Mersey Leven Catholic Parish
Parish Priest: Fr
Assistant Priest: Fr Alexander Obiorah Mob: 0447 478 297; alexchuksobi@yahoo.co.uk
Postal Address: Parish Office:
(Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 10am - 3pm)
Secretary: Annie Davies / Anne Fisher
Pastoral Council Chair: Jenny Garnsey
Pastoral Council Chair: Jenny Garnsey
Parish Mass Times: mlcpmasstimes.blogspot.com.au
Weekly Homily Podcast: mikedelaney.podomatic.com
Parish Magazine: mlcathparishnewsletter.blogspot.com.au
Year of Mercy Blogspot: mlcpyom.blogspot.com.au
Our Parish Sacramental Life
Baptism: Parents are asked to contact the Parish Office to make arrangements for attending a Baptismal Preparation Session and booking a Baptism date.
Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist: Are received following a Family–centred, Parish-based, School-supported Preparation Program.
Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults: prepares adults for reception into the Catholic community.
Marriage: arrangements are made by contacting one of our priests - couples attend a Pre-marriage Program
Anointing of the Sick: please contact one of our priests
Reconciliation: Ulverstone - Fridays (10am - 10:30am)
Devonport - Saturday (5:15pm– 5.45pm)
Penguin - Saturday (5:15pm - 5:45pm)
Care and Concern: If you are aware of anyone who is in need of assistance and has given permission to be contacted by Care and Concern, please phone the Parish Office.
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Weekday Masses 24th - 27th May, 2016
Tuesday: 9:30am Penguin
Wednesday: 9:30am
Latrobe
Thursday: 12noon
Devonport
Friday: 9:30am Ulverstone
Mass Times Next Weekend 28th & 29th May,
2016
Saturday Vigil: 6:00pm Penguin & Devonport
Sunday Mass: 8:30am Port Sorell (L.W.C.)
9:00am
Ulverstone
10:30am
Devonport
11:00am
Sheffield (L.W.C.)
5:00pm Latrobe
Every
Friday 10am - 12noon, concluding with Stations of the Cross and Angelus
Devonport: Benediction with Adoration - first Friday of
each month.
Legion of Mary: Sacred Heart Church Community Room,
Ulverstone, Wednesdays, 11am
Christian Meditation:
Devonport, Emmaus House - Wednesdays 7pm.
Prayer Group:
Charismatic Renewal
Devonport, Emmaus House - Thursdays 7.30pm
Ministry Rosters 28th & 29th May, 2016
Devonport:
Readers: Vigil: A McIntyre, M Williams, R Baker
10:30am A Hughes, T Barrientos, P Piccolo
Ministers of Communion: Vigil B O’Connor,
R Beaton,
K Brown, Beau Windebank, J Heatley, T Bird
S Riley, S
Arrowsmith
Cleaners 27th May: K Hull, F Stevens, M Chan
3rd June: M.W.C.
Piety Shop 28th May: R McBain 29th May: P Piccolo Flowers: M Knight, B Naiker
Ulverstone:
Reader: F Pisano Ministers of
Communion:
M Mott, M
Fennell, L Hay, T Leary
Cleaners: M
McKenzie, M Singh, N Pearce Flowers: C Stingel Hospitality: K Foster
Penguin:
Greeter: J & T Kiely Commentator: E Nickols Readers: M & D Hiscutt
Procession: Fifita family Ministers of Communion: J Barker, A Guest
Liturgy: Sulphur Creek J Setting Up: F Aichberger Care of Church: Y & R Downes
Latrobe:
Reader: M Chan Ministers of Communion: Z Smith, M Mackey Procession: J Hyde Music:
Port Sorell:
Readers: G Bellchambers, L Post Ministers of Communion: E Holloway Clean/Flow/Prepare: G Wylie
Readings this Week: The Most Holy Trinity – Year C
First Reading: Proverbs 8:22-31
Second Reading: Romans 5:1-5
Gospel: John 16:12-15
PREGO REFLECTION ON TODAYS GOSPEL:
I read the gospel text slowly, perhaps imagining the Upper
Room, at the Last Supper, where Jesus is speaking to his disciples.
Today, in my own place of prayer, I may want to be with them.
I listen to what Jesus is saying to his friends, to me.
In a spirit of readiness, I begin my prayer.
Perhaps I come to realise that the Spirit, Jesus and the Father are one, in total harmony, sharing the ‘complete truth’.
How am I moved as I reflect upon this harmony?
In what ways do I feel I am being led toward the complete truth?
I might like to imagine the Trinity—Father, Son and Spirit—looking down upon our world. What do they see?
How do these divine persons look upon me?
I ponder upon God at work, among his disciples through Jesus, and within me through his Spirit.
How might I respond, this week, to the Holy Spirit who pours the love of God into my heart (2nd Reading)?
I end this time of prayer with a slow ‘Glory Be’ as I make a reverent sign of the Cross.
Today, in my own place of prayer, I may want to be with them.
I listen to what Jesus is saying to his friends, to me.
In a spirit of readiness, I begin my prayer.
Perhaps I come to realise that the Spirit, Jesus and the Father are one, in total harmony, sharing the ‘complete truth’.
How am I moved as I reflect upon this harmony?
In what ways do I feel I am being led toward the complete truth?
I might like to imagine the Trinity—Father, Son and Spirit—looking down upon our world. What do they see?
How do these divine persons look upon me?
I ponder upon God at work, among his disciples through Jesus, and within me through his Spirit.
How might I respond, this week, to the Holy Spirit who pours the love of God into my heart (2nd Reading)?
I end this time of prayer with a slow ‘Glory Be’ as I make a reverent sign of the Cross.
Readings Next Week: The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) – Year C
First Reading: Genesis 14:18-20
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel: Luke 9:11-17
Your prayers are asked for the sick:
Noreen Burton, Joan
Singline, John Kirkpatrick, Connie Fulton,
Lorna Jones, Geraldine Roden, Joy Carter &...
Lorna Jones, Geraldine Roden, Joy Carter &...
Let us pray for those who have died recently:
Betty Broadbent, Josephine Price, Alicia Visorro, Sonal Perera, Anthony
Smith, Olga Andruszko, Maureen McManus, Bernadette Williams, Fr Terry
Southerwood and Lola O’Halloran.
Let us pray for those whose anniversary occurs about this time: 18th
– 24th May
Lance Cole, Patricia Down, Paul
Sulzberger, Phyllis Fraser, Kathleen Hall, Alfred Nichols, Mariea McCormick, Margaret Bresnehan, Bernard C.
Marshall, Margaret Murphy,
Harry Maker, Dianne McMullen and Edith Tierney.
May they Rest in Peace
WEEKLY
RAMBLINGS:
I
know it is mentioned elsewhere in this week’s newsletter but I would like to
simply express my sincere appreciation and thanks to all who made last Sunday’s
Whole of Parish such a success. It didn’t just happen and there were so many
people who assisted that it would be difficult to thank everyone so to all of
you – Thanks!!
For
those who are anxiously waiting to see what my weight loss was – there is a
photo of the scales available if anyone wants verification – but my current
weight is 96.2kgs. On Easter Sunday I said that my starting weight was 102.7kgs
– so I have managed to lose 6.5kgs which means that I have contributed $150 to
the Fun(d)raising effort for exceeding the 4kg target by 2.5kgs.
Also
on our fundraising for WYD the total (after a few extra donations) for the Open
House and Mother’s Day Raffle was $641. There is also well over $1,000 that has
already been received from the weight loss efforts. If those who have pledged amounts could
simply put their name and WYD Fundraising on an envelope and place it on the
plate over the next two weekends so that we can forward monies to our Pilgrims.
If you are uncertain as to how much you pledged feel free to ring me and I can
check for you.
This
coming week is my last full week before I start my holidays so I apologise if
I’m a little distracted as I try to do all the little things that I worry about
before I leave.
Until next week
take care in your homes and on the roads
WHOLE OF PARISH MASS - LUNCHEON:
A huge thank you to all involved with our Whole of Parish
Mass and luncheon last Sunday. From musicians, choir members, caterers (both in
the kitchen, at the barbecue or providers of food) your contributions made our
day a great success. And to all parishioners who made the effort to be there
even though it meant some inconvenience – thank you! Get ready for the next one
which will be bigger and better because we know how good we can be.
Please note: If you took a
casserole on Sunday, please check you have taken home your dish and not someone
else’s. Also an ‘Ecise’ serving spoon, plates, cane plate holders and cane
basket are available for collection at the Parish Office.
Mersey Leven Parish Community welcome
and congratulate
Ella Miller, Ted & Archie Miller, Willem Jordan
& Riley Cleaver on their baptism this weekend.
& Riley Cleaver on their baptism this weekend.
MACKILLOP HILL:
Spirituality
in the Coffee Shoppe will be this Monday 23rd May - sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. CHANGE
OF VENUE to 123 William Street (up the hill from the Spirituality Centre) All
welcome!
NORTH WEST JUSTICE NETWORK:
All parishioners are invited to attend a forum called
“Women in the Church” to be held at Sacred
Heart Catholic Church Community Room, Ulverstone Tuesday 24 May 2016 at 7.00pm. Dr Trish Hindmarsh will open the forum
with an address and discussion will follow. All welcome to attend – please join
us!
KNIGHTS OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS: will be meeting Sunday
29th May at the Quality Gateway Inn, Fenton Street Devonport for a
social get together with wives/partners commencing at 5.30 pm followed by a
meal at 6.00pm.
ST MARY’S COLLEGE OSA:
Annual General Meeting will be held 12noon Saturday 4th
June at Felicity’s home. All members welcome. RSVP Monday 30th May,
Felicity Sly 6424:1933 or Lillian Hay 6428:2773
MT ST VINCENT AUXILIARY:
will be holding a Craft & Cake
stall after Mass on
Sunday 5th June in the Community Room, Ulverstone.
FOOTY POINTS MARGIN TICKETS: Round
8 – Geelong by 26 points.
Winners; Tony Muir, Janice Barton
Thursday Nights - OLOL Hall,
Devonport. Eyes down 7.30pm!
Callers for Thursday 26th
May – Tony Ryan & Rod Clark
NEWS FROM ACROSS THE ARCHDIOCESE:
WALK WITH CHRIST – HOBART CITY, SUNDAY 29TH MAY
1:15 TO 3:00 pm.
Celebrate the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ by
walking with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament through the city of Hobart. Be at
St Joseph's Church (Harrington St) by 1.15 pm, and walk with us to St Mary's
Cathedral for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament concluding with Benediction at
3:00pm. Prayer intentions written in the 'Book of Life' can be found in
the foyer at Our Lady of Lourdes this weekend, Sheffield next Sunday and then
will be sent to Hobart to be taken on the procession and presented at the
Cathedral.
The critical importance of Fathering. The afternoon will
include a discussion on the importance of Fathers and Grandfathers, and some
practical insights and information on Intentional Fathering.
Presented by Robert Falzon, co-founder of MenAlive. Copies
of Robert’s new book co-authored with Dr Peter O’Shea, The Father Factor, will
be on sale for $20.00 (normal retail $25.00).
Venue: The Murphy Room, Catholic Diocesan Centre, 35 Tower
Road, New Town25th June – 1pm – 5pm. Cost $8.00. Register by COB 17th
June. For more information and to RSVP: Martin Stone 6223:8132 or martin.stone@menalive.org.au
YOUTH TODAY – WHO ARE THEY REALLY?
An article by Fr Ron Rolheiser OMI. The original article can be found here
A seminarian I know recently went to a party on a Friday evening at a local university campus. The group was a crowd of young, college students and when he was introduced as a seminarian, as someone who was trying to become a priest and who had taken a vow of celibacy, the mention of celibacy evoked some giggles in the room, some banter, and a number of jokes about how much he must be missing out on in life. Poor, naïve fellow! Initially, within this group of millenniums, his religious beliefs and what this had led to in his life was regarded as something between amusing and pitiful. But, before the evening was out, several young women had come, cried on his shoulder, and shared about their frustration with their boyfriends’ inability to commit fully to their relationship.
This incident might serve as a parable describing today’s young people in our secularized world. They exhibit what might aptly be called a bi-polar character about faith, church, family, sexual ethos, and many other things that are important to them.
They present an inconsistent picture: On the one hand, by and large, they are not going to church, at least with any regularity; they are not following the Christian ethos on sexuality; they seem indifferent to and even sometimes hostile to many cherished religious traditions; and they can appear unbelievably shallow in their addiction and enslavement to what’s trending in the world of entertainment, fashion, and information technology. Looked at from one perspective, our kids today can appear irreligious, morally blasé, and on a heavy diet of the kind of superficiality that characterizes reality television and video games. More seriously still, they can also appear myopic, greedy, pampered, and excessively self-interested. Not a pretty picture.
But this isn’t exactly the picture. Beneath that surface, in most cases, you will find someone who is very likeable, sincere, soft, good-hearted, gracious, moral, warm, generous, and searching for all the right things (without much help from a culture that lacks clear moral guidance and is fraught with over-choice). The good news is that most young people, at the level of their real desires, are not at odds at all with God, faith, church, and family. For the most part, youth today are still very good people and want all the right things.
But, that isn’t always so evident. Sometimes their surface seems to trump their depth so that who they really are and what they really want is not so evident. We see the surface and, seen there, our youth can appear more self-interested than generous, more shallow than deep, more blasé than morally sensitive, and more religiously indifferent than faith-filled. They can also manifest a smugness and self-sufficiency that suggests little vulnerability and no need for guidance from anyone beyond themselves.
Hence their bi-polarity: Mostly they want all the right things, but, too often, because of a lack of genuine guidance and their addiction to the culture, they aren’t making the kinds of choices that will bring them what they more-deeply desire. Sexuality is a prime example here: Studies done on millenniums indicate that most of them want, at the end of the day, to be inside a monogamous, faithful marriage. The problem is that they also believe that they can first allow themselves ten to fifteen years of sexual promiscuity, without having to accept that practicing ten to fifteen years of infidelity is not a good preparation for the kind of fidelity needed to a sustain marriage and family. In this, as in many other things, they are caught between their cultural ethos and their own fragile securities. The culture trumpets a certain ethos, liberation from the timidities of the past, complete with a smugness that belittles whatever questions it. But much of that smugness is actually whistling in the dark. Deep down, our youth are pretty insecure and, happily, this keeps them vulnerable and likeable.
Maybe Louis Dupre, the retired philosopher who taught for some many years at Yale, captures it best when he says that today’s young people are not bad, they’re just not finished. That’s a simple insight that captures a lot. Someone can be wonderful and very likeable, but still immature. Moreover, if you’re young enough, that can even be attractive, the very definition of cool. The reverse is also, often times, true: More than a few of us, adults, suffer from our own bi-polarity: we are mature, but far from wonderful and likeable. This makes for some strange, paradoxical binaries.
So who is the actual young person of today? Is it the person who is wrapped up in his or her own world, obsessive about physical appearance, addicted to social media, living outside marriage with his or her partner, smug in his or her own non-traditional moral and religious views? That, I believe, is the surface appearance. The actual young person of today is warm, good-hearted, generous, and waiting, waiting consciously for love and affirmation, and waiting unconsciously for God’s embrace.
Staying Open
Love bears
all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
1
Corinthians 13:7, NASB
This
love--whose source is God's very self--is an open-heartedness. You can tell
when you're in that space, and once you get it, you're not satisfied with
anything less. When you're in that open-hearted space, your energy flows out.
When you're not in that space, your energy sucks inward. It's all about who did
me wrong and why I don't like "those people." Any time you feel like
you deserve something, it's an indication you may be hoarding love rather than
letting it come and go freely.
True
spirituality is about keeping your heart space open. It is daily, constant
work. The temptation is to close down: to judge and dismiss and hate and fear.
If you don't have some spiritual practice that keeps your heart open, even in
the midst of suffering and "hell," it's easy to end up grumpy and
filled with fear and negativity. You have to work to live in love, to have a
generosity of spirit, a readiness to smile, a willingness to serve. Regularly
check in with yourself, asking, "Is my heart open? Is love flowing from
me? Or am I constricted?"
For some
reason, much of our American culture seems to have been sucked into a world of
un-love, just the opposite of what Paul is describing in 1 Corinthians 13. We
seem prone to feeling entitled and to blaming and projecting our negativity on
others. Never has there been a people on this earth who have so much; yet we
complain about how little we have! We live some of the easiest lives of anyone
in history or in the present, but still it isn't enough. It's as if we've been blinded
by an illusion, or delusion, of scarcity. But love is all about abundance! We
need an awakening like Paul's conversion experience where the scales fell from
his eyes and he was finally able to see the Really Real.
A
consistent, chosen spiritual practice like contemplation gradually allows such
an awakening. By daily practicing "a long, loving look at the real,"
sooner or later, you fall into the Real, into Love; and then you live your life
from that Source. And this Source is infinite. Once you plug into Love and stay
connected, you'll find the energy always flows out; it's never sucking in.
Living in God's abundance--in this diffusive, excessive, infinite Love--you
find you always have plenty to share.
Love is a
choice. You have to choose to be loving. You have to deliberately, consciously,
intentionally choose to stay connected through your practice to the Source of
Love, which is the heart of God.
References:
Adapted from
Richard Rohr, "The Most Profound Chapter in the Bible,"
https://cac.org/the-most-profound-chapter-in-the-bible/;
and "Introduction to the 2016 Daily
Meditations," https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/.
THE MINISTRY VALUES OF JESUS:
ON LOCATION AT SADDLEBACK’S
GLOBAL PEACE CONFERENCE
I’m posting this week from California at Saddleback Church’s Global PEACE Conference. I’m here with Brian Crook, our Director of Missions at Nativity. It’s been an inspiring and thought-provoking experience. Pastor Rick Warren had the vision of bringing together pastors from countries around the world to share ideas and learn from one another how to better be the hands and feet of Jesus across the globe, beginning with the local church. We were lucky enough to be included in a group of 100 of the most talented and diverse churches in the world.
I want to share with you some of what we’ve been learning from Rick and his Saddleback team. I know he loves to share his ideas, but I do want to rightly credit these ideas to them and then encourage you to check out more of Saddleback’s resources.
We spent some time reflecting on Isaiah chapter 42, about an ideal Servant of the Lord. Isaiah’s vision of servant leadership and ministry was fulfilled in the person of Jesus. All of our ministry must be defined and inspired by the ministry values of Jesus. Here are the values we talked about in one of our recent sessions. As you read through them, keep in mind your own church’s ministry and see how closely aligned your values are with those of Jesus.
The Ministry Values of Jesus
We minister with authority
Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased. Upon him I have put my spirit (v 1)
We fight for equality
He shall bring forth justice to the nations (v 1b)
We speak with civility
He will not cry out, nor shout, nor make his voice heard in the street (v 2)
We serve with charity
A bruised reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not quench. He will faithfully bring forth justice (v 3)
We teach with tenacity
He will not grow dim or be bruised until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching (v 4)
We live with credibility
I formed you, and set you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations (v 6)
We trust the Father for security
I have grasped you by the hand (v 6)
We lead with authenticity
To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement (v 7)
We grow through creativity
The earlier things have come to pass, new ones I now declare; Before they spring forth I announce them to you (v 9)
Amoris Laetitia – a view from the female bridge
The ‘nuanced pastoral approach’ of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation ‘On Love in the Family’ has been widely welcomed, writes Gemma Simmonds CJ as she surveys the common ground that the document opens up between seemingly divergent positions. What does Amoris Laetitia contribute to the conversation between secular feminists and the Catholic Church, and how can this dialogue develop?
In a recent reflection on Amoris Laetitia for The Guardian, feminist journalist Laura Bates assesses Pope Francis’ feminist credentials. He does well, Bates says, in terms of challenging gender stereotypes and promoting women’s rights, strongly criticising domestic violence, female genital mutilation and the ‘commercialisation and exploitation’ of women’s bodies in the media. He also challenges the view that numerous modern problems have arisen as a result of female emancipation, presenting this as ‘false, untrue, a form of male chauvinism’ and welcoming an understanding of the equal dignity of men and women as making ‘old forms of discrimination disappear’ (Amoris Laetitia §54). The pope’s critique of the patriarchal culture in which many biblical passages subordinating women to men were written is also welcomed, as are his warnings against modern misinterpretations of such texts which appear to support any form of sexual submission. So far, so good.
Bates is less enthusiastic about the pope’s guarded view of some aspects of feminism while acknowledging as positive his recognition of the women’s movement as ‘the working of the Spirit for a clearer recognition of the dignity and rights of women’ (§54). She is particularly unhappy at the way in which Amoris Laetitia balances the ‘legitimate’ and ‘desirable’ wish of women to study, work and have personal goals against the need for women to fulfil their role as mothers, quoting with disapproval its assessment of ‘the weakening of this maternal presence with its feminine qualities [as posing] a grave risk to our world’ (§173).
It can’t be a real shock to anyone to find the pope continuing to advocate the right to life or to criticise the commodification of human sexuality in all its forms, nor can he be expected to view marriage as a temporary arrangement based on mutual taste or convenience, or to consider same-sex unions as intrinsically identical to marriage in the traditional sense. For Bates, the final nails in the coffin of Pope Francis’ potential feminism are his quotation of the biblical description of a wife being ‘a helper fit’ for a man (§12), his description of the importance of the male role within the family ‘with regard to the protection and support of their wives and children’ (§55), and his overall failure to support reproductive rights including contraception and abortion.
So here we are at the same old impasse that appears to make it impossible for feminists and the Catholic Church to have a sensible discussion about the role of women. But does the refusal to adopt a pro-choice stance rule out the possibility for any Catholic of identifying themselves as feminist? Are reproductive rights, in the end, what feminist credentials stand or fall by, and the ultimate litmus test for valuing the family?
There is no one, un-nuanced, catch-all definition of a feminist. For many secular feminists the ultimate criterion is the upholding of the bodily autonomy of women, and therefore the right to abortion. Clearly this is incompatible with the Catholic faith’s rooted belief in the sanctity of life. Yet Amoris Laetitia does appear to advocate the bodily autonomy of all human beings. It makes a strong case against any view or practice which appears to commodify anyone’s body for the pleasure or profit of another. In this sense there is something of a bridge between the two views. Nevertheless we reach the sticking point when there is not one body at stake but two, namely that of a woman and an unborn child, both of whom, argues the Church, have the right to life. There are other sticking points, too, in discussions on how relationships and self-identification in terms of gender and sexual orientation are negotiated. Nevertheless a closer look at the text suggests that there may be more common ground than at first appears.
This middle ground of negotiation between competing rights and needs provides the context ofAmoris Laetitia’s attempt to offer guidelines to individuals and faith communities and leaders trying to make sense of the messy, complex and often contradictory reality in which families live. In many parts of the world women and girls have little or no access to the dignity and bodily autonomy advocated by Pope Francis and several of his predecessors. The reality is that, in a number of cultures and contexts, rape is frequently legitimised by and within marriage and goes unchallenged. It is not enough, in such circumstances, to preach the dignity of women and their bodies – this cannot protect them from regular bodily and psychological violation, enforced pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. What, then, is to be done? Many faithful Catholics argue that at the very least it is a lesser evil to permit the prevention of conception and disease in such circumstances, and the whole approach of Amoris Laetitia suggests that these decisions cannot be imposed in a totalitarian sense from above but must be personally and pastorally discerned, within their context, by those primarily affected by the choice (§300). Equally, for other faithful Catholics the very structure of their family life differs radically from that of the idealised nuclear family so often quoted in church documents as the desired norm. Relationships can be broken and messy, ‘irregular’ in the canonical sense and yet they may represent a very genuine attempt to provide, within a complex and unorthodox context, the loving nurture and acceptance that is also advocated by church documents. Pope Francis decries a pastoral approach based on ‘stressing doctrinal, bioethical and moral issues, without encouraging openness to grace’ as a misplaced attempt to replace consciences rather than form them (§37). A Church ‘on the defensive, wasting pastoral energy on denouncing a decadent world without being proactive in proposing ways of finding true happiness’ does little for those seeking in the Church’s message on marriage and the family a clear reflection of ‘the preaching and attitudes of Jesus, who set forth a demanding ideal yet never failed to show compassion and closeness to the frailty of individuals’ (§38). Even the ‘wounded and troubled love’ shown in so-called irregular unions contains ‘constructive elements’ (§291-292), and Francis reiterates John Paul II’s ‘law of gradualness’ by which those ‘not in a position to understand, appreciate, or fully carry out the objective demands of the law’ exercise their freedom of conscience towards a gradual appropriation of the Church’s teaching as their capacity develops or their context changes (§295). This nuanced pastoral approach avoids ‘judgements which do not take into account the complexity of various situations’ while upholding the ideal as a framework in which such complexities are navigated (§296).
This general approach to the multiplicity of issues surrounding family life, sexuality and gender is welcome to women and men. While upholding the Holy Family as an ideal it urges on the part of the Church a healthy dose of self-criticism, recognising the oppressive burden imposed by a ‘far too abstract and (…) artificial theological ideal of marriage, far removed from the concrete situations and practical possibilities of real families’ which has not only ‘failed to inspire trust in God’s grace, (but) has not helped to make marriage more desirable and attractive’ (§36). It embraces important principles of contextualisation and inculturation, and acknowledges the damage caused to families by economic inequality, societal exclusion and ecological degeneration as much as by sexual aberrations. (§25-26)
So can Amoris Laetitia be embraced by feminists? The very notion of what constitute male and female roles and boundaries is widely contested ground today. In that sense the document strikes a more flexible and nuanced note than much of John Paul II’s teaching in this area, with its insistence on gender complementarity grounded in biological sex. While not joining those who consider gender to be a matter of social construct and cultural choice, Francis makes clear that many gendered roles are far more fluid than has traditionally appeared, and that in themselves ‘masculinity and femininity are not rigid categories’ (§286). Nevertheless we still find talk of a ‘feminine genius’ which baffles many women and frustrates Catholic feminists. It is intended as a compliment, but this idealisation is often used implicitly or explicitly as a way of keeping women in ‘caring’ and ‘nurturing’ roles that preclude their involvement in the leadership and decision-making roles so often reserved to men, presumably because of some equally nebulous and questionable ‘male genius’. While Pope Francis critiques the exclusion of women in leadership roles within the family, there remains a credibility gap for many women when they look at the family of the Church itself. Such talk of genius has to go, and with it the reservation of so much space in doctrinal and pastoral leadership to the exclusive voices, opinions and experience of men as being in some sense determinant and normative. In some circumstances around the world women do need to be protected from societal patriarchy, sexual dominance and violence. But women, once empowered, tend to be quite good at protecting themselves and one another. They aren’t holding out for a hero, but for the space and freedom to reach their own God-given potential. That, in time, will lead to the joy of love.
Gemma Simmonds CJ is Director of the Religious Life Institute and a lecturer in Pastoral Theology at Heythrop College, University of London.
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