.....[Pope] Francis touched off the debate Thursday in Rome when he washed and kissed the feet of two women at a juvenile detention center. No pope had ever washed the feet of a woman, leading some to believe Francis was making a pointed statement about church inclusiveness.
Johanna Hatch via Call to Action
“I was moved almost to tears,” said Johanna Hatch of Verona, a Catholic who is co-president of the board of directors for the Women’s Ordination Conference, a national group that advocates for female priests.
Women make up a majority of church workers, from pastoral associates to Sunday school teachers, and are a majority of the Catholics in the pews, she said. “It’s unfair to exclude them from this ritual,” she said.
At Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish on Madison’s Near West Side, the largest church in the 11-county diocese, Monsignor Ken Fiedler told parishioners he would forgo the ritual because of the men-only rule, according to people in attendance.
“The whole congregation started clapping,” said Austin Lacey, a church member who said he agreed with Fiedler’s position. Fiedler could not be reached for comment.
King said Morlino was aware that Fiedler had decided not to offer the ritual — a position Fiedler also took last year — and that this was fine with the bishop.
The Rev. Stephen Umhoefer, pastor of Nativity of Mary Catholic Church in Janesville, also did not do the foot-washing ritual Thursday or last year. In an interview, he said he felt “conflicted about excluding women.” It was a difficult decision, he said.
6 comments:
I would assume you included the mention of the "womanpriests" to show how the actions of Pope Francis were confusing and perhaps not prudent, but I wonder if this will actually strengthen the Church, having these heretical groups drawn to tears at a pope's actions (under the assumption that he will stay true to the doctrines of the Church.) I'm not saying that these actions of the Pope will bring all the heretical groups into communion with the Church, but maybe they might open the eyes of some of their members and bring them back. Just looking for a positive light among all of this.
Also, I think the post is making the tacit implication that the pope is supporting women's ordination, which clearly isn't the case. You've contrasted these two different outcomes (joy and forgoing the rite) implying one is wrong and one is right (which I'm not saying is "wrong" to do) but if you read the section about the womanpriests, it doesn't say anything untruthful. The church is inclusive,the most inclusive of all organizations I would argue. I think the main difference might be is that the girls at the detention center (one being a muslim) probably didn't care one way or another about the rite, and probably weren't even in communion with the Church. The womanpriests demand inclusion yet are not in communion with the Church. When Jesus would eat and talk with women, he never invited them to become apostles or told them to be a high priest. I think it is more appropriate for the pope to wash women's feet than it would be for you or I in that manner.
Until I saw this was local, I just sort of assumed it was Eye of the Tiber.
You are saying my post, or the post on WisSJ? The "womanpriest" is from Wisconsin.... The pope doesn't (and literally cannot) support womenpriests, nor do I think he does or would support them, although I wonder why I have to state that fact. Is this newsworthy? Sure it is. This is not a diocesan newspaper.
I in fact agree that it may strengthen the faithful on the theology of the priesthood. I posted on Twitter the other day that this may indicate he will hear the arguments of "womenpriests" not because he agrees with them, but because allowing them to be heard and explaining why they are wrong would only strengthen the faithful.
I have no problem with the changing of the rite, but folks like Ed Peters have stated that ignoring the existing law instead of changing it encourages others to do the same. If the celebrant is not washing the feet of priests or seminarians, I see no reason why it can't be a more generic foot washing, but it should probably be one or the other and clearly stated that the ceremony's meaning(which should be done because of the confusion of the day).
The point of this post is not to bash Pope Francis. I always cover Catholic news in this state. I don't have time to add commentary to every post.... unless I did this as a full time job which would be a nice gig. When I post, I do so without endorsement of the content, just simply as a "here's some news I found and the interesting details."
I support this becoming your full time job...I enjoy it. I supposed I don't think the fact that "womanpriests" would find this emotionally moving to be newsworthy. To me it wasn't really "catholic news." I also agree with the importance of sticking with liturgical rubrics unless a change has been officially promulgated.
My main thought is that...many people found the gesture to be emotionally moving, but there were not articles (maybe they don't exist!) of people who found this gesture to be a moving one, only the womenpriests...which made me perhaps read into this too much an implied support of womanpriests by pope francis.
There were many people, mostly people in line with church teaching who thought this to be a touching gesture (if not confusing for your run of the mill catholic) but the only people quoted in your post as finding this a touching gesture were people who are actively working against the church.
Anyway...enjoy your posts.
I have never been a fan of the foot-washing. Fine, for the bishop - including the Pope - with his priests at the Chrism Mass. It’s significance has been corrupted. And now it is co-opted into a ‘women’s rights’ movement.
It is meant to demonstrate humility and service, but has become showmanship. Priests who omit it ‘on account of the women issue’ are not demonstrating service and humility but militancy – and a militancy for the wrong reasons, at that – the applause of the crowd.
If they really want to demonstrate service and humility let them get themselves down to the nearest homeless shelter or soup kitchen, roll up their sleeves, and actually do something constructive.
The foot-washing is optional in parishes. Omit it – not for reasons of demagoguery – but because it’s true significance has been lost.
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