Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Article I just read

I am pissed off. Sorry for my language but seriously I am very upset. NewsWeek has published an article in this Months issue written by Lisa Miller. The front of the magazine has a very large picture of the Blessed Mother on it, and underneath the picture it reads, "What Would Mary Do?" Under that it outlines the article as "How Women Can Save The Catholic Church From It's Sin's". I picked up the magazine not previewing the article before I bought it because the title had me roped in enough already. I sat down and stared reading. Four paragraphs into it I was frantically underlining sentences and quotes with anger and ferocity at the words I was reading. The article is not about what you think it would be from the title. I was hoping to read something that exposes the good that women do in the Church every single day but instead I was plagued with the condemnations on the Hierarchy of the Church not accepting women, and not allowing them to be a part of the Holy Mother Church. One quote says: " And though nuns dramatically outnumber Priest's worldwide, they are mostly so invisible that when a group of them speaks up, as they did recently on health-care reform, everyone takes notice." Now how can you go from saying that women are not accepted into the life of serving Christ and not accepted into the Church to putting a statement like that in the same article stating the obvious thing that any educated Catholic would know that women play a huge role in the Church. Lets take for example their main focus in this article. The Holy Mother Mary! Come on now you fools. If women weren't accepted into the Church as you say that they aren't then why is one of our most important figures in the life of Jesus a woman. If us Catholics were so against women don't you think that somewhere in the history of the Church which stems back thousand's and thousand's of years wouldn't somewhere it have been said that Mary is not that important? NO! For the entire time the Catholic Church has been around the SAME EXACT stance on Mary has been taken by all faithful Men and WOMEN. Mary is regarded as the Mother of our Savior, Jesus Christ. She brought our King into this world through her womb the same exact way that all of us were brought into this world. Humble and poor our King was raised by a woman with the same genetic makeup of the women sitting next to you every single day. But of course we don't like women being involved in our Church.
Now the article isn't only about the fact that women are not allowed to be members of the Clergy in the Church due to sexual discrimination by the Hierarchy, or as one puts it " the male-dominated atmosphere of the Roman Catholic Church which creates a hothouse for sexual predators...". Of course followed by this "(The perpetrators in a few of the recent European cases have been women)" It is also saying (in nicer words) if the Church would stop being so hard headed and stubborn and allow women to be involved in higher levels of the church the odds of the sexual scandals would drop dramatically. Not true. Women are in the Church just as much as men and the fact is that people can be corrupt. Look at our Law Enforcement in some states. I mean seriously. If you think that people that hold a high ranking political, professional, or Religious title can not be come victims to corruption you are wrong. What about the Police Officers and the Chief's of police who are involved in drug rings? Protecting the bad guys on the streets because they work for them by supplying them with a supplemental income made by the massive amount of money that is involved in drug dealing based on one simple fact. If a cop sells drugs they will lose their job. But it is okay and swept under the rug when the very people that protect us and our families are offering protection to criminals just so they can have the benefits of the illegal drug market. I am not trying to say that corruption, when in the Church is better than street corruption. What I am trying to say here is that it happens everywhere. We are human. We are ALL children of God. Before men are Ordained Priest's they are Men. After they are ordained they are still men, men with a calling to serve the Lord with everything they do. They are still men. It sucks to say but corruption happens. And when it happens in a place like the Catholic Church it is just more fuel for the medias frenzied fire against Catholics.
"the men who run the Catholic Church have willfully ignored one of the great achievements of the modern age: the integration of women in the workforce and public life."... "In the U.S., 60 percent of Sunday massgoers are women: thus most of the contributors to the collection plate-$6 billion a year- are made by women. And yet the presence of women anywhere within the institutional power structure is virtually nil." The case is this, it is not determined by the annual donation amount of either sex who can and who cannot be Ordained into the Priesthood. That was decided the day Jesus told his Apostles that they would carry out his work and when he laid his hand on Peter. Read Matthew 16:18. I guess one of the things that upset me the most about this article is the fact that it is saying that because we as Catholics refuse to let women be apart of the Church is the main cause why we have the problems we are having right now. I will quote this one last thing. "Researchers believe, in fact, that rates of abuse within the church probably compare with those of other denominations - and of youth organizations, schools and families. It's frighteningly high. Surveys indicate that one out of three girls experienced an unwanted sexual approach from an adult before the age 18". This helps drive home my point. They want to blame the Catholic Church for anything they can. So when something happens it is blown up, they tell the people that it is the first time and place that something like this has ever happened and Catholics are at fault. That quote right there shows, That even though it is happening inside of the Catholic Church, it is also happening outside of the Catholic Church. It is happening in other Churches of other beliefs. It is happening at school where you leave your child for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Worst of all, It is happening in our own homes... Lets focus on the other stories of the same nature. Lets get off of our down with Catholicism high horse and open our eyes. It happens all over the world. Lets start by solving the problem itself instead of trying to rid the planet of the place where it occurred...

4 comments:

Dennis Staff said...

I can only add a couple of thoughts to yours Jon and that is #1. Nothing will sell a magazine or newspaper like the headlines of a priest involved in some sort of sex scandal. Last week I read about a Baptist minister who was accused of sexual mis-conduct and it was buried in the back of the paper. Couple of days ago, the front page headline was about a priest being accused of something that supposedly took place 30 years ago!! Front page because it sells newspapers.
#2. As for the complaint about no women priests, isn't it probably true that Christ would have made his mother the first one? Men are the priests and Deacons and I beleive that's the way the Lord wanted it to be. I think it would be better for those females complaining about it, to serve the Church as God intended and to quit trying to second-guess our Lord.

Director of RE & Adult Faith Formation said...

well said, Jon. The other thing most priests realize is that for them to receive the calling to become a priest means that God has created no other way for them to find their greatest joy, to find their salvation. St. Paul tells us "work out your salvation in fear and trembling" and I don't think most women understand that that is precisely what the priesthood is all about as a man approaches the altar of sacrifice and places himself on it.

Anonymous said...

1Timothy 2:11
Let a woman learn in silence with full submission. I permit no woman to teach or have authority over a man; she is to keep silent.

I'm sorry but your religion was created by men, and men want to keep power.

I implore you to consider logic and not be afraid to question your church, without having to question your faith.

Jon said...

The translation of the Bible you are using seems to word this verse Differently.

The New American Bible:
1Timothy 2:8-14.

"It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument. Similarly, (too,) women should adorn themselves with proper conduct, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hairstyles and gold ornaments, or pearls, or expensive clothes, but rather, as befits women who profess reverence for God, with good deeds.
A woman must receive instruction silently and under complete control. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man. She must be quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.
Further, Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed..."

This is not saying that women shall not be permitted to teach or that they shall remain silent. What this is saying is that women need to be just like males when it comes to prayer and spiritual life. There should be no difference in the way a woman prays as to how a male prays only because she is female. It specifically say's that women are not to adorn themselves with " Braided hairstyles and gold ornaments, or pearls, or expensive clothes..." Instead, Women are to adorn themselves with "Proper conduct, with modesty and self-control..." When it is speaking of not permitting a woman to teach or have authority over a man it is not referring to all males in general, It could be referring to a wife and "her Husband". It says " I do not permit a woman to Teach or to have authority over a man. She must remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve..." It's not about keeping males in power and control.

Also, I have considered logic. At the end of my consideration I found the Catholic Church. Never has there been a time that I have been questioning my Church and found myself questioning my faith at the same time. My Church is my Faith. Without my Church protecting the word of God and keeping it pure I would have never found God. The Church is where My faith lives, Because Jesus Christ himself lives not only in Heaven, but also in my Church. If you ever want to go and visit Jesus face to face and see what it is like to Pray with the Lord physically in the same room, I implore you to go visit an Adoration Chapel and pray infront of the Monstrance where the living Flesh and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ is. Dont be afraid to question Your Church, Or your faith Brother...