A View From the Pew

Witness

To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one's life would not make sense if God did not exist.

~~~Cardinal Emmanuel Suhard ~~~

I am a subscriber to Catholic World News. One of the perks to that is being able to read the opinions of  someone who is known as Diogenes. So many times I find myself nodding in agreement with his insights. So often what he says is exactly what I have been thinking--- only he says it much better then I ever could. Anyway---- yesterday in commenting on something (inane) Rev. Donald Cozzens said with regard to priestly celibacy he used this quote by Cardinal Suhard.

It made me stop in my tracks and think not only about my own life but also the past thirty plus years of Church history that has seen the decimation of religious life as well as Catholic tradition and culture. I never realized how fortunate I was to have been born long enough before the Vatican II to remember the "old" Mass, bells, incense, to have been raised on the Baltimore Catechism, to remember meatless Fridays, communion rails, chapel veils, busy confessionals and priests in cassocks (now the challenge is to find one with even a collar!). Maybe this sounds like nothing more then a nostalgic trip down memory lane but after some reflecting I realized that coming from that era there were a few things that even my child sized mind could grasp. Being Catholic meant being different--- Our churches were different, our prayers were different, the language and postures we worshipped in were different ---but most of all what we believed was different. We believed that Jesus was really there in that little round wafer. I remember being prepared for my First Holy Communion--- the awe, the mystery, the excitement---feeling special and radiant as I walked up the aisle in my bride white dress and veil--- I knew this was a very special day in my life.

Perhaps in an odd way I was fortunate to have fallen away from my faith before all the changes occured. I find myself wondering if it was that thirty year prodigal journey that saved me from the post VII "virus" whichs seems to have run pandemic among my fellow boomers and those catechized by them.

I don't know how much of the "throwing the baby out with the bath water" that occured after the council was a result of some misguided attempt at ecumenism or how much of it was the "smoke of satan" (these days I tend to favor the latter--- see Pope Leo XIII 'vision') but I think it is pretty obvious what the result has been. There is wisdom in Cardinal Suhard's words--- they bring to mind Our Lord's words in Matt 5:13. We are to be the salt of the earth and our presence here is worthless if we have lost our flavor---

As a young nurse in 1974 one of my first jobs was in a Catholic hospital and I remember the sisters there still wore habits--- although a few had opted for the shorter more modern style. Perhaps it was my preoccupation with finding a husband and raising a family but I don't remember exactly when that all changed--- but soon even though I continued to work in Catholic hospitals nuns gradually disappeared or became unrecognizable--- there was no "endanged species" list back then.

I remember one of my last encounters with a nun working in a hospital because it made a lasting impression on me---even in my most secular and pagan days she would come to mind because her words struck me as so unusual. I worked in ICU with Sr. Lorraine--she was just slightly older then I was---around thirty or so---one evening she and I had dinner together and she was telling me about how excited she was to be going on her first plane trip. I asked her if she was nervous to be flying for the first time. I remember this so vividly----she smiled at me and said "absolutely not! Susan wouldn't it be wonderful if that plane just kept going up and up and took me straight into the arms of Our Lord" I remember thinking to myself that Sr Lorraine's comment--- in fact her life--- made no sense to me--- I felt at that moment we lived in different universes with no frame of common reference. I truly did not understand her thinking or her chosen life. She was a complete mystery to me.

A little more then thirty years have passed since that day and I can say that over those decades Sr. Lorraine's words persued me--- they would pop into my head at the strangest times--- out of the blue I would find myself pondering them and her--- asking myself questions without any answers---at least answers that could be formed from my worldly vantage point. Then ten years ago that changed---- those arms that Sr. Lorraine longed to fly into embraced this child who had wandered far from her Father's house. Finally, I can say "Yes, sister wouldn't that be wonderful!" God Bless you Sr. Lorraine where ever you may be --- Finally---I understand and I thank you!

Pica

Pica is a Latin word for magpie. A magpie is a bird that is known for its indiscriminate eating habits. Many years ago when I was in nursing school I learned about a disorder by the same name. It is a serious eating disorder that involves the eating of non-food, non-nutritive substances. Things like laundry starch, hair, burnt match heads, feces, dirt, paint chips, needles, erasers, cigarette butts--- the list can be as varied as the individuals afflicted by this malady. Thirty plus years later we still don’t know for sure what causes pica. There are theories of course--- there may be a biological component— a mineral deficiency, like iron--- or a chemical imbalance in the brain--- it is more common in those with mental disabilities, autism and some schizophrenics--- but still there are many people who appear normal and are still plagued with these compulsions. In a few instances it seems to be conditioned by local/ethnic custom. When the onset is before adolescence it seems to be transitory--- the child eventually outgrows it but when the onset is in adolescence or later it can be very difficult to treat and control. The most accepted theory today is that among adolescents and adults who are described as normal is that it is caused by psycho-social problems--- much like other eating disorders. The exact number of people afflicted is hard to determine because most suffers hide their activity from others and it is not usually detected unless a serious medical complication occurs.

This disorder can have serious consequences on a person’s wellbeing. Physically the problems manifested can be malnutrition, chemical toxicity, bowel perforations, lesions and obstructions, systemic diseases and infections caused by parasites and bacteria--- in some instances leading to chronic illnesses and even death. Psycho-social complications include stress and anxiety if unable to ingest substance they crave, shame and embarrassment over their behavior, rejection from peers and family over their habits--- feeling powerless due to inability to control their unusual cravings.

While most professionals today agree that it is best to try to help people overcome these compulsions some say that if the substance is relatively harmless to just let people be--- they aren’t really hurting anyone. But even something as “harmless” as corn starch or clay can interfere with the body’s normal function and rob people of nutrients by displacing healthy food with empty fillers and calories. The digestive system is designed to take in food substances, break them down, extract the necessary nutrients and then excrete the waste products--- eating large amounts of seemingly harmless substances can have a long term, debilitating effect on the body--- particularly the digestive tract eventually causing it to not function properly and predisposing the individual to illness.

Now while a few of you might have found this little treatise of mine incredibly fascinating (right!) others of you might wonder why on earth I am discussing pica. Well a couple weeks ago out of the blue I found myself thinking about pica---why? I had no idea--- I thought it was a weird subject that kept popping into my head--- then the little light bulb flashed on--- I saw a connection to another human circumstance. Some of us might say we should just leave pica sufferers alone--- it is their business, their health, their life--- they cannot change the way they feel, the desires they have--- and in most cases they are not hurting themselves or anyone else---and they are adults and capable of deciding their own fate. OK---but still it is a valid question to ask if pica is wrong--- is it something we should encourage even implicitly?

How do we determine the right or wrong of a human action. Without getting bogged down in a heavy and lengthy philosophical discussion I would say there are two basic questions. One--- does the act serve the truth and does the act serve God. How do we know whether eating dirt is wrong or right? We can look at the design and function of our digestive organs and see what was intended by God. Since eating dirt deprives the body of essential nutrients and exposes the digestive tract to damage and disease ---eating dirt cannot be called a good thing--- it goes against nature and the biological purpose of the digestive tract--- and --- it denies us of the good nutrients our bodies need---It also does not serve God--- we are not to engage in activities that cause harm to ourselves--- we belong to Him and are obligated be good stewards of everything in creation---even our own bodies. So ---even if our feelings tell us we need to eat dirt, that eating dirt makes us feel better, that it is good for us--- that God wouldn’t have given us a mouth, a world filled with dirt and the desire to consume it--- if it wasn’t ok to eat it--- due to natural law, our physical form and function we can know despite all those strong feelings that it is wrong to eat dirt. The truth is found in our body--- not in our feelings.

Now substitute homosexuality and what we know about it with what was said about pica. It is almost an identical situation. I do not believe that most of us would hate someone because they ate dirt--- I don’t think we would discriminate against them or treat them as an outcast--- I also do not believe that if we truly cared about them we would encourage them to continue to eat dirt when we know that that action has serious consequences-- physically, emotionally and spiritually--- Interesting isn’t it?

A true prophet

"We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has gone through. I do not think that wide circles of the American society or wide circles of the Christian community realize this fully. We are now facing the final confrontation between the Church and the anti-Church, of the Gospel versus the anti-Gospel. This confrontation lies within the plans of divine Providence. It is a trial which the whole Church... must take up. Cardinal Karol Wojtyla ---Oct. 9, 1976

Thirty years ago Pope John Paul II, then Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, spoke those words while visiting New York City. I am sure that many people at the time were either baffled by the vague nature of the statements--- left wondering what exactly that confrontation would be or they just shrugged their shoulders and walked away convinced it was the ramblings of another religious zealot. Thirty years ago, what have since become the greatest evils of our times, were barely blips on the cultural radar screen. Back then there was still a cultural sense of innocence and propriety--- making Karol Wojtyla's comments while perhaps intriguing, rather opaque to most people--- like trying to peer into a glass darkly. It seems in general most people quickly forgot about the Cardinal from Krakow and his predictions.

Fast forward twenty years to 1996--- this prodigal child had recently returned to her Father's house--- I was voraciously devouring all I could find about the Catholic Church and I stumbled upon the then Holy Father's prophecy. Even twenty years after he spoke it I found it vague and difficult to grasp but it stuck with me--- deep in my heart--- and periodically I would ponder what it could possibly mean. Yes--- I was sure it involved the "culture of death" but how that would play out as a trial the "whole Church must take up" I didn't know.

About the same time I was frequent poster on AOL's Christian/Catholicism message boards. It seemed that homosexuality was one of the hottest topics--- it was next to impossible to avoid. I remember thinking at the time how even the most distant and mundane topics somehow always morphed into debates on the Church's teachings on human sexuality. I remember the flame wars---as I struggled to maintain my Christian charity towards homosexual "interlopers". I remember being accused by the interlopers of everything from the yawn inducing charge of homophobia to the ludicrous charge that I must be a closeted lesbian--- it was easy to dismiss those two out of hand--- I knew what was in my heart-- and it was obvious it was a last ditch effort by a desperate person to try to silence a strong--rational argument against the secular view.

The charge that was the hardest to ignore and which gave me the most  fodder for reflection was the one asking why it was that Catholics themselves and the Catholic Church were so obssessed with sex and sexual activities of others---especially non-Catholics. This one stopped me short on several occasions and I did have to seriously ask myself why this topic was so important to me--- why did I have such strong feelings when I wasn't homosexual, no one in my immediate family was homosexual and further more I really and truly did not hate homosexuals--- in fact I found it quite easy to feel compassion and love for the ones that I knew personally. For several years I tried to answer this question with a clear answer but I couldn't--- somehow deep in my heart I just knew this was a one of the most pivotal human/cultural issues we faced and that its implications for the fate of our society went far beyond the obvious.

In 2000 I began hearing about something called the "theology of the body". As I began to read and reflect on the Holy Father's writings it was if the fog began to lift. My gut feelings were slowly given form and substance as the truth about the dignity of the human person, the sacredness of human sexuality and the mystery of God as revealed by mankind made in His image and likeness as male and female were opened to me----suddenly everything I felt was set on a solid foundation ---- so this is why, as some would say, the Church is "obsessed" with sex! It isn't a lurid, pathological or vulgar obssession--- it is because human sexuality reveals the deepest truth of what it means to be human and distorting this reality harms the human person, destroys the dignity given to us by God, undermines society and blasphemes God. It was then I began to understand that somehow this battle line between the Church and the anti-Church, the Gospel and the anti-Gospel would somehow be played out in the arena of human sexuality.

And then 2002 came--- month after tortuous month it became obvious how this prophecy would be fulfilled. As John Paul said before becoming Pope --- it is by Divine Providence--- not by coincidence that this battle is being played out in the Church. Only within Christ's Church will the fullness of truth be revealed--- and preserved--- let us pray for our bishops and our Pope during this Synod

What has happened to us?

I really don't know. Ever since Tuesday I, like everyone else, have been riveted to the Katrina coverage. I don't know anyone down there personally so I haven't had to suffer what many others have in trying to find out if loved ones are ok--- but still I am staggered by the enormity of it. Admittedly 9/11 was more *personal* for me because in a sense all of us were attacked that day. The horror of that day will never be forgotten but that disaster was limited--- we could see the beginning and the end--- we knew that we would clean it up, grieve our losses and then carry on--- This situation feels so different--- Even if it was only for a few months this country pulled together after 9/11--- we had a common enemy and all of us together were not going to let them destroy us---I can't even put it in precise words but even though we have risen to the occasion in terms of helping our brothers and sisters in the south--- at least monetarily and prayerfully, what I see has been troubling... I see leaders who are more worried about covering their political butts by pointing fingers at everyone--- it is everyone's fault except their own--- I have seen people in our country as well as suppossed allies in Europe saying it is our fault--- that our president "caused" this problem. I saw able bodied persons who had survived the hurricane and flooding expend their enegy and waste precious time looting --- carrying away armfuls and shopping carts full of clothing--- appliances (excuse me--- but what the h*ll are you going to do with a plasma TV when you have no home to put it in???) while people died in their attics and on roof tops. I saw reports of gun stores being looted and then heard stories of snipers shooting at rescue choppers and into hospitals. Then even more astounding I saw people making excuses for their behavior because they were "poor" and had nothing. I realize people were thirsty, hungry, tired and scared--- I can understand taking food and water from stores--- that is just survival--- what was the most frightening to me was the selfish actions of so many--- both officials as well as citizens. I do realize that there are heroes--- and I hope we will begin to see those stories too--- I also realize that many more of the victims did not engage in the despicable behavior news folk reported--- but this has been revealing and if anything should wake us up to the slippery slope we have stepped out onto in our country--- this should do it.

I think the anarchy we witnessed was an example of what happens to us when we take God out of civil life. When large numbers of people lose hope because they believe there is nothing more then this earthly life--- then self gratification becomes our moral code and material things become our gods. How else do you wade down a street with a plasma TV held high over your head while people cry for help from inside stiffling, flooded attics? This has been sobering--- we all need to do some heavy duty thinking and praying--- It has been a stark realization  for me. Over the last few days I have found myself wondering time and again what would happen if we were struck by a series of disasters or God forbid a rash of dirty bombs in major cities--- How quickly would our whole nation degenerate into the anarchy we saw in New Orleans--- Tomorrow is First Saturday--- I am ashamed to admit but for a while now I have found myself too busy to attend first Saturday devotions--- I'm clearing my calendar starting tomorrow......

Almighty God
We stand before you in supplication,
Asking your divine mercy and protection,
To envelop with your invincible armor,
All those who are victims of Katrina

as well as those who have been

sent to help in this disaster.

Give them all courage and strength
Both spiritual and physical,
Keep them safe and hasten

their journey to shelter and family.

If it is your Holy Will let those

who have died
be gathered to your bosom,
to stand with the saints and angels

to sing your praises forever.

And give strength and comfort

to their loved ones who have

been left behind.

Lord you can bring good out

of the most desperate situations

So we ask that you fill our hearts

with charity and compassion

for our brothers and sisters

who have lost everything

so that though our generosity

we can give witness to

your infinite love and mercy.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ  Your Son--- Amen

Geniuses

I am somewhat of a broken record on the topic of woman's vocation. I have spoken a lot about how wife and mother are woman's primary vocation. That is pehaps because we have a "crisis of life" in our time and as women we are the ones who hold the most power in overcoming this crisis by refusing to continue to contracept abort or relinquish the care of our children to paid caregivers (all of which are attacks on our nature and our God given power).

All this talk of motherhood seems to exclude a large number of women who do not marry or have children. I asked myself how do these women live out their God given vocation. I believe all women are called to motherhood--- the difference is some are called to "spiritually" and "emotionally" mother and not bear children of their own. Also--- those of us whose children are grown and those women who have yet to marry and have children are still called to live out our primary maternal vocation. This was a confusing concept to me for a long time--- But then I discovered through the writings of John Paul II that if I think of this maternalness in even more basic terms it is easier to understand. Our late, beloved Pope spoke of the feminine and masculine geniuses. This helped me to see clearly how this maternal nature is lived out in the world beyond the family.

We are made in God's image--- I learned to say the Shema when I converted to Judaism--- the prayer is recited by Jews three times a day --- the beginning of which found in Mark chapter 12:

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one"

God is one--- but yet He is three persons--- "man" is one nature but made of two types of persons--- one male the other female--- we were made for each other and are called to unity--- to become one flesh--- different ---but yet this difference unites us in one flesh--- In Ephesians chapter 5 St. Paul refers to this as a "great mystery" that is somehow linked to the Great Mystery that is God. Man has his "genius" and woman has hers--- The feminine genius is receptivity---biological, emotional and spiritual. The Blessed Virgin is the perfect example of feminine genius. She accepted God's invitation---she was not forced or coerced--- and She received into herself---God made Man. Woman's physical design is to receive--- it is built into our very being. And to be fully feminine our hearts and souls must be receptive as well.

Having the ability to welcome life within her own body makes woman more aware of the inner life of others. Before the world knows the person she carries within her she already is attuned to its needs as well as carrying hope for its future---because of this inward focus she has a natural yearning to nudge those around her to grow interiorly as well as to build and nuture relationships. She has an innate ability to see beyond the exterior and look into the deepest needs of the heart---she doesn't seperate outward appearances from the inner person. A woman living fully from this receptivity to the life in and around her can have tremendous impact and profound influence on public life and policy.

One more thought before I pack it in for the night--- St Irenaeus said "the glory of God is man fully alive". That reminded me of that somewhat troublesome passage in I Corinthians chapt 11 where St Paul says that man should not cover his head----

"because he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the
glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man;
nor was man created for woman, but woman for man.

I admit that I found it hard to swallow for a long time--- but I am beginning to have a deeper understanding of it--- I don't know what the official interpretation would be but today it says something very different to me then it did when I first heard it years ago. Woman is the archetype (the "glory"?) of "man" ---she symbolizes the bride of Christ--- the Church--- woman embodies in a very concrete physical way how mankind is to receive God's life --- In her creation she is a living example to man on how to be "bride" to Christ. Receptivity is not natural to man--- he must learn it. So when it says woman was made for man-- in the original sense--- before the fall--- it was not as a subserviant creature to be his helper purely on the physical plane but as an equal--- a helpmate--- Adam could not understand himself--- his masculine nature--- without woman--- he could not be as St Irenaeus said "fully alive" without her. Through woman man learned what being made in God's image as a man means--- and through woman he learns how to receive divine life within........Just a thought rattling around in my head today that I thought I would share---

Determining humanity's destiny

This past Sunday we went to the parish here in town. It is a small town parish and every so often when plans make it difficult for us to drive the extra half an hour to the parish we belong to we will go to Mass here. Sunday we were fortunate to witness a baptism. Being a smaller parish they have their baptisms during Sunday Mass. It was for the fourth child (third son) of a lovely young couple. They stood in front of the congregation and they were beaming. Everyone was dressed up in what were obviously their “Sunday morning clothes” --- nothing real fancy just neat, clean and respectful attire. The three older siblings (I would say ranging in age from 2-5 years) behaved perfectly--- obviously accustomed to being in church. As Fr. T. poured the water over their infant son’s head tears welled up in both his parents eyes--- their joy was obvious. They were truly present--- it was easy to see this wasn’t just a ceremony to them---it wasn’t a routine milestone along the road--- like baby’s first portrait--- or his one month check up--- it wasn’t just a party either. I could not only see but I could feel the depth of their commitment as Christian parents. The love of Christ radiated from this young family--- I am not exaggerating when I say I was deeply moved and honored to be able to witness and participate in their special day.

I have not stopped thinking about it since---not only did it renew in me a sense of hope and awe--- it has provided me with some profound insights as to why the great spiritual battle of our day is being waged in the arena of human sexuality.

Contraception, abortion, divorce, homosexual "marriage", reproductive and embryonic research and technology, genetic engineering--- Satan will try anything to disrupt or diminish what I witnessed at mass Sunday--- What I witnessed was Satan’s worst nightmare and our greatest hope. Many times I have heard comments about how the Church is just a bunch of repressed, celibate men “obsessed” with sex who are trying to impose their archaic and “unhealthy” ideas on others. I would suggest that if it seems that the Church is “obsessed” with sex it has little to do with the fact that the Church hierarchy is made up of celibate men and more to do with the fact that from the beginning---even when they may not have had depth of understanding or the ability to always articulate this truth well--- through the Holy Spirit they have nonetheless always understood that sex is something holy--- and not just between human beings but something intimately bound up in our relationship to God as well as one another--- it is deeply related to creation and revelation. Our bodies and our sexuality reveal sacred truths about God, about human nature and about our relationship to God. It is through our bodies that we fulfill God’s commands--- the first to Adam and Eve being---“be fruitful and multiply.” This isn’t just a quaint explanation of why the earth is populated with so many people--- it is a divine command and the primary purpose, for which we were created, second only to loving and obeying God.

If it seems the Church is obsessed with human sexuality it is only because it is so central to our being that it is a primary path that can lead to either our redemption or our destruction. Our sexuality can either lead us on a path of holiness to God or it can be our damnation. We have the witness of Sodom and Gomorrah, the Greeks, the Romans--- cultures lost--- which were rife with sexual deviation--- their history tells us that sexual deviancy leads to corrupt societies--- Acceptance of sexual deviation is the signal sign of a failing culture.

I am fascinated by how the Holy Spirit will throw seemingly unrelated things at us in a way that precipitates an awakening or understanding of some deeper wisdom. Such has happened to me recently. A while ago I read John Paul the Great’s Letter on the Dignity and Vocation of Women --- it is there that I found this statement that he took from the Closing Message of the Second Vatican Council:

"The hour is coming, in fact has come, when the vocation of women is being acknowledged in its fullness, the hour in which women acquire in the world an influence, an effect and a power never hitherto achieved. That is why, at this moment when the human race is undergoing so deep a transformation, women imbued with a spirit of the Gospel can do so much to aid humanity in not falling."

When I first read it--- it stopped me in my tracks--- It sounded so urgent and powerful but I was at a complete loss as to how we women were to accomplish such an important and daunting task. I wasn’t even sure of what exactly it meant--- but somehow I knew in the very depths of my heart it was profoundly important and pertinent to our times. Understanding it and acting on it has become some what of an obsession for me.

This is how I began plumbing the depths of John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, Love and Responsibility and then after reading references by John Paul to her works I began reading the writing of St. Edith Stein. In one essay St. Edith, being born a Jewess spoke of how she was raised understanding that all the women of Israel saw their vocation as bringing forth children who would see the day of salvation. Through this understanding a link was made between the Fall and Redemption. As woman was the first to be tempted so did God’s message of grace come first to a woman. St. Edith then said something that struck me deeply--- speaking of this connection she said that “each time woman’s assent determined the destiny of humanity as a whole.” Wow! Stop and reread that a few times--- let it sink in. The assent was acted out through maternity--- bringing forth those who would “see” the day of salvation--- it was this link of one generation to the next in Israel that culminated in the our Lady’s fiat, that as God promised, brought salvation to earth through the birth of His Son Jesus Christ. It is through woman’s innate vocation to motherhood that the destiny of humanity was and continues to be determined. This vocation to determine the destiny of humanity through the “assent” of woman did not terminate with the birth of our Lord. For if woman does not assent to that which she was designed in God’s plan--- The Body of Christ on earth will wither--- the Church will die--- without the Church how is salvation mediated to future generations? Suddenly--- the image of Revelation chapter 12 --- the Serpent who waits before the Woman to devour her child seems relevant to our culture--- the Woman especially in this particular instance has been has traditionally been identified with both the Church as well as Mary --- a contracepting Church (supposedly ¾ of American Catholics contracept) is a Church that is dying---

Just recently I happened to hear a hymn that I had never heard before. I fell in love with it. It is based on the Magnificat and it is called “The Canticle of the Turning”.  One verse tied all this together for me.  It goes:

“Though I am small my God, my All you work great things in me. And your mercy will last from the depths of the past to the end of the age to be”

God’s Mercy came to earth through Mary--- it continues on Earth til the end of this age through the Body of Christ--- the Church--- children born and raised in the faith (woman’s primary vocation)  keep the Body of Christ alive on earth in each generation---- extending salvation to all people in all times.  The refrain of the song goes like this:

“My heart shall sing of the day you’ll bring, let the fires of your justice burn. Wipe away all tears for the dawn draws near and the world is about to turn.”

How will our world turn? Now go back to those comments from the Second Vatican Council where women are implored to live their vocation and with it achieve their true power. It is this feminine power which the world desperately needs and that the council is calling forth. The Council Fathers through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is imploring women to help save a failing humanity.  Every woman is called to motherhood---whether physical or spiritual--- it is the nature of our being--- the foundation of our vocation. Reality is that the ultimate responsibility for changing our current “culture of death” rests squarely on each individual woman’s decision to either embrace life or reject it--- to accept the power given to her by God --- or to trade it for the power given by the world. It is each individual woman’s choices that have the power to restore families ----and so in restoring families renewing the Church--- it is the domestic church that generates vocations and passes on the faith--- it is faith in Christ that determines the destiny of humanity. The family--- the domestic church--- is the unique realm of feminine influence and power--- it is not surprising then that it is here that Satan has waged his spiritual battle.

So---- that woman that stood before the congregation with her husband and children---despite what we may perceive with our “worldly vision”--- her meek appearance and quiet demeanor is imbued with tremendous power--- through her assent and God’s grace she is determining the destiny of humanity.

The cracks in the foundation are showing

I remember the stare I got from a woman on the same committee as me when at a meeting not too long ago I dared to comment that i believed that a woman's innate maternal qualities are essential for the stability of society. That women are the "govenors" or tamers of the aggressive tendencies in males --- if you will the ones who show men the value of nurturing and love in interpersonal relationships--- I believe men are by nature (survival depended on it) more competitive and aggressive--- but left unchecked it can lead to violence. She didn't say it but I knew what she was thinking--- that I was hopelessly sexist.  Then I read this article yesterday and quite frankly I was shocked that a secular media source printed it. The article entitled "Bad girls go wild" describes how experts are alarmed by the burgeoning crises of violent girls. One section states:

"Schoolyards, where boy bullies once reigned supreme, are increasingly arenas for skirmishes between girls. "There are actually more physical girl fights now than between boys," says Bill Bond, a former school principal in Paducah, Ky., who travels the country studying safety issues for the National Association of Secondary School Principals. "I was just on a Cheyenne reservation yesterday and the principal said he had had one fight this year between boys and six between girls." Jennifer Clayton, 14, was beaten up in May by three other girls as she walked home from her school in Guelph, Ont. "I could hear them saying, 'Punch her in the face'," she told the local newspaper."

But what really surprised me was the analysis on the second page of the article where the author states:

"Part of this spike in violence is related to evolving sex roles. Historically, boys have received messages from the culture that connect masculinity with physical aggression, while girls received opposite messages, encouraging passivity and restraint. Now girls are barraged with images of "sheroes"—think Sydney Bristow on ABC's "Alias" or Uma Thurman's the Bride in "Kill Bill: Vol. 2"—giving them a wider range of role models and tacit permission to alter their behavior. Accordingly, says Spivak, some girls have "shifted from internalizing anger to striking out.

The women's movement, which explicitly encourages women to assert themselves like men, has unintentionally opened the door to girls' violent behavior. "I was at a JV lacrosse game, watching my granddaughter. We cheered like hell because she was being aggressive on the field," says Joan Jacobs Brumberg, professor of history, human development and gender studies at Cornell. "I don't want to blame women's liberation for violence among girls," cautions Brumberg, but "traditional femininity and passivity are no longer valued in young females."

It will be interesting to see if there is any response from NOW with regard to the comments in the article. Of course keeping true to form later the author says that feminists shouldn't be blamed and said it is more likely from the violence around them:

Research suggests that the best predictor of violent behavior, however—for girls and for boys—is not hours logged playing videogames or competitive pressure, but firsthand exposure to violent behavior. And social scientists warn that the number of children who see guns, fights and other kinds of physical abuse on a day-to-day basis is on the rise."

Seeing guns???? I love it! Blame it on the guns--- not on the individuals---- the big question remains why the rise in violence--- seeing a gun doesn't cause violence--being subjected to violence whether it is a gun, fist fight or knife fight---is the problem and the question is what changes in our society have lead to the increase in violent BEHAVIOR.

I think it has more to do with the collapse of family life, women being too busy or too disinterested to mother, fathers being too busy or to disinterested to father, runaway materialism, a culture that does not respect life and objectifies and "consumerizes" people--- but instead secular culture will do what it always does--- look for the easy answer--blame it on guns, music, games, movies--- don't dare look inward or ask the really difficult questions---

Then for the other side of this whacked world here is this story: Move over Rambo, you're cramping new man's style

From the article:

"The masculine ideal is being completely modified. All the traditional male values of authority, infallibility, virility and strength are being completely overturned," said Pierre Francois Le Louet, the agency's managing director.

Instead today's males are turning more towards "creativity, sensitivity and multiplicity," as seen already in recent seasons on the catwalks of Paris and Milan.

Arnold Schwarznegger and Sylvester Stallone are being replaced by the 21st-century man who "no longer wants to be the family super-hero", but instead has the guts to be himself, to test his own limits.

"We are watching the birth of a hybrid man. ... Why not put on a pink-flowered shirt and try out a partner-swapping club?" asked Le Louet, stressing that the study had focused on men aged between 20 and 35."

Now isn't that just peachy?!? How much more self centered and narcisisstic can we become?

Feminazi angst=Transgendered Jesus?

This past week this topic seems keep popping into my mind. It has to do with the posts I did on the sisterly silliness last week. I pointed out the sorry situation found in many religious orders. While there are some of examples of men's orders that have gone astray (Jesuits for example) it seems the most self indulgent and inane belong to various women's religious orders. Even though I did it with humor, it is something that is very troubling to me. It seems there is no earthly consequence for the damages their actions bring... and even more infuriating is the victim stance they assume the moment anyone in authority points out their heterodoxy. Such is the case with this article, "Do not weep for me, weep for yourselves" from the queen of heterodoxy, Sr. Joan Chittister OSB. I find her insufferable... especially when she tries to appear humble. It is very obvious from reading several of Sr. Joan's personal reflections that she thinks very highly of herself. She is even harder to bear when she tries to convince us that she and others who think like her are victims of an oppressive, overbearing hierarchy. Oh PLEASE! One look at this website BenetVision and one can see Sr. Joan is anything BUT oppressed and anything but a faithful Catholic religious. She has had great success in spreading her own theological positions and purporting them as superior to those of the magisterium and Tradition of the Church (but of course she is just a poor, humble, oppressed nun.)   

The troubling thing is that with the tremendous secular influence from feminists and the poor state of catechesis following Vatican II Sr. Joan has a sizable following among Catholic baby boomer women. An example is this an e-mail posted on the BenetVision web page from one of Sr. Joan's groupies. In the portion I snipped this woman from Ireland says:

"I have just sent in my order over your web site for a few books that I plan to give to the children's teachers as their end of school year gifts. …When Sorcha, my eldest, finished in that school I wanted to give her teachers something different, so I made them each a scarf-silk velvet sponge painted and stenciled and stamped and beaded. This time it's Eoin's turn to leave so I prayed to Christ-Sophia for guidance and as usual She didn't let me down!"

My experience with women who find it impossible to worship a Man-God--- which is EXACTLY what Jesus is--- is that they have unresolved issues with men in general. An aversion to the truth based on one's own brokeness is a symptom of a problem that needs to be addressed. Jesus is a man ETERNALLY and that is a relevant fact. We can not assume that it is purely incidental to the Incarnation. God didn't come as a Jewish Man simply for the sake of having more "street cred".

I do not make light of the suffering or abuses that many of these women have suffered at the hands of men in their lives but to encourage the wound to fester leaves no room for healing--- the truth be told it is women like this that desparately need to know God as a loving Father and Jesus as loving spouse--- for only God can heal the wounds that human men have inflicted by giving them a relationship with the real Jesus---the perfect man AND God.

I know from my own experience which began with being abandoned by my dad and then abused and abandoned again by my first husband--- these events shaped my world view for many years and influenced my life dramatically. I spent years and tons of money on secular therapists--- It was only through my conversion and the relationship I have with Jesus that I was finally healed and for the first time (at the age of fifty one) I have a healthy loving, relationship with my husband Jeffery and with my dad. My years spent worshipping the god--- or rather goddess--- I had created only fed the warped and untrue vision I had of the world and men in general. Almost without fail women who insist on a feminine diety tend to exclude men completely from their world view or at the very least relegate them to a necessary evil. Reading Sr. Joan's comments and reflections it is obvious that she is one of those that sees the male half of mankind as the problem while exalting the feminine out of proportion. Yes--- men have done many evil things--- but so have women. In fact, in Chicago we just had two recent stories of mothers killing their children in brutal ways--- both men and women are fallen creatures with a propensity for evil that can only be overcome by Christ the GOD-MAN. The fact that a woman can not think of Jesus as a man and must give HIM a feminine name and refer to HIM as a she in order to feel comfortable worshipping HIM is not an indication that something is wrong with the Church or Christianity but rather is indicative of something wrong with the persons ability to deal with the truth--- and it is TRUTH that sets us free--- not catering to our own woundedness.

More Her-story

Thanks to Maximus at "Roman Catholic Blog"  as well as The Anchoress for the mention--- these are two great blogs and among my favorites. I am taken aback (and delighted) by the response to my posts about the sisterly silliness. To be honest I kind of thought it was my own personal "thorn in the flesh" for having frittered away precious time on that garbage. Sort of God's way of telling me just how foolish I was for all those years--reminding me in a supremely effective way that "there before the grace of God go I". I suppose that it why it drives me so nuts! That and the fact that now I am pressured to accomodate this idiocy in the ministry I am involved in at my parish. For example my post from a week or so ago about the "monkey prayer" (ok--- it isn't a prayer for monkeys but it was written by Jane Goodall---close enough!) and the fact that the sister who runs the family ministry at my parish is apparently allergic to all male pronouns and if she finds one in the bulletin or in a child's hymn will pitch a fit until all the "Hims" and "Hes" are changed to just God.

I have not conceded my conscience and I will not ---so I am living in  constant tension between doing and teaching what is the truth and staying out of the way of those who think my way of thinking is "dangerous" to the spiritual growth of adults in my parish (because of course I am too narrow minded and spiritually stunted!). This is one of the main reasons I started blogging--- I needed a safe place to vent.

So why don't I go to another parish? Well first of all--- this is Chicago! I have gone other places and for the most part this is what you get here--- secondly--- they sent me to the Lay Ministry program--- I owe them three years of service, finally I really do love the people in my community--- after seven years they are family--- and I know that they appreciate me. I am also quite sure that this is where the Lord wants me to serve Him--- at least for now. This is a young community and they are hungry---starving I would say ---they want more then the secular fluff and cafeteria style Catholicism their baby boomer parents gave them.

About ten years ago I was a tarot card reading, reiki practicing, aura cleansing, chakra balancing, circle dancing, goddess worshipping feminist--- and I was the most uptight, superficial, hollow, miserable shell of human being you would ever want to meet---everything was about me and my womb--- my universe revolved around how unfair the world was to women ---and  to me... me ... ME! Then I met a man--- his name is Jesus and he knocked my off my high horse----

---- and then the scales fell from my eyes----

They say God can turn all things to good if we let Him--- if my experience can help others become aware of the spiritual dangers these practices harbor then I can know that those years were not a complete waste.

PS--- if anyone is just dying to know how I got from there to here---or if you are in need of a Friday penance..... here is a link to my conversion story

More thoughts on sisters acting silly

First of all I would like to thank Jeff over at the Curt Jester for mentioning and linking my post from yesterday. This was a big surprise and honor for this little blog mistress.

Living as I do among the many "bernadinistas" of the Archdiocese of Chicago I have more experience with sisters acting silly then any one person should ever have to bear in a lifetime. It all began when shortly after my “reversion” back to the Catholic faith I felt the need for some spiritual direction and I asked my pastor to recommend a director for me. He gave me the name of Jesuit priest at Loyola. Now I have no complaints with father--- he provided wonderful guidance and direction---but I made the mistake one day of arriving early for an appointment and deciding to attend Mass in the Chapel there. Entering the chapel the first thing I noticed was that it had the definite feel of a college auditorium, the second thing I noticed was that instead of pews there were chairs that looked like they came from a bad Wisconsin supper club and thirdly as I genuflected and made the sign of the cross I searched desperately for the Tabernacle--- mildly distressed and unable to find one I thought of Mary of Magdala at the empty tomb when she said "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him."

Hesitantly I picked a chair and sat down. People began coming in--- there were a few students but most were what appeared to be middle aged women with bad hair cuts and sensible shoes--- I assumed them to be faculty and/or perhaps nuns and other university staff. Then a small group of women wearing albs and stoles came in together and took seats at the end of the rows. Despite my better judgment I resisted the urge to bolt (and besides the grey haired lady sporting an alb and pink stole at the end of my row looked really grumpy) and I reassured myself that all would be well.

When the priest presiding got to the prayer petitions a few of the alb shrouded ladies offered their own--- “we pray for all the AIDS martyrs”, “we pray for the end of the abuse of our environment”, “we pray for the end of patriarchal oppression in our world and church”, “we pray the church accept our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters as God made them”. I didn’t even have to consider whether or not to respond “Lord hear our prayer” because I couldn’t lift my jaw off the ground to speak!

Then came the Consecration--- when the priest began the Eucharistic Prayer the alb and stole ladies all moved to the aisle and “concelebrated” with father from their places in the aisle---- that was it---- grumpy look or not I excused myself and fled---- if there would have been a baptismal pool--- or even a holy water font I would have doused myself generously on the way out. At our meeting, when I told father about my trip to the twilight zone, he laughed and said--- “Oh--- so the sisters were there today.” I didn’t find it amusing but I did find it interesting. It ended up being only one of the first of many opportunities I had to encounter the legacy of Cardinal Joseph Bernadin, Call to Action and the “bernadinistas” he left behind. Some day I will have to tell the story of my two years St. Schism--- otherwise known as the Lay Ministry Program--- but right now I think I need a cup of chamomile tea……