In her writing, “A Matter of Justice and Necessity, Women’s
Participation in the Catholic Church”, Mary Coloe PVRM presents a respectful
and educational introduction to the problem within the Catholic Church of women
being prevented from “truly being themselves”.
She begins by citing a letter written by Pope John Paul II where he
apologizes to all women for the part played by “members of the Church” in this “spiritual
impoverishment” and that this “regret be transformed on the part of the whole Church,
into a renewed commitment of fidelity to the Gospel vision.” What a beautiful and wise foundation to be
set for renewal within the Church. Ms.
Coloe goes on to write that despite Pope John Paul II’s prophetic words, there
has been little transformation that has taken place within the Church to bring
about “real equality” as “a matter of justice and necessity.”
I appreciated her article enough to have my 14-year-old daughter
read it so that she would be introduced to the historical writings of some affirmed
within the Church such as Tertullian, St. Ambrose, St. John Chrysostom, St.
Augustine, and Martin Luther who wrote words so disrespectful to the spirit of
women, relegating all of our sex to be used by males for higher ideals. I told
her that I felt it important that she begin to be aware of the “other side of
the story”, the “female experience”, that has not had opportunity within the
Church and within the world to be heard.
My hope and prayer is that she will see within her generation an
expectation, a demand for these stories of faith lived giving us God’s
revelation of Himself through the lens of His created female. I have to say that she was somewhat
distressed to discover that what she has been given so far within her faith
formation is so lacking in God’s justice; that the words told to her about love
and charity and God’s goodness have been so misconstrued within the body of her
faith community that it is almost unnoticeable until one comes face to face
with its injustice.
As I was reading Ms. Coloe’s article I wrote at the bottom of
one of the pages a question that summed up my own distress, “Would the
institutional Church truly acknowledge injustices within Herself and
spontaneously spring forth within Her spirit to express Christ’s compassionate
love and change what it is that needs changing?” My daughter answered my question for me when
she stated “Mom, you know the answer is “no” otherwise this article would not
have been written”. We then talked about
how hard it is to know that your Church is sinful in this way.
This sin that keeps girls, young women, mature women, and
elderly women from engaging their “true, authentic selves” in which the Spirit
of Christ touches their spirit with His gifts and vocations and stunts them
from being fully fruitful within the Church and the world is a sin against the
Spirit of God, Himself. It isn’t just a
question of right, or justice, or equality, it is a sin of creating an
impenetrable wall against the movement of the Holy Spirit. When we have recognition by our Holy Father
and we have his apology on behalf of the Church, Herself, then what do we call
it when it continues to exist? What do
we call this lack of noticeable transformation?
We have to ask the question “Why are women still knocking at the door of
the Church and not allowed or desired to come in and express their own spirit
within?” It cannot be called anything
less than sin and its continued existence within should cause us to go back and alter all of our ecumenical
writings that the Church has done in regards to its pursuit of truth within
difference. For truth is beckoning at
the door to be desired, not feared. The
Holy Spirit that moves one to live in a way that is counter cultural, in a way
that is leaven for the world, in a way that is a light upon a hilltop will also
show the Church, through the fullness of its members how to move forward in
penance for past and present wrongs.
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