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| In the Vineyard
“The restoration to the clergy and people of their baptismal right to elect their own bishops is a necessary step toward re-membering our dis-membered Church (as Francine Cardman so eloquently put it). By taking that step we will be helping to make the Body of Christ healthy, whole and entire once again.” From Joe O’Callaghan’s “Reflection on the Body of Christ” in this issue VOTF at Work in the World We hope you can join us on Sunday, October 23 for a Boston College Church in the 21st Century symposium: “Voice of the Faithful: Findings from a Study of a Social Movement within the Catholic Church” with lead researchers William D'Antonio and Anthony Pogorelc, Catholic University of America, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Robsham Theater. For more information, please visit the web site or call 617 552-0470. Be sure to check www.bc.edu/church21 for ongoing opportunities and to request your free copy of Resources, a service of the C21 Center and now the second largest Catholic publication in the United States. The mother of a survivor of clergy sexual abuse addressed the quarterly meeting of an Archdiocesan Pastoral Council in Ohio. She is a member of the VOTF Dayton, OH affiliate. Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk is the Archbishop of Cincinnati and attends all meetings. At this meeting, the Auxiliary Bishop was present as well as the Council’s chairperson Judge Michael Merz, a member of the National Review Board. Read “In a Mother’s Words: Watch Your Language” under Commentary. Selective Silence Under Fire: Rockville Center, NY, VOTF Long Island challenges the silence around their archdiocese’s finances.
LI VOTF is also trying to right another wrong. "A former official in the Catholic diocese on Long Island who was barred from priestly duties after being accused of molesting boys is prominently listed on the pastoral staff of a Great Neck, N.Y., parish.” The story appeared in the Sept. 17 issue of the New York Times. Silence is not an option at Our Lady Help of Christians in Newton, MA. “Our Lady’s” is a documentary about how one Newton, MA parish found their voice in the aftermath of revelations of sexual abuse by clergy. The film was shown last night at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and is part of the Boston Film Festival Oct 6-10. For ticket information click here. Survivors and survivor advocates around the US are struggling against silence as bishops refuse to release names of priests who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse of children ; on this subject, the Catholic League’s William Donohue responds to VOTF member Paul Kendrick. See Letters to the Editor. Long-time survivor advocate, VOTF supporter and author of Vows of Silence Jason Berry analyzes the sound of silence around Archbishop Levada in the current issue of San Francisco magazine The Vatican is launching an investigation into the presence of gay men in seminaries and Fr. Himes of Boston College wonders when the bishops will break their silence in their own chanceries. See the September 16, 2005 National Catholic Reporter editorial and article, Boston Globe and Catholic News Service coverage:
VOTF National and VOTF Boston continue to work on passage of Senate Bill 1074, An Act Relative to Charities, sponsored by MA State Sen. Marian Walsh. The affiliate is now focusing on the bill’s move from committee to full Senate. To offer or receive some help and/or ideas in this effort, please contact John Moynihan at jmoynihan@votf.org. Outside of MA? Remember: The actions taken in Boston with regard to working with your state legislature are emerging as a model for any affiliate in the US. Parish leadership is changing faster than any single parish can appreciate. A newly released study confirms that in the past ten years, the number of parishes led by lay people – inclusive of lay religious – has doubled. Six out of ten parish coordinators are women and about half of all coordinators preach. See the current issue of National Catholic Reporter and for an overview of the state of lay ministry, click here.
National Representative Council welcomes the newly elected representative from Region 12 (WA, OR, ID, MT, AK) Linda L. Mains. Read the NRC Update under Council Notes. Identify your Council representative. BRIEFLY NOTED Justice Anne Burke, the keynote speaker at the VOTF Indianapolis Convocation in July, has been named by U.S. Catholic Magazine as the recipient of the 2005 U.S. Catholic Award “for furthering the cause of women in the church.” The magazine has been published for 70 years by the Claretian Missionaries. The award will be presented in Chicago, IL on Oct. 3. Watch upcoming issues of U.S. Catholic. Northern New Jersey affiliate of VOTF participated with several other reform-minded groups in a forum entitled “Other Voices” that drew close to 150 participants. Theresa Padovano, co-facilitator of the affiliate speaking for VOTF, based her talk on the decrees of Vatican II, which called for a Church featuring a “collegiate (structure), openness and inclusiveness. Are we seeing this happen?” she asked. For more on this gathering, click here. Site-Seeing Reminder: The “Abuse Tracker” is a service provided by National Catholic Reporter. It provides news of abuse reports all over the world with links to the relevant media coverage. Also, check in at bishop-accountability.org for updates on bishop accountability; SNAP is focusing their survivor support efforts on victims of hurricane Katrina as well as the recent total loss by fire of the home of an Ohio SNAP leader. Commentary and More: “In a Mother’s Words: Watch Your Language” – Ginny Hoehne is the mother of a survivor and addressed the Cincinnati Archdiocesan Pastoral Council Joe O’Callaghan, Fordham University professor emeritus, continues the discernment process for the participation of the laity in the selection of bishops. “Reflection on the Body of Christ” A poem from the time of Katrina: “Sea Change”: reprinted with permission, 2005 © by Denise Roy The Boston College Church in the 21st Century panel discussion “Why Women Choose To Stay” was another success and another eye-opener. Read the recap – “The Elephant Is Shrinking” Letters to the Editor: In the last issue, we invited readers to comment on the place of the laity in choosing speakers in their parishes. Several dioceses in the US require permission from the bishop prior to issuing the invitation. Two responses captured the many received on this subject. Also, an exchange between VOTF member Paul Kendrick and Catholic League president William Donohue. CALENDAR NOTES:
What Do You Think? If you’ve read the recommended coverage on parish leadership, inclusive of the statistics on current lay ministries as well as the VOTF Falmouth, MA discussion recap, what above all other points made (or not made) strikes you? Write to pthorp.ed@votf.org. Next issue of In the Vineyard: October 6. Please send comments and/or inquiries to pthorp.ed@votf.org VOTF Affiliate Highlights
Report from Anne Southwood After an opening prayer by Janice Gouveia, Keynote speaker Jesuit theologian John O'Malley "set the scene" based on his extensive historical knowledge of Church. "Don't think the lay role is new," said O'Malley when asked the most important concept he wanted to leave with the audience. "It's an old role – suppressed.” O'Malley noted the emphasis on holiness in Vatican II. "The decree on the Church is about holiness," he explained, citing the significance of naming the Church as mystery and members as the "People of God." In singing the praises of the new horizontal idealism evident in the documents of Vatican II he stressed the lack of rules and punishments in the new vision. O'Malley showed a sense of humor about his book Four Cultures of the West. He noted that it was a "good buy," covering 25 centuries at $25 - only a buck a century.” Fr. Tom Mahoney of Watertown, MA looked at tomorrow's Church from the point of view of a young priest thinking in terms of becoming a pastor. He moved from an outline of a medieval type power structure to "post-scandal" dynamics. He warned that authority that is used to break the spirit of reform can marginalize both VOTF and the "Priest Forum," which he chairs. Though the Forum struggles, he said he looks forward to working with VOTF together on reform. Mahoney stressed patient reform, avoiding overt attachment to the word change. "I love being a priest with you," said Mahoney, but he worries over the consuming emotional involvement of a pastor with parishioners. He noted Americans have high expectations of pastors compared to other places in the world. Mahoney offered the suggestion of trained and well-paid full-time ministers. Deacon Mike Iwanowicz, lay parish leader Pam Chaplin of Hopedale, MA and pastoral associate Sister Marie LaBollita of Our Lady Help of Christians parish in Newton, MA shared their own lived experiences of parish life. The realistic Deacon Mike, coping with his Sharon parish for an extended time on the death of their beloved pastor, noted that as Catholics we stand at the edge of a precipice right now. Pam Chaplin and Sister Marie then expanded on ways of dealing with present conditions. Chaplin explained the planning process in implementing a new vision in her own parish based on principles of joyful worship, stewardship, evangelization and service. LaBollita stressed a similar approach - geared to creating an active and inclusive parish. She noted the importance of a pastor empowering his congregation to "use your Baptism" while Chaplin laid out a path of self empowerment without a regular pastor. When asked later what her parish would do if her Church was closed, she said the parish would continue worshiping as they do now, with Jesus as the model. The audience appreciated candid answers to their questions by the panelists. In answer to questions about relating better to clergy, LaBollita suggested inviting clergy to be on committees and getting to know them as fellow humans. In answer to questions on the failure of the local bishop to respond, LaBollita again went to the "use your Baptism" concept. "We need more forums for women," she said, recommending an upcoming Boston College lecture on "Why Do Women Stay." Her other recommendation included bonding together and planning together to make things happen. In answer to a question on formation and younger priests seeming more regressive, Fr. Mahoney said he thought this true. O'Malley honestly noted that not all segments of the Church are interested in continuing in "the spirit of Vatican II." O'Malley handled a final tough question on whether there should be a Vatican III Council of Bishops easily: "Not right now," he boomed. He explained that the outcome might not please the audience. “The Elephant Is Shrinking” On the September 15, 2005 presentation of “Why Women Choose To Stay” sponsored by The Council for Women of Boston College and The Church in the 21st Century Center at Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA. This panel discussion was jointly sponsored by the Council for Women at Boston College and BC’s Church in the 21st Century Center and was a follow-up event to last year’s equally packed “Envisioning the Church Women Want.” Author Alice McDermott was the guest speaker and to her great credit chose to use bold language rather than the nuances of fiction to call the failure of the Roman Catholic Church to ordain women “what it is – it is bigotry.” From there, the evening introduced the question of why women choose to stay in a Church that sidelines “women as women,” through the perspectives of a young Catholic woman, a theologian, and a business executive. The youngest speaker Meghan Dougherty, a graduate student, provided welcome encouragement when she responded to a question about women who have no problem with “the way things are” saying, “I don’t know any women like that.” In all, the panelists brought needed perspectives to the discussion and several compelling observations. From Alice McDermott: For a Church the size of the Catholic Church to demonstrate bigotry toward any group is antithetical to the global message of Christianity, inclusive of justice and equality for all, peace, and stewardship; and that benign tolerance is not an option. From Shawn Copeland, Boston College Professor of Theology: “Staying” in the Church is not as important as “being Church”; we are called to “creative solidarity” in God’s work; and our sacramental nature depends on working fully toward “the right of God” to fulfill God’s vision for humanity. Kathleen Power, class of ‘72 and vice-president of services for Avid Technology brought her organizational understanding to “how” women choose to stay. She noted the pivotal place of continued dialogue, of finding a worship place “where all souls are equal,” and making the decision to stay or to go. The women who gathered in 2004 and returned last week for this discussion would no more leave the Catholic Church than they would leave their parents, their country or their children. “The Church is in my weave” was heard over and over again but this time the talk came from a spoken consensus – “The Church IS in crisis.” As Power pointed out, “Crisis management means ALL on board.” If I were to guess at “next steps,” I would say that benign tolerance has had its day and is increasingly on the wane as a working ethic for women in the Catholic Church. More Catholic women and men, and not only the theologians and other scholars of Church history, are joining this dialogue – enlightened and committed. As Catholics internalize the statistics for lay leadership and all-but-one of needy Church ministries in US parishes, and as more lay people ask the questions that trouble all of us and challenge the answers that satisfy so few of us, the elephant on the table will shrink – small enough to move into history. And “structural change” will move ahead with all of its once-missing parts. What do you think? Whether or not you attended this discussion, please send along your thoughts to pthorp.ed@votf.org.
SEA CHANGE That was the time We watched We saw the little, the old, And something stirred within us, But we also watched as the waters That was the time In that time, That was the time We will tell our children We will tell the future ones We will tell them that ©2005
Denise Roy Denise Roy is the author of "My Monastery Is a Minivan" (Loyola, 2001) and the founder of FamilySpirit.com. She is a writer, psychotherapist, and mother of four (ages 9-24). She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay area. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Should any speaker on Church property be pre-approved by that parish’s bishop in what the La Crosse, WI diocese called a “policy of prudence”? “One thing that might be considered is whether the proposed speakers endorse capital punishment. If so, would they be banned out of prudence? The other issue is the connection between the speakers' topics on a given night and their views in other areas. If, for example, the speakers will be talking on racism in our society, and are also pro-choice on abortion, might not a disclaimer at the beginning of the talk separating the invitation to talk on racism from the view on abortion be in order? This would have to be made known to the speaker beforehand, of course. This would answer the objection of those who say that the invitation itself constitutes an endorsement of the pro-choice view.” Ed Doherty, Red Bank, NJ “This reminds me of the ‘Index.’ As a child growing up in pre-Vatican II, the index was a prominent presence. I always thought it was a list of books that had not ‘theologically’ correct or had the potential for great moral harm mostly based on the premise that the flock didn't have the tools to read them on their own. Recently there was a TV program on the ‘Index.’ A lot of the books ended up there on a whim. ‘The Last Temptation of Christ,’ which I understand was on the ‘Index’ was for me a breakthrough in grasping that the Bible was not idle tales, but of substance and that the people in the New Testament were real people. I had to respond to Christ and his message. I am still struggling over just who Christ is, but I cannot dismiss him. Anyway I wonder if Jesus came back would he have approval to speak in La Crosse considering some of his radical views. The action of the Bishop in La Crosse speaks to me of fear. How difficult for the people of La Crosse. How sad for the archbishop.” Adelaide Loges
The Rights of the Accused and the Rights of the Innocent VOTF member Paul Kendrick recently challenged a remark made by William Donohue of the Catholic League on the subject of calls for bishops to release the names of priests accused of abuse. Excerpted from Catholic League http://www.catholicleague.org/newsreleases.htm, Donohue said, “Gerald Payne, Kentucky’s SNAP coordinator, wants state authorities to warn residents when Catholic priests who have been accused, but not convicted, of sexual abuse live in their neighborhood….It is not everyday that a national advocacy organization, on either the right or the left, argues that civil liberties should be suspended for one class of citizens. Indeed, this kind of tactic is usually branded fascistic….” Paul’s response, in part: “He [Bishop Malone in Maine] won't tell us the names of twenty-five living priests, religious and church workers who have been accused of abusing children, even though most reasonable people are worried to death that these same individuals may be raping kids as we speak.” The rest of Paul’s letter focused on the case of a Catholic school teacher and coach against whom allegations had been made, a settlement was reached and the man found employment elsewhere. William Donohue’s response, with permission: “Gilpin looks guilty so I wouldn't hesitate to press school officials not to hire him. Indeed, I would organize parents to pull their kids from school until this matter was resolved. But that is not the same as making public the names of priests who have been accused of abuse. In this country, we are presumed innocent until found guilty, and this standard includes priests as well. Moreover, if we are to publish the names of priests who have been accused of a crime, should we not treat everyone else the same way? And why target only sexual molesters--why not include offenders in general? The problem I have with SNAP in this regard, and with certain bishops who publish the names of the accused on their websites, is that often the accused are dead or enfeebled and cannot defend themselves. How humiliating it must be for the surviving family members to know that their late next-of-kin priest has been accused of violating someone several decades ago and is not in a position to defend himself today. It is precisely for reasons like this that we have statutes of limitations--witnesses die and memories fade. I appreciate your remarks and I share your anger at what has happened, but it is important not to sacrifice the rights of the innocent in the process. Bill Donohue
REFLECTION ON THE BODY OF CHRIST
September 8, 2005 [This reflection on three scripture passages (Acts 1:21-26; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; and 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 20-31) was presented to the members of Voice of the Faithful in the Diocese of Bridgeport as part of a prayer service calling on the Holy Spirit to guide us as we begin to develop a process for the election of a bishop should a vacancy occur.] The Upper Room. Let us put aside all distracting thoughts for the moment and try to place ourselves in the upper room. Gathered there are the eleven apostles, some women, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and his brothers, in all about 120 persons. Let’s include ourselves among the 120. We have just witnessed the ascension of Jesus into heaven and are now left on our own to “be his witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The Election of Matthias. One of our first concerns is to provide for the leadership of our fledgling community by selecting someone to replace the traitor Judas as one of the twelve. We believe that the twelve symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel. The absence of one seems to disturb the proper order. We want someone who has been with Jesus from the beginning and who has witnessed his resurrection. We nominate two men. How did we do that? Did one of you propose Matthias and someone else Barabbas? Before proceeding further, we pray, asking God to tell us which of the two God has chosen. Then we cast lots. Did we throw dice, draw straws, or names out of a hat? However we did it, we made a choice; we elected Matthias, but we recognized that he was God’s choice. In the later ritual for the making of a bishop the same procedure of calling on God for guidance would be followed and the one elected was believed to be God’s candidate. Matthias was then counted as one of the twelve. Perhaps the apostles laid hands on him, as they did later with the seven deacons chosen by the community to attend to the needs of the Greek widows (Acts 6:1-6). The laying on of hands also became part of the liturgy of episcopal ordination. The Qualities of a Bishop in First Timothy. Now let’s jump ahead nearly a whole generation. By now our numbers have increased and there are small communities or churches in different cities. The first letter to Timothy, attributed to St. Paul, tells us something about the kind of leaders our community should have. Our ideal bishop is esteemed both within the Christian community and without. He is honorable and upright, not given to the vices of drunkenness or greed, not abusive, arrogant or contentious. Rather he is gentle and has the ability to instruct us in the teachings of Jesus and the practice of the Christian life. Above all our bishop is a family man. He is a married man with children. He is responsible for the good behavior of himself, his wife, and children, and any servants or other dependents living with him. He is expected to be able to control his children. Does that mean browbeating them? No, it means that he teaches them by word and example to conduct themselves as followers of Christ. His leadership of the community is likened to his management of his own household. How can a man who cannot lead his own family in an upright manner possibly lead the Church? If he governs his own household with goodness, kindness, and justice so as to gain the admiration of his neighbors, he will likely lead the Church in the same way. In later times when the Church attempted to describe the qualities appropriate to a bishop, she turned to the First Letter to Timothy. Two points in this reading were cited specifically in conciliar legislation. First, the bishop could be married only once, and a widowed bishop was forbidden to marry again. Secondly, no one who was a recent convert to Christianity was allowed to become a bishop; there was a sense that no matter how wise and intelligent he might be, he ought to live the Christian life for some time before aspiring to the office of bishop. These principles were incorporated into Church law. The Election of Benedict XVI. Let’s leap over the centuries now to our own time. Let’s place ourselves in a new setting, in St. Peter’s Square in April 2005. We’ve witnessed the funeral of John Paul II and we are now preparing for the election of his successor. We watch the cardinals vested in brilliant red robes march into the Sistine Chapel to elect a bishop of Rome. Like thousands of others, including the international media, we stand outside wondering what is happening within. Occasionally there are puffs of smoke from the chimney but there is confusion as to what they mean. Eventually white smoke appears and soon after the window of the papal apartment opens. A cardinal announces “habemus papam” and presents Benedict XVI to us. A day or so later we again gather in St. Peter’s Square for the consecration of the new pope. The liturgy is very elaborate and very moving. Look at the thousands of men and women and children about you. Then look up toward the façade of the basilica. What do you see? A sea of red and purple garments worn by the cardinals and bishops. You look hard to find someone who is not a cleric in that privileged sanctuary. Is there a layman or a laywoman there? Perhaps one or two. Between the selection of Matthias and the election of Benedict XVI there is a long history. In the early centuries the clergy and people of the diocese freely elected their bishop, considered as a successor to the apostles. That electoral tradition was sanctioned by Church Councils and repeatedly affirmed by the popes. Sadly, over time both clergy and people were eliminated from any role in the process. The election of Benedict XVI was carried out in total secrecy by a body of men who can scarcely be said to represent the clergy of the city of Rome, to say nothing of the people of Rome. We cannot say that we witnessed the election. We didn’t. We heard about the outcome when we were told, “habemus papam.” Re-Membering a Dis-Membered Church. My favorite image of the Church is St. Paul’s description of Christ’s Body. Christ’s Body, the Church, he tells us, is composed of many members, whose individual gifts are essential to the unity and health of the whole. Although St. Paul emphasized that one part of the Body cannot say to another, “I do not need you,” that is exactly what has happened. The history of episcopal elections is marked by a progressive dismissal of various elements considered unnecessary by the hierarchy. The uneducated were told, “we do not need you;” women were told, “we do not need you.” Then the laity in general and the rank of file of priests and deacons were told, “we do not need you.” The exclusion of all these members of Christ’s Body has led many to wrongly identify the Church with the hierarchy. The rest of us have been cast aside, cut off, disenfranchised, dis-membered, as Francine Cardman so eloquently put it. The Body of Christ has been mutilated. The restoration to the clergy and people of their baptismal right to elect their own bishops is a necessary step toward re-membering our dis-membered Church. By taking that step we will be helping to make the Body of Christ healthy, whole and entire once again. Now let us pray. O God, source of life and wisdom, guide us by your grace on this journey of restoration as we aspire to renew the pristine beauty of your Church. Amen. National Representative Council NOTES Reported by Frank Douglas, representative for Region 13 (AZ, CO, NM, UT, WY) Click here to see identify the Council Representative for your region. The Council adopted, by a 17-2 vote, procedures for processing both draft policy-related proposals and draft action plans associated with approved proposals. In effect, approval of these procedures says the Council is fully "open for business," i.e., the business of making VOTF policy. Dan Bartley, a Representative from Region 2 (NY) and co-director of VOTF-Long Island, submitted the first draft proposal. Dan's proposal calls for VOTF to formally adopt the position that the financial aspect of diocesan priest retirements should not come under the exclusive control of the local Bishop. A second draft proposal, submitted by Bud Bretschneider and Bill Culleton, both of Region 3 (NJ PA) and VOTF-Philadelphia, calls for an annual liturgy of healing as a public act of reconciliation with those estranged from their faith because of clergy sexual abuse. Discussion on both issues has already started, and we hope all VOTF members will express an opinion on the two proposals by sending an e-mail to their elected Representative. Other possible resolutions are also being discussed. The Council will be providing progress reports on the proposals as discussions and votes take place. Work continued on the prioritization of the nine draft resolutions from the Indianapolis convocation to identify the top three and return the results from affiliates and non-affiliate members to the regional Representatives by Sept 30th. Council members participated in a conference call with the Convocation Implementation team (CIT) to firm up the process for prioritizing the nine recommendations. The tabulated results from each region will be returned to the CIT by Oct. 6th. Identify your Council representative. In a Mother’s Words – “Watch your language”
Note from VOTF vice-president Kris Ward: A member of the Dayton affiliate, Ginny Hoehne, is the mother of a survivor and a member of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. Ginny delivered the following message at the September meeting of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk is the Archbishop of Cincinnati. He attends all meetings. At this meeting the Auxiliary Bishop Carl K. Moeddell was also present as well as the chair of the archdiocesan pastoral council Judge Michael Merz, a member of the National Review Board. At the end of each Archdiocesan Pastoral Council meeting (the meetings are held quarterly) there is an open forum in which the members of the Council may make statements and/or ask questions of Archbishop Daniel Pilarcyzk. At the Saturday September 10 meeting, Ginny Hoehne made the following statement: There are several words that I have heard bandied about in the past several months when discussing Church related issues. One is the word vindictive – the definition is revengeful in spirit. It is used especially by those in hierarchical roles, describing Catholics who are now demanding accountability, responsibility, truthfulness, openness, and financial transparency have used this word. Anyone who is married knows and lives these words if they expect their marriage to work. (I repeat) I find it interesting that these same words become vindictive when asked of those who lead our Church. Survivors of abuse by priests, and those who support them, are now being called vindictive as they try to find justice for the vile crimes that have been committed against them. Meanwhile some bishops see this as a public relations problem rather than the greatest crisis in the history of the Church in our nation. Some have chosen to work outside the confines of civil law, while others attempt to thwart new laws that would expose these offenders, thus giving the offenders the ability to continue their abuse. The men from whom their salaries are drawn are calling Catholics in parishes and dioceses that have been scammed of hundreds of thousands of dollars and are now asking for accountability vindictive. Many insiders say financial improprieties within the Church may very well be the second largest scandal to be exposed. In 1988 I visited Medjugorge, Yugoslavia. Whether you believe in these Marian apparitions or not, there were some rather interesting pleas for prayers. One was for peace, and shortly thereafter the Yugoslav war broke out. One was for children, which I didn't think of as unusual, but was also ignorant of my own son's, and thousands of others, abuse at the time. And one was to pray for bishops because they were in trouble. I found this rather strange, since I thought they were about as close to God as anyone could get, but now I clearly understand that the misused power of their position had corrupted some of them. By saying these things, I am not being vindictive, but am speaking the truth in love as an adult Catholic. The second word is adulthood. Pope John XXIII died on June 3, 1963, two days before I graduated from Mt. St. Joe here in Cincinnati. It was a bittersweet graduation, for we were saddened by the loss of this great man, but were excited by his messages of opening the Church to a new day of bringing the laity into a closer participation and active role within the Church. We were told that now was the time to grow up in our Church, and walk shoulder to shoulder with our priests and bishops. Many new ministries were formed, but little if any participation in executive decision-making. Those of you who are my age and older know that a sense of responsibility was quickly muted by hierarchy because walking shoulder to shoulder meant lateral movement, and the hierarchical structure then as now is equivalent to a pyramidal ladder. This theology means that those below (the laity) are subject to those above, and are not even permitted to dissent. And so, in essence the laity is the church when it comes to supporting the parish and diocese, when it comes to pledges, or other ministries, but when it comes to a meaningful voice in shaping decisions that touch directly upon our lives or in the making of rules or in the exercising of church governance, we are at the bottom of the pyramid. Interestingly, it was the aftermath of the abuse scandal that caused many of us to say, "Enough! This is our church, too. And we want to save it for our children and grandchildren." So now, 40 years later, I am once again hearing that now is the time for the laity to be adults in the Church. Now is the time to “Be not afraid,” and assume our rightful roles if we are to rebuild trust and renew the face of the Church. That now, while the numbers of graduate seminarians is approximately 4,000, there are 30,000 lay women and men training to be ecclesial ministers in the U.S. That now is the time to challenge clergy with kindness and compassion as St. Catherine of Sienna did in her day, speaking truth in love. That now, as newly ordained say to the bishop “Adsum," meaning, "I am here," they, along with us, God's holy people, can all state “Adsum” to the universal priesthood, "I am here, I am present and I pledge my loyalty to the gospel, to my conscience, and to the Church." For this Church is not just my Church, it is not the Bishop's Church, it is Christ's Church, and there's much rebuilding to be done. The polarization that we have known needs to be avoided as we move forward with imagination and the Holy Spirit's gift of wisdom, all of us saying “Adsum.” |