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PDF versionMen, women and going for the gold
by Phyllis Zagano on Feb. 29, 2012
They gave out the gold the other day. Everybody who was anybody was there. They all seemed to have a great time.
I'm talking about the papal consistory. You thought maybe I meant the Oscars?
OK, so they're not that different, except in the Academy Awards there are categories for "Best Actress" and "Best Supporting Actress." The pope has only men for his chief advisers. He doesn't really have to, but he does. And only men elect the pope. Same deal.
There are now 17 U.S. cardinals, all but four still young enough to join the conclave to elect the next pope. That could be soon, just after Benedict turns 85 in April and, if rumors are to be believed, retires.
Maybe not this spring. But sooner or later, about 120 cardinals will board trains and planes and cars and head to the Sistine Chapel, where popes have been elected since 1492. There, one will replace his own gold ring -- engraved with the arms of the pope who put him in red -- with the fisherman's ring.
There are more than 2 billion Christians in the world, more than half of them Catholics. Someone surely can do the math, but the percentage of Catholics who are cardinals is pretty small. They wrote it into canon law in 1917 that you had to be a priest to get the title, effectively cutting out women. But, even at half the odds, it's still pretty hard to grab that gold ring.
So can someone tell me why the Empire State Building has a beef with Cardinal Timothy Dolan? I mean, why not light it red for his homecoming? When New York's Cardinal John O'Connor was heading to Rome in 1985, the folks at the Empire State Building called the archdiocese to ask what color to light the building. This is a true fact, folks. I answered the phone.
Fast-forward to today, when the Empire State Building, which the New York Daily News complained lit up in red for China, refused to honor Dolan. I do not get that. In February, it lit up in memory of Mets baseball player Gary Carter. A while ago, it cheered the royal wedding partners, Will and Kate. Why not Dolan? It says it does not honor "religious figures" -- I guess forgetting William, Duke of Cambridge, is the future head of the Church of England.
No matter Dolan was cut from that shorter kaleidoscope. One World Trade Center, approaching 1,776 feet and soon to be Manhattan's tallest building, went full-dress for him, lighting red from top to bottom.
And Dolan, an impressive off-the-cuff preacher, is going full-dress and lighting up New York. He's everywhere -- visiting, hugging, laughing, eating, smiling. Folks who like him call him a big bear of a guy. Others say he's a heart attack waiting to happen. Still others grit their teeth and say the plaid shirts and drinking beer out of a bottle just have to go.
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That's inside the circle. Outside the circle, I think folks wonder why the Roman ceremonies only honored men, why only men sit next to the pope making suggestions about how to run the church, about how to serve the people of God. Why is the papal lens so terribly constricted it only lets in light from male eyes?
Nothing against Dolan or the other New Yorker to get that ring, Cardinal Edwin F. O'Brien. They work quite hard. They do their best. They are good guys at heart.
But they are guys. Maybe it is time to see how other folks select the best and brightest. Maybe the Academy Awards can shed some light on what our culture, and by extension the world's culture, looks toward as exemplary in both fact and fiction.
You recall the Hollywood winners, I am sure. The top film was in black and white, with lots of music and barely a word or two (in French): "The Artist." Its tap-dancing star, Jean Dujardin, won Best Actor. Best Supporting Actor was 82-year-old Christopher Plummer, the oldest Oscar winner ever.
Nice, but it is the female winners who can say something to the church and to the world about what it takes to make a difference. Octavia Spencer was a sassy maid in "The Help," and Meryl Streep played Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady."
Wouldn't you like to see women like them -- or at least somewhat like their characters -- on the line to get that other gold, the cardinal's ring? The church has circled and circled around itself enough. It needs to open up somehow. Forget the politics for a moment and just imagine women with spines of steel, with piercing eyes, with humility transformed into action, sitting next to the man in white suggesting how to heal the world.
Just imagine one of them in the running in the Sistine Chapel, next time around.
[Phyllis Zagano is senior research associate-in-residence at Hofstra University and author of several books in Catholic studies. Her most recent books are Women & Catholicism, published by Palgrave-Macmillan in June, and Women Deacons: Past, Present, Future (with Gary Macy and William T. Ditewig), newly released by Paulist Press.]
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POPE DOLAN, ANATHEMA SIT!
POPE DOLAN, ANATHEMA SIT! ..... Phyllis, are you serious?
I am surprised and disappointed by this fawning article, more worthy of Dolan's principal publicist at NCR, John Allen.
American women are virtually under seige by the pope and bishops on all sides, and you are worried about NY building lighting policies!
Anyway, neither Gary Carter, nor Will & Kate, were leaders of an alledged conspiracy to cover-up the rape or other sexual abuse by priests of over 100,000 American children (and still counting), according to the experts at the Vatican's recently staged child sexual abuse summit.
Dolan has yet, as head of the US bishops, spoken out publicly about the potentially incriminating child abuse related evidence destruction by a cardinal and two bishops in Philly, nor the role played by his mentor, Rigali, Philly's cardinal for eight years (and two appalling grand jury investigations).
Forget the red lights at the Empire State Building! St. Patrick's Cathedral should be draped in black instead!!
For more on the pope, cardinals and "papabile" Dolan, without the bright lights, please read the cross-links and comment, "More Papal Disgrace", reaily accessible by clicking on at:
http://ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/it-time-jacobin-pope-plus...
You need to read the whole
You need to read the whole article before beginning your rant, Jerry. She is writing about how to choose church leaders and how to think about choosing women as church leaders.
Phyllis, sorry: nice try, but
Phyllis, sorry: nice try, but "they're [NOT] all good guys at heart."
An archbishop who writes a petty, vindictive posting on his blog blaming a 16-year old girl in the Bronx for the abuse she endured at the hands of a priest is not a good guy.
Nor is an archbishop who praises Bully Bill Donohue, a man who stands for the antithesis of "good guy" in the eyes of many American Catholics and the American public, a good guy.
Week after week, we read of
1) A Catholic parish firing a music minister who contracts a civil same-sex marriage,
2) A Catholic priest refusing communion to a lesbian at her mother's funeral,
3) A Catholic school firing a teacher when they hear he is going to contract a civil same-sex marriage.
Archbishop Dolan is right at the center of the lavishly funded "religious freedom" crusade from which these ugly anti-gospel events are emanating.
Nice guys don't set this kind of misery into motion.
I agree with Lindsey's
I agree with Lindsey's comments. Dolan is not what I would call a good guy.
Veronica: "Failure of
Veronica: "Failure of religious women??????" I don't know what religious women you have labeled "failed", but the ones I know are doctors, community organizers, spiritual directors, advocates for the poor, building houses for the homeless, attorneys handling cases for the poor and folks who can't afford legal advice, ministering in parishes, raising money for schools and hospitals, publishing, lobbying, writing legislation, building advocacy networks, visiting juvenile halls and counseling boys and girls who are neglected by the community. My most charitable thought is that you must not know any religious women. This one has investigated internal armed conflict, advocated for minorities at the UN Commission on Human Rights, negotiated evacuation of wounded, raised medical supplies for refugee camps, investigated massacres. Please don't bundle religious women (and they aren't all nuns) into your frustration with a church that doesn't spend much time listening to women.
All that may be true, sister,
All that may be true, sister, but does your order have enough new members to replace the ones who are passing on to their eternal reward?
The only way this church in
The only way this church in this country has enough members to replace those who have gone on to their reward is to import them! Don't be too snarky about how to grow communities and churches until you recognize that the outflow in the church in this country vastly overpowers the native inflow, either by birth or by conversion.
Bill Damas, no young woman
Bill Damas, no young woman should enter a religious order anymore,unless women will get complete equality with men in the church.
Religious orders had a
Religious orders had a unusually large influx in the '40s and '50s, and have had declining numbers since. The depression and war had much to due with the spike in vocations. And then after WWII, the opening of many more secular career opportunites for women drew off many potential candidates for religious life. Of course orders haven't been able to replace all those members from great influx. And that is relevant how?
Bill Damus, we are talking in
Bill Damus, we are talking in the present ...does that take away
what Religious Women are doing now and have been doing for close
to two centuries in America? Perhaps you are too young to remember
Vatican II and "The Church in the Modern World"...We are doing what
John XXIII asked us to do..."Go back to your roots and follow the Gospel"
BTW, we also believe in the PROVIDENCE of GOD
"Forget the politics for a
"Forget the politics for a moment and just imagine women with spines of steel, with piercing eyes, with humility transformed into action, sitting next to the man in white suggesting how to heal the world."
From your mouth to God's ear.
But, maybe, it will also have to go to the ear of the Pope and the Cardinals and the Bishops. One of the hardest things to break now is silence. No one in the hierarchy seems willing or able to bring this up. It is a big, big NO NO. Worse than a sin. It might creat a chink in the armor, that thick, thick armor of TRADITION.
(We have too many Catholic Tevyes, but ours have no daughters to show them that good can come of change.)
We need study groups in our Churches to talk about this, we need biblical scholars to talk about this, we need philosophers and theologists to publish papers on it. We need to be a part of the discovery and the conversation of what faith, and community, and Church are today.
Excellent!I agree fully.
Excellent!I agree fully.
Ms. Zagano, Only in the
Ms. Zagano,
Only in the Neverland country is possible to mix the Vatican with the Oscars. I must remind you that my baptism was performed by a saintly priest, and that my confirmation, already as an adult, was conducted by an heremit. If you live in Constantine's version of Disneyland,that's fine for you. But don't pretend that's Catholicism. Regardind Baroness Thatcher, she was not Catholic, not even Christian. The sad state of affairs we are going through, is from the entire responsability of people like her, former President Reagan and JPII, the medieval Pope - charismatic, indeed, but without a thought in his head and such a bad actor as Mr. Reagan. May I suggest that, as a penance, you start Lent with a sound theology "aggiornamento"?
Bill: The times are not
Bill: The times are not conducive to young women and even young men entering religious life. It is rare when they do. Many young women are doing the same things the sisters have been doing, but they wish to be married and have children. That's just fine. I think God may have a different plan than the one followed in the past. The sisters aren't going to stop doing what they are doing, but their example is "catching". A different kind of community life is in process, and that's not failure if you measure by God's grace and that it is everywhere. It's a good thing. Peace to you, Bill.
Well said Patricia - lets
Well said Patricia - lets remember that prior to the 1960's joining a religious order or becoming a priest was a way out of poverty for children from overly-large Catholic families. In return for a vow of loyalty you were fed and educated. This is why Africa and South America are growth areas for the priesthood today.
The western, post World War II changes in farming and mass provision of low-cost food, housing and universal education meant that there were many other routes out of poverty, hence why recruitment to religious vocation collapsed, but the vocations of teaching, nursing, etc., stayed alive across the laity.
I will be the first to return to the church when they have women priests. We need them to be a powerful and spiritual force over these evil cardinals and bishops.
Dominic are you for real? In
Dominic are you for real? In the fifty's and sixty's I hope it was not poverty that motivated women to vow their lives to God...did that
motivate men to the priesthood?
What a pathetic essay! The
What a pathetic essay! The Catholic bishops around the world are among the greatest defenders of male patriarchy and male dominance. For example, the Catholic bishops do not plan to allow women to be ordained priests. In this way, the Catholic bishops defend male patriarchy and male dominance in the Roman Catholic Church. In addition, the Catholic bishops are against artificial contraception. In this way, the Catholic bishops defend male patriarchy and male dominance in marriage and society. Furthermore, the Catholic bishops in the United States oppose legalized abortion in the first trimester. In this way, the Catholic bishops defend male patriarchy and male dominance in society.
"with spines of steel" -
"with spines of steel" - shades of Wolverine :)
Why the Roman ceremonies only
Why the Roman ceremonies only honored men. Why only they wear gold rings with their own symbol.
Here's one reason.
One ring to rule them all.
One ring to find them.
One ring to bring them all.
And in the darkness bind them.
Shades of The Lord of the
Shades of The Lord of the Rings!
Why only men? Simple. Our
Why only men?
Simple. Our Lord chose only men as His closest followers, collaborators, and Apostles. As He did, so the Church must do.
Check your history--many of
Check your history--many of Christ's closest followers were women.
Really? How many did He
Really? How many did He choose as Apostles? How many were present at the institution of the priesthood during the Last Supper?
Please enlighten me as to where in Sacred Scripture, which writing of the Church Fathers or Doctors, which of the epistles of Paul or Peter or James or John or Jude, we can find this fascinating piece of historical truth, that Jesus called women to be Apostles or that women were present at the Last Supper.
Who cooked the food for the
Who cooked the food for the "last supper"? If they were there, they are included in the words of Christ.You take it from here,since it appears you were there of have video of it.
You know that for certain,
You know that for certain, how??
Dear Anonymous--Maybe you
Dear Anonymous--Maybe you have never heard of Mary Magdelene--the "apostle to the apostles"--who announced the resurrection? Or Phoebe, the only woman in scripture called "deacon"? Happy reading. Try the New testament for starters.
Phyllis: You looked for
Phyllis: You looked for someone to do the math. I don't have the statistics from the 2012 Annuario Pontificio, so the best I can do is as follows.
The 2011 Annuario Pontificio reporting statistics as of December 2009:
The number of Catholics reported was about 1.18 billion, the Vatican said, which was up 15 million from the 1.16 billion reported a year earlier.
The Vatican said the number of bishops in the world increased to 5,065 from 5,002; the number of priests went from 405,178 to 410,593, increasing everywhere except Europe.
This means there’s one bishop for every 220,730 Catholics: bishops are about 0004.53% of the church. Non-bishops are 99.999547% of the church.
There’s one priest for every 2723 Catholics: priests are about 0.04% of the church.
So bishops and priests are about 0.0404% of the church.
“Others”, usually called laity, are 99.9596% of the church.
As to cardinal:
With 120 cardinal electors for 1.18 billion Catholics, this means that there is one cardinal for every 9,833,333 Catholics.
These Cardinals are 00000.1% of the church.
I'm sure you can do the math to figure out the percentage of non-cardinals in the church.
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