it seeks truth.
At my recent Catholic school reunion, there was a discussion of the role played by EWTN in keeping Catholicism alive and well for many women. This is especially true for those who have had negative experiences at some parishes. EWTNs Raymond Arroyo, Doug Keck, and Fr. Mark Cristina have been very responsive to my "remember the ladies" reminders about panel selections; and women host many of EWTNs most popular programs. On the parish level, deacons (usually family men) are often both welcoming to women and respectful collaborators in many ministries. Deacons and women involved in ministry should NEVER be treated like 2nd-class citizens, but rather as Christians who are fulfilling the mission to which they have been called by Christ.
Sheila A. Waters
Bronxville, NY 10710
My question is: "Where is the heart of the Church now?" I mean those women religious who undertook the intrinsically feminine and maternal work of caring and nurturing. The determination of women to do whatever men do has led to these tasks being neglected - at least in Europe. Another question that might be asked is:"Since women cannot be priests, Is there a role they can have that men cannot?"
Clare
Cambridge, UK
There's an obsession with formal roles today. For instance I was solemnly told that our parish had a "ministry of welcome". At my father's Protestant church, we used to hand out hymn books to the congregation as they arrived. It was a perfectly appropriate job for small children. We never imagined it was any kind of ministry.
Post a Comment