Brother Joe said before, "There are believers, deceivers, and in-between-ers". If, for example, I would ask him about somebody who happened to be a bully, he would say, "They are really three people." Well, I could see right away this was a formula that allowed a person to gain insight into many different kinds of folks.
In the 60's after Vatican II, Wm T. would say that the Catholic Church "Pulled the rug out from under me". My reaction wasn't as strong for I was younger then. A two thousand year old institution needed a tune up. Hope, a convert, wasn't as bothered either. Her bigger goal was to flesh out "Souls in Shoeboxes". Create life, new beginnings, make it happen.
When I got my first divorce in 1980, I still went to mass for stretches of time, but sat in the back like an in-between-er. Sad state of affairs for a would be monk. After twenty-five years (ok, I'm not a fast mover) I finally got an annulment. Very difficult because I had to admit my mistakes, eat crow, and move on. Confession is good for the soul and opens the door back to belief.
The continuing scandals in the church leave me angry and baffled. The church should treat women better, let them be priests, and allow priests to marry. After all, Gandhi had a wife didn't he? Great example of a sterling human being! Plus, it is time for a tune up. I don't see this happening in my life time, but admitting mistakes, eating crow, and moving on is good for the collective soul.
3 comments:
If the church let women become priests and marriage was an acceptable institution within the church, you'd have a bunch of pregnant nuns. Once you add kids to the mix, you'd have all the distracted godly people having to go to school and pick up the kid with pink eye, or having to find childcare during spring break, or a new sitter with a day's notice because it was all too much. And housing for all these families? A nightmare.
I think some jobs require exceptional focus - priests and soldiers should be, ideally, single men. As long as women have babies, their first priority will always be their children.
I would imagine a lot of women wouldn't care for this vocation, but the door should be open. I can't fathom why a woman would want to be in combat, but it happens. The Vatican is giving a number of nuns a hard time now because they are stressing social action views of the church rather than some other issues (birth control) Nuns do a lot of heavy lifting for the church. They should have the same status as priests.
You are right though. Not a very practical idea at the present time.
I need to go to sleep, but this blog is just so great! "throw away lines?" as Dylan would say.
Eh, you have "take away entire tales" I forgot how much I love reading these posts!
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