Dear Editor, I am a young Catholic woman in her twenties, and I am writing to challenge the assumption that the Church is a misogynistic institution.
The Oxford dictionary defines a misogynist as “a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women”. For some, the Church is misogynistic because it does not ordain women, yet this is not sufficient to merit the accusation. The misogyny would need to extend to every sector of the universal Church, to every parish and diocese, with no exceptions.
I, for one, have never felt despised or been denied meaningful roles in my parish because of my gender. In fact, I am currently serving on my parish pastoral council, and as well as leading initiatives like Alpha, Youth 2000, and music ministry, I have helped facilitate many parish events. Furthermore, as a primary school teacher in my diocese, I have an important role in catechesis and sacramental preparation.
I say this not to magnify service, but to highlight the fact that in all these initiatives I have felt fully supported and appreciated by my priests and fellow council members. I have never felt discriminated against or made to feel like I do not have a voice. The term ‘misogynistic’ simply doesn’t apply.
Women do not need to be ordained to have meaningful roles in ministry. Opportunities abound for lay people, both male and female, to lead parish initiatives or to take on roles in spiritual formation or catechesis, especially now when re-evangelisation is such an urgent need.
The US has so many examples of this in action. The priesthood, in the end, is not open to all men either, because God has not called the vast majority to it. We are all, in fact, called to lead others to Christ. This is the kind of leadership I prefer to focus on.
Yours etc.,
Róisín O’Rourke
Leitrim Village
Co. Leitrim.
Anyone who is truly Catholic knows how to vote
Dear Editor, You report Mrs Mary McAleese as having said in a recent interview that she has not decided how to vote in the forthcoming referendum on the abolition of the Eighth Amendment of the Irish Constitution (IC 15/03/18).
One wonders why anyone who claims to be a Catholic would be undecided as to how to vote on an amendment which protects life. John Bruton clearly has no feelings of hesitation about the subject and his recent comments are most welcome. So too is David Quinn’s article (IC 15/03/18). He gives the reasons why no Catholic with an informed conscience can do otherwise than vote to retain the amendment.
Mrs McAleese claimed in her recent interview to be strongly pro-life; in her Rome lecture she refers to the “ethereal beauty of the Nativity”. Nevertheless, she is at best equivocal on the vital subject of the referendum. Her praise for comments by pro-choice obstetricians can hardly inspire confidence that she will vote the right way.
If Mrs McAleese does decide to vote for repeal then that act on her part will be but another stage in her drifting away from the Church. Her Rome lecture makes it clear how distant she now is from orthodox Catholicism. Descriptions of Church teaching as “ludicrous” and “misogyny dressed up as theology” might be expected from an anti-Catholic Protestant or from an atheist polemicist; but they ought never to come from anyone inside the Church.
Yours etc.,
C.D.C Armstrong,
Belfast, Co. Antrim.
Let’s hope Francis visits North
Dear Editor, I will be surprised if Pope Francis doesn’t come to the North of Ireland during his visit for the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) this August.
The current political situation in the North, which is failing all people, would really benefit from the Pope’s presence, as he could offer words of unity and solidarity. I hope he makes his presence known.
Yours etc.,
Daniel Moloney,
Derry.
Pope Francis is a good guardian of doctrine
Dear Editor, In the five years of his pontificate to date, Pope Francis has shown himself to be humble, compassionate and non-judgemental. This has sometimes been interpreted as a sign that he will change Church teaching and some have been disappointed that this didn’t happen. Something similar occurred in the aftermath of Vatican II.
I recall the excitement and the sense that everything was potentially up for change and that all roles in the Church were open to everyone. Years later I discovered that some of the ideas around Vatican II and change were illusion having regard to what Pope John XIII said near the beginning of his opening statement at the Council. He made it clear that change could not relate to the Christian doctrine but only to the way it was taught. He said: “The greatest concern of the Ecumenical Council is this: that the sacred deposit of Christian doctrine should be guarded and taught more efficaciously.” Pope Francis carries on this legacy.
Yours etc.,
Eileen Gaughan,
Strandhill, Co. Sligo.
Never mind the length, deliver the accuracy!
Dear Editor, Fr Bernard Healy says, “A bit of planning can help deliver a worthy homily” as he comments on Pope Francis’ statement that “[homilies] should not last more than 10 minutes, please” (IC 15/03/18). I suggest that the focus ought to be on helping listeners to remember accurately.
Probably, the best remembered homily I know of was that of a rural Tipperary parish priest who delivered this 90-word (less than half-a minute) one: “I have nothing prepared. As some of you know, I spent the night talking on-and-off to a man who died about an hour ago. Anyway, I’ve nothing new to say. I’ve often told you that daily we decide the length of our post-death Purgatory regrets. We so decide by how much we are helpful when tempted to be harmful. I’ve talked much about how we are one or the other. It’s now for you to decide whether your Purgatories will be short or maybe very long. May God bless you.”
Yours etc.,
Joe Foyle,
Ranelagh, Dublin 6.
Abortion is an issue for the North too
Dear Editor, The repeal or not of the Eighth Amendment will have island-wide ramifications. The mother of a pregnant teenage girl in Belfast may be pleased that her daughter could travel for an abortion to Dundalk rather than Manchester or she may be horrified at the thought. The liberal path Ireland has chosen recently will either continue or more conservative citizens will stand athwart and say stop. The cultural consequences of the amendment’s repeal or not are too serious to be left to the voters of the Republic alone.
A Catalan-like referendum at the ballot box organized by concerned citizens in Northern Ireland on the same date as it is held in the South with both votes tallied together would create a national and international sensation. There are many northern, southern, and trans-border institutions and groupings on both sides of the issue who I am sure would be pre-disposed and determined to get involved with and arrange to help with such a project.
Yours etc.,
Kevin Buckley ,
Montclair, New Jersey.
Please, silence those phones!
Dear Editor, I’m writing to respectfully ask all parishioners in all dioceses in Ireland to please switch off, or put on silent, all their mobile phones before and for the duration of the celebration of the Eucharist. Not only are these objects causing interruptions at various parts of the ceremony but are being answered in situ. Texting is another activity pursued during Mass. Maybe the priest or a recorded message could be played before the Mass asking the congregation to silence their phones or to turn them off altogether unless they are waiting for notification of an urgent organ transplant.
Yours etc.,
John Murphy,
Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo.