I can’t help it – I just feel like celebrating!

Doors are cracking open. Forbidden topics (Women’s ordination!) are open for discussion. As the just newly released Vatican document says in so many words: ”Spaces in our tents are enlarging!”

I am going to resist the temptation to say an exasperated ”finally!” and jump to celebration instead. It’s early days, of course. Nothing “magisterial” has been proclaimed in favor of women’s ordination, the deaconate, or full multi-gendered inclusion in all aspects of the Church, or other cherished reforms we would like, but what we said in all those synodal listening sessions does seem not only to have been heard but actually put in writing for all to see and consider, an amazing, thrilling start.

How can we not be encouraged by this quote in NCR: “’What emerges is a profound re-appropriation of the common dignity of all the baptized,’ the document states in describing its efforts to listen to the voices of all Catholics. ‘This starts from a desire for radical inclusion — no one is excluded.’” Or from our own United States’ report: “… people ask that the Church be a refuge for the wounded and broken, not an institution for the perfect. They want the Church to meet people wherever they are, to walk with them rather than judge them, and to build real relationships through caring and authenticity, not a purpose of superiority.” Wow.

What I’d really like to celebrate, however, is all of us who have worked for so long to have this kind of initial and, I want to believe, lasting impact. I have just visited Eastern Europe, and I found some folk art I love in artist, Margit Kovacs small museum in Szentendre, Hungary.

And so, I celebrate you and all you have accomplished through these works of art:

You who experienced the pain and sorrow of exclusion and erasure and still persisted.

You who faithfully supported each other throughout the journey.

You who never failed to proclaim our joys and triumphs and good news.

You who inspired us.

You who stayed angry and motivated us to act for justice. 

And finally, from the lands in which the Holocaust took so many millions of lives who could have made a profound difference in our world, this from Anne Frank: