I was reading our local paper, an act I tend to avoid, and found this article. My first reaction was to ask why the Associated Press always makes the hierarchy of the catholic church seem so tyrannical. I generally don't buy the conservative argument that there is a liberal bias in the media that slants all stories in that direction. And yet, when a woman religious criticizes a review for "misogyny in the church and especially distrust of women who are not directly and submissively under male, ecclesiastical control" while the "inquiry is being directed by Mother Mary Clare Millea, superior general of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus" makes me angry.
So, the implication is that the church should encourage and foster congregations of women religious who make every effort to dissent from church teaching. We should tell the screaming child in the restaurant that free expression is a good thing and encourage them to keep screaming. Why? And, isn't the fact that these congregations can't attract young people to join them at least some indication that there is a privation of fecundity? I can't pay my college students to consider joining these congregations. They're all graying and, to be honest, will probably all be gone by the time I'm ready to retire. The ones that are attracting new members are the ones that have maintained fidelity to the church. Why would anyone want to be around a group of people that hate the organization they profess to be a part of? To me, it's like the wife that constantly expects the husband to change. Either you love him as he is or you'll eventually get a divorce. The church is just trying to avoid a divorce. The Ap, on the other hand, seems like the annoying best friend spreading rumors and sowing the seeds of doubt.
2 comments:
Amen, my dear friend and spiritual brother!!! I totally agree with you on this -- especially the fact those orders/religious communities which continue to grow are the very ones loyal to Mother Church!
Case in point ... when I attended Steubenville of the Rockies last month, at the end of Sunday's Mass, the presider made a personal vocation call to the girls, then the boys.
I kid you not ... approximately 100or so young ladies went to the stage; and probably close to 200+ high school boys literally RUSHED to the stage. That's about 10 percent of 2,000 teenagers in the auditorium!!! I thought a few them were truly going to be trampled!
Granted, this doesn't mean they "signed on the line" by doing this. What it indicates is the fact these high schoolers are considering a vocation. And, a major contributing factor is related to the traditions of the faith such as adoration, rosary and/or reconciliation as part of their faith and/or vocational discernment process.
It left me in awe to see a glimpse of the possible fruit that is out there for the future of Catholicism. We "pray for vocations" and many times it seems like we are "going through the motions" by "praying for vocations." However, this was a "defining moment" that Sunday morning in Denver, CO!!! It was a metanoia moment for me ... a true change of heart ... and to continue to pray for vocations because prayer is really working!!!
Continue what you do best my friend ...
a. defending the faith via the teaching of the Church
b. being a true role model of a priestly priest
c. gently invite youth and young adults to consider a vocation ... and nurture them along the way
d. and most importantly, pray for those that are bitter/resentful toward the Church. It is through prayer we can melt their stoney hearts and lead them to the Truth! This is the most difficult and challenging part of the whole equation ... but it is necessary and requires all of us to be disciplined to pray for those we differ from.
In closing, "Let the people say AMEN!!!"
Amen, my brother! Catch ya at STA on Tuesday!
Your ever lovin' "Celtic Cyclone" friend -
Kris
P.S. Yes, perhaps your prayers for my "vocational conversion" to become a Cyclone may be working ... stay tuned! LOL!!
In most churches you'll find that women tend to make up the majority of members and volunteers.
It seems when churches honors the husband is the head of the wife (wife honors husband, husband loves wife, both under Christ) that things go very well. From what I've seen you get plenty of men who want to be men and women who want to follow these men. There is also much less divorce. I've even heard stories of women coming to that church because of the strong godly men even though they disagree with the teaching.
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