Church Men Crackdown on Church Women.

The Vatican has determined that women cannot be priests, they cannot preach, and now they can not be trusted to run their own religious organizations. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, headed by Cardinal Levada, has called on Archbishop Sartain, with Bishops Paprocki and Blair, to revise and oversee the work of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LWCR) – an umbrella organization of women religious leaders that represent nearly 55,000 sisters in the US. The US bishops have been complaining that their priorities (anti-birth control, anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage) haven’t been the priorities of the sisters. They are more concerned with social justice, disobedience and “radical” feminism. Chicago journalist and editorialist Carol Marin asks that the Vatican stop “waging a war against US Nuns.”

Vatican waging a war on nuns

CAROL MARIN

cmarin@suntimes.com

Last Modified: Apr 22, 2012 02:38AM

You decide if this makes sense.

There is a criminal trial under way in Philadelphia in which a Catholic priest is charged with attempted rape of a minor, and the priest’s codefendant, a monsignor, is charged with covering up clergy sexual abuse.

There is a bishop in Peoria who recently saw fit to compare the actions of President Barack Obama to those of Adolf Hitler.

So how is it that the Vatican last week issued a decree that American nuns are the ones in big trouble for what they’ve said and done? And the nuns need a tighter leash?

Yes, if you thought things could not get more surreal or insulting for the women of the Catholic Church, you may have underestimated the lengths the Curia will go to alienate American Catholics from a faith they love and from a hierarchy that has compromised much of its moral authority.

In a scathing rebuke, the Vati­can ordered the overhaul of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, an organization that represents most of the 57,000 sisters in the United States.

What sins have these women committed? According to the Vatican, these nuns have been too focused on issues of poverty, war, health care and homosexuality. And not fixated enough on what the bishops think is most important — women’s wombs.

These nuns — “radical feminists,” says the Vatican — have failed to understand that the bishops are their “authentic teachers.”

Does that include Boston’s Cardinal Bernard Law who, after obstructing justice in one of the most horrific chapters of the pedophile scandal, now lives in Rome as a prince of the church?

Three bishops, including Illinois’ Thomas Paprocki, have been appointed to rein in the nuns’ group by reviewing its policies, approving speeches and monitoring obedience to — you know — the bishops.

A spokeswoman for nuns’ group would say only that they were “stunned.”

“Sisters will respond with sadness but not fear,” predicted Kathleen Sprows Cummings, an expert on women religious who teaches at Notre Dame.

“I don’t know what the sisters will do. It will take some really creative response,” Cummings said, “but they’ve been responding creatively to challenges in the church for a long time.”

Indeed.

One of the recent challenges was the ex-communication of Sister Margaret McBride, an administrator at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix, by Bishop Thomas Olmsted. Her crime was to permit, as a member of the hospital’s ethics committee, a gravely ill mother of four to terminate a pregnancy that would have resulted in the death of her baby and herself.

Those of us who have been educated by Catholic sisters or have witnessed their work know the hierarchy has never given them the respect they deserve.

Surely, there are thoughtful bishops who recoil at what the Vatican is doing here. Why they don’t speak up, I will never know.

At mass this week, one of the readings was from Acts 5:29. The apostles Peter and John were ordered by the temple’s high priest not to teach. And their response was, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”

The nuns of this church are doing God’s work. They deserve gratitude and respect.

Not the Vatican’s unpardonable scorn.

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Copyright © 2012 — Sun-Times Media, LLC

Fr. Pat Brennan: I was denied pastorate after critiquing new Roman Missal

As a part of a scripture reflection, Fr. Brennan revealed the following...

(POSTED: 3/28/12) About five months ago, an Archdiocesan official asked to see me. He told me that he thought it would be a good idea for me to try to become a pastor again, that indeed I am a good pastor. I mentioned a parish that was opening up for a pastorate that I was interested in, and he thought I would be good for that role. We closed our time together very amicably.

Subsequently, I wrote in for three parishes, one in the Diocese of Joliet, where I currently work on weekends, and two in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

We are all trying to get accustomed to the new Roman Missal. During a homily in Naperville, I recently confessed to the people my frustration in using the Roman Missal. I mentioned that the style of writing in the missal was difficult to follow and understand. The people gave me a standing ovation, but someone in the congregation called the Bishop of Joliet about my remarks. The pastor of the Naperville parish was called by the bishop’s office to find out what happened. I did not hear much about this matter until recently.

Last week, I received a phone call from an official in the Joliet diocese telling me that I did not receive the pastorate of the parish in Naperville, where I was working. I was told it was because two Joliet priests applied for it, and they had a greater chance of getting it because they were Joliet priests. I accepted that. I waited for word about the parishes in the Archdiocese of Chicago that I applied for. The other priests who were applying for pastorates were informed on Thursday or Friday of that week about their future. It was already Sunday, late morning, and I had not heard anything from the Archdiocesan Priest Placement Board. I called one of the members on the board. He said that I did not receive the pastorates of the two Chicago parishes, and that someone was going to call to explain that.

I received a phone call on Sunday afternoon from an Archdiocesan official. He informed me that I did not receive a pastorate at either of the two Chicago parishes. When I asked why, he said: “You did not get the Naperville parish because of a homily you gave critiquing the new Roman Missal, and that reason factored in the Chicago decisions also.” The next day I had a discussion with another Archdiocesan official, who told me that I probably would not be allowed to be a pastor in the Archdiocese of Chicago again. I must say that this whole experience has jarred me a great deal and made me very anxious and sad.

http://www.chicagocatholicnews.com/?p=1237

Mrs. Ted Kennedy Dis-invited

Vicki Kennedy, the widow of Senator Ted Kennedy, is a lifelong Catholic who has received honorary degrees from two Catholic colleges. So why is a Massachusetts bishop prohibiting her from serving as a commencement speaker this year?

Kennedy had accepted an invitation from Anna Maria College to speak at this year's graduation, but Worcester Bishop Robert McManus forced them to withdraw the invitation. According to his office, Catholics who disagree with church teaching should not be honored by Catholic institutions -- a standard that conservative bishops seem to apply only to Democrats.

Bishop McManus even refused Kennedy's request to meet in person to discuss his concerns. As she put it, "by objecting to my appearance at Anna Maria College he has made a judgment about my worthiness as a Catholic. This is a sad day for me and an even sadder one for the Church I love."

Bishops have consistently remained silent when conservative figures like John Boehner, Antonin Scalia, and George W. Bush are honored by Catholic institutions despite flouting church teaching on war, the death penalty, torture, and other issues. This time, let's show that everyday people of faith won't accept their campaign of selective censorship and intimidation towards progressive Catholics.

Sign a petition telling Bishop McManus to allow Vicki Kennedy to speak. http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2518/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=10087

Funny hats, Royal Robes, Good Grief Charley Brown!

WHO ARE THESE GUYS AND WHERE ARE THE WOMEN?
Hank Mattimore

Am I the only Catholic totally embarrassed by the recent “coronation” of new bishops into the ranks of cardinals in Rome? The miters on their heads, the flowery red robes, their funny little slippers on their feet, the opulence of the setting made me think of a Cecil B Demille movie about the Holy Roman Empire.

C’mon guys, who in the name of heaven is your PR Manager? Is this foppery the message you want to convey to the world? “Here we are in all our finery, the Church Triumphant.” Funny. I thought we were founded by a poor carpenter in Nazareth.”

Is this who we are, this assembly of silk robed old bucks parading down the aisles of St.Peter’s in medieval costumes? As a Catholic, I say, “Shame on you, Holy Father and your entourage of cardinals. You all look pretty silly.

Don’t tell me it is tradition. That kind of tradition didn’t start until Charlemagne declared the Church to be the official religion of the Holy Roman Empire, three centuries after Christ. The Holy Roman Empire is long gone? May it rest in peace.

I submit that the traditions we want to follow are rooted in the life of a poor carpenter, whose followers were chosen from the ranks of fishermen and ordinary working stiffs. I dare say there wasn’t a red robe to be found in their ranks.

If we are serious about honoring tradition, how do we explain the awkward fact that our first Pope had a mother-in-law? And what about the presence of all those women who followed Jesus so loyally? Maybe I missed it, but I didn’t see even one woman in the Papal entourage.

Jesus chose his followers from ordinary folks. As far as I know he didn’t say “Okay, if you want to join me on my mission, you have to be male and celibate. No one else need apply.” I don’t think so.

Don’t misunderstand me. I am a Catholic and proud of it. My church has served the poor and the marginalized of the world. It has built schools and hospitals and been in the forefront for social justice, the rights of workers, the dignity of humankind.

I stand for this church, pray with its members and love what it stands for. The Church I identify with gives a preference for the poor and works for world peace and calls on people to love one another. That’s the Church I belong to.

As for your royal regalia, surely you can find a place for it in the Vatican Museum.

Hank’s Blog: http://yagrowsoryadies.blogharbor.com/

After priest refuses to stop ad libbing during the Mass, Belleville Diocese accepts his resignation

After priest refuses to stop ad libbing during the Mass, Belleville Diocese accepts his resignation
BY GEORGE PAWLACZYKNews-Democrat

After 47 years as a priest, and at least two decades of straying from the Roman Catholic Missal by ad libbing parts of the Mass, the Rev. Bill Rowe of St. Mary Church has resigned under pressure from the bishop.

Why? Because he doesn't agree that a priest should be restricted to the exact words of the Missal, including new changes in the Mass that were intended to more closely interpret earlier Latin versions. The changes were ordered by the Vatican and took effect in late November.

Rowe, 72, said he was called to a meeting in October at the Belleville home of Bishop Edward Braxton. Rowe said that Braxton told him he could not change even small parts of what a Catholic priest is supposed to say during the portions of the Mass that are controlled by the Missal.

Rowe said Braxton told him to "think about it" for three days and then write him a letter. Rowe said he sent the letter on Oct. 12 stating he could not accept what Braxton wanted but did not want to resign or retire. He said he did not receive a response until a few days ago from Braxton, accepting his resignation.

Rowe will leave his parish in June after a successor has been installed.

The Rev. John Myler, diocese spokesman, said, "I have no comment at this time. If that changes, I will contact you."

Frank Flinn, an adjunct professor of religious studies at Washington University, said it is the first removal of a priest that he knows about in connection with a failure to follow the new version of the Roman Missal.

"I predicted that it would drive priests out and I was laughed at, at the time," said Flinn, "but here it is, the truth."

Monsignor Rick Hilgartner, director of the Department of Divine Worship of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., said the changes were made to make the church stronger by making the Missal adhere as closely as possible to the early Latin among the many languages of Catholics around the world.

"The architectural style of a church and the music vary from culture to culture and from place to place. The language of expressing what's expressed in the Mass, our prayer and our worship, varies from place to place in the way the language is translated," he said, "but the essential truths are the same because we all start with the same text."

Rowe said that during the most recent Sunday Mass at St. Mary's, "That as best as I can remember," he said near the opening of the Mass, "We thank you God, for giving us Jesus who helped us to be healed in mind and heart and proclaim his love to others."

Rome's new Missal required him to instead say, "Lord our God that we may honor you with all our mind and love everyone in truth of heart."

Rowe said he routinely made small changes to make what he was saying "more understandable and more meaningful to parishioners."

In his reply to Braxton, Rowe wrote, "I realize that you can no longer allow me to celebrate the Eucharist as has been my custom. I therefore offer my resignation as pastor of St. Mary parish so that you may appoint someone who will follow the liturgical laws more closely."

In his Feb. 2 letter in response to Braxton's letter accepting his resignation, Rowe wrote, "My offer to resign seemed to be the best way to resolve the problem in a pastoral way."

Braxton in his letter also asked Rowe, "...to make every provision in the rectory to make it comfortable for your successor. Please make sure that all appropriate books for the celebration of the Eucharist in accord with the new translation of the Missale Romanum are in place. Please also make sure that all appropriate sanctuary furnishings are in place."

Alice Wirth, principal of St. Mary's School in Mount Carmel, described Rowe as "the backbone of our church. ...To make him resign over something he said in the Missal is senseless."
Wirth said that she regularly attends Mass where Rowe is the priest but never objected or even noticed the changes in the way he spoke portions of the Missal.

"What he did was for better understanding. Everything he did was for the benefit of the parishioners and the students," she said.

Rowe said he has been ad libbing small parts of the Missal since the 1980s and was once warned by former Belleville Bishop Wilton Gregory that he was "pushing the envelope." Gregory is now the archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Atlanta.

"This is a turf fight. They are going to end up driving more good people out of the priesthood, said Flinn, the Washington University professor who wrote the "The Encyclopedia of Catholicism" that was published by Barnes & Noble in 2007.

"This is just nit-picking to divert attention from real problems that face the church like child sex abuse by priests," he said. "They brand you a heretic unless you follow the authorized translation. ...They're making a mountain out of a molehill."

Rowe, who has served for 17 years in Mount Carmel without accepting his priest's salary, relying, he said, on an Air Force pension and Social Security, said that he is unsure of what he may do when his career as head of a parish ends.

"Maybe I'll run a soup kitchen," he said.

Contact reporter George Pawlaczyk at gpawlaczyk@bnd.com or 239-2625.

Video link: http://videos.bnd.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=131242621&item_index=

Article: http://www.bnd.com/2012/02/03/2043611/after-priest-refuses-to-accept.html?story_link=email_msg

Colbert and the "New" Mass...

Stephen Colbert, the TV comedian/political wag has a reoccurring bit called “Yahweh or No Way”. It gives him a chance to pontificate about religious news events. His attention was recently drawn to the “new” English Missal translation, among other things. You can view his commentary at: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/403247/november-29-2011/yahweh-or-no-way---altered-catholic-mass--papal-seat-belt---offensive-vodka-ad

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