Reading the first three dreams of Francis’s apostolic exhortation on the Amazonian Synod, I am inspired enough to be merciful when I read the fourth. Those of you who are more concerned for the future of the earth than you are for women’s ordination – and I know you are out there – will be…
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Evocative or inspiring? Edgy or lofty? Both/And? These are sometimes tough choices to sort through for all of us who want to get our messages of equality, justice, fairness, and inclusion across. What will resonate and how? I struggle with this problem all of the time. I suspect you might, too. I found two examples…
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Joan Chittister’s “Prayer for Leadership” inspires me today (Thursday, February 6, 2020). She begins, Give us, O God, leaders whose hearts are large enough to match the breadth of our own souls and give us souls strong enough to follow leaders of vision and wisdom. This prayer puts in context not only our national politics,…
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At the Mass of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple this past Sunday, the priest began by calling forth two African-American female elders. Then he knelt before them as they silently bestowed their prayers and blessing upon him. It is an African tradition, he explained, for a younger person to receive the blessing of…
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Russ Petrus, in FutureChurch’s newsletter, draws our attention to the readings for this Sunday, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. There’s an option: to leave out the widow and prophet Anna. She “gave thanks to God and spoke about the child,” as did Simeon, but only he is quoted in Luke 2:22-40. Why did…
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You have probably heard of Brian D. McLaren, especially if you follow Richard Rohr’s postings.  I had not. But as I started to read more of his writings and consider his ideas as a resource for envisioning a renewed, inclusive, vibrant Church, I found many (although not all) of his overall concepts intriguing and invigorating.…
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Today is the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. Paul is a conflicting figure for many feminist women of faith because his letters have often been used to reinforce gender roles and stereotypes. Be that as it may, today I want to consider what Paul’s conversion story has to offer women fighting for ordination. …
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I came across two approaches to managing and/or healing rifts. One focused on personal and the other on political, but I thought both had something pertinent to say about how we might – or in the one case might not – approach and/or heal our own difficulties with gender issues within Catholic leadership and ministry.…
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Next time someone tells you that women can’t be ordained because the church moves very slowly, put on your most mysterious face and whisper “pope emeritus.” Wiggle your eyebrows. As Massimo Faggioli says, “The ‘emeritus’ as an institution was created on the fly in those hectic weeks right before the conclave that elected Benedict’s successor,…
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Often when I read the newspapers, magazines, even books, I see the most interesting connections to our own struggle for equality and inclusion of all genders in our Church. I’m a lover of analogies at the best of times and sometimes go into full connection mode when I feel as if I – and perhaps…
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