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PDF versionWomen religious take the podium at Africa synod
Message: Women are eager to collaborate not just carry out instructions
Oct. 09, 2009
Bishop Joachim Ntahondereye of Muyinga, Burundi, talks with Marguerite Barankitse, a synod participant from Burundi, as they leave a session of the Synod of Bishops for Africa at the Vatican Oct. 8. (CNS/Paul Haring)
Rome
The Synod for Africa is primarily a gathering of bishops, so it’s only natural that in its early days, male voices have dominated the discussion. Friday morning, however, a handful of women finally had their turn at the microphone -- and by all accounts, they certainly made the most of it.
Synod participants told NCR that the women made star turns, earning strong rounds of applause from the roughly 300 bishops, members of religious congregations, lay experts and other listeners inside the synod hall.
Those participants spoke on background, since they are not authorized to discuss what happens in the synod hall with the press.
One of the women who made an impression today was Saint Mary of Namur Sr. Geneviève Uwamariya of Rwanda, who argued that reconciliation (which is a key element in the synod’s official theme) is possible, even in the wake of horrific violence such as the genocide in her country in 1994.
Uwamariya described her work in prison ministry, saying that she visits inmates who have been charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity for their roles in the Rwandan genocide. Among other things, she said, she sometimes carries letters written by the inmates to the families of those whose deaths they caused, asking for forgiveness.
Uwamariya, who lost family members herself in the violence, said that she was initially unwilling to carry such letters, until she met an inmate who had been involved in the murders of her own family members. That inmate asked her forgiveness, she said, adding that the experience changed her profoundly.
Her own life story, Uwamariya told the synod, proves that reconciliation is possible, even in the most improbable circumstances. According to people present in the hall, her speech was greeted by a strong round of applause.
If anything, sources said that the roar of approval was even more tangible for Our Lady of the Apostles Sr. Felicia Harry of Ghana, who devoted her talk to the role of women in the church.
Among other things, Harry stressed that most Catholic women are eager to collaborate with the church’s clerical authorities -- but “collaborate” not just in the sense of carrying out instructions, but also in terms of being involved in the decision-making process.
Sources said that when Harry came to the end of her allotted five minutes and the bell rang indicating it was time to wrap up, she closed by inviting the bishops to a thought exercise. She asked that before they went to bed tonight, they spend just a couple of minutes contemplating “what the church would be like without women.”
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That line, sources said, brought laughter, and then a volley of applause.
A third woman also spoke this morning, Sr. Pauline Odia Bukasa of the “Ba-Maria” Sisters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to participants in the synod, Bukasa told synod members that women disproportionately bear the brunt of the various crises that sometimes plague Africa, particularly violence and poverty.
Congo in particular has been wracked by several cycles of violence in the last two decades. The center of a regional war centered on the Great Lakes, Congo has seen an estimated one and a half to two million people killed over that span of time, and tens of millions turned into refugees and displaced persons.
Bravo! Let us hear more from
Bravo! Let us hear more from our African sisters! May our US bishops LISTEN and LEARN!
This is truly exciting news!
This is truly exciting news! I happen to be protestant, but I have long admired the work that many Roman Catholic sisters do in ministry, not only to the oppressed but to the world. In the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) we have ordained women to the ministry of the Word and Sacrament for over 50 years now, and many have been blessed by there ministry! Maybe someday soon, the RC Church will ordain women to the Priesthood?
My goodness...with such
My goodness...with such outlandish ideas as forgiveness, reconciliation, and treating women as human these African sister will soon be experiencing an ecclesiastical visitation of their own!
I agree with you. The Pope
I agree with you. The Pope will not be happy with this event. He will be down their necks soon.
However, all nations of the world should look to this African Bishops gathering for guidance in their treatment of women in the Church. They are showing the way for the "new church." Hopefully the world will take note and follow their example.
Women do so much for furthering peace, justice and reconciliation. We should be alloted proper channels through our Church to operate in more leadership roles. The Pope should acknowledge all are equal--men are not more-equal. He should not discredit more than half of his flock. Face it, more women worship and attend church today than men. And, we do a great portion of the work. As the Sister noted when she left the Bishops-- to think about what the Sisters do in the Church today.
Based on this article one
Based on this article one might gain the impression that African bishops feel less threatened/intimidated by women in general, and women religious in particular, than do their episcopal brothers in the United States. 'Also noticed that the female religious in the picture was dressed according to her local culture and not covered head to foot in a traditional habit.
It definitely provides some food for thought given current events in the U.S. Perhaps our primarily Caucasian bishops are just less secure as men, especially when in the presence of strong intelligent women?
FIVE minutes? Each woman got
FIVE minutes? Each woman got FIVE minutes? That sure isn't much but I guess in this man's church they are lucky they got any time at all. It sounds like they used it well.
Congratulations to these
Congratulations to these brave (for their life which is testimony) women, and to the African Synod who allotted time and offered listening from the heart. As usual, women religious spoke prophetically from their experiencias of life!
Perhaps in the context of
Perhaps in the context of African challenges, we can see that woman's leadership in the church is about more than whether they are equal and/or obedient. Giveing women authority from holy orders is not the thing to do because of political correctness, it is the thing to do because women are also called by God to do their part in helping to create the kingdom here on earth.
Thank you to the women who
Thank you to the women who spoke out at the Africa Synod, both addressing the role of women in any given country and in the Church! It is time for the
Church to recognize that the mission and ministry of Jesus was given to both men and women in Jesus time and needs to be given to women by the Church of today. Women's role in decision-makng is essential if the fullness of impact is to be realized. What if women--no women at all--were involved in salvation history from its beginning until now. Men wake up. It is time. You would not ever exist if it were not for your mothers.
Praise God that there is
Praise God that there is someplace in this world where a gathering of bishops clearly appreciates and affirms the gifts and the role of women in the world and in the church!!! I hope the Bishops of the USA take notice of these Bishops and try from now on to do the same here in their own country !
Hooray for our sister
Hooray for our sister religious in Africa! They're in the trenches where the Church needs to be.
Praise God that there is
Praise God that there is someplace in the world where a gathering of bishops affirms and appreciates the gifts and value of women religious in the world and in the Church!! Let's hope that the gathering of Bishops in the US can someday do the same for ALL the women religious of this country!
I would add to the exercise
I would add to the exercise that they should also think of what the Church could accomplish with women working side by side, as priests and leaders of the church.
Yea for the Religious Women
Yea for the Religious Women of Africa and women around the world.
WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL,
WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL!!!
"...spend just a couple of
"...spend just a couple of minutes contemplating “what the church would be like without women.”
Sounds like a good thought exercise not just for African bishops, but for ALL bishops, cardinals and POPES! The "barefoot and pregnant" days are ending all over the world - in part due to the work and ministries of Catholic women religious. Take a hint from Africa, fellas!
great strength to these
great strength to these courageous women. collaborator sure dont mean 'shut up" and do what you are told . would there be an african church with out women . we will remember your work before the lord tomorrow at mass .(sunday)JACK . STVINCENTS CHURCH cmnty REDFERN n,s.w, AUSTRALIA . COURAGE AND STRENGTH ,AND THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH YOU
Thank God for women
Thank God for women religious. Thank God for African women religious. Thank God there were some who had "ears to hear" and, I might add: hands to clap. The only addition I would like to have read about is from women or women religious from East Africa.
The article reports three
The article reports three women speaking for five minutes each. Not bad advance: fifteen minutes in a probable six hour working day! Good grief, where were "the other nine", to coin a phrase?
Not to be too provincial, I pray our U.S. hierachs might soon invite women religious to not only speak publicly at the November USCCB meeting, but invite them to real existential collaborative ministry. The look-alike-sound-alike current bishops need a good tsunami of fresh winds to clear out the stodgy cobwebs of re-surfacing triumphalisms.
The concern about the systemic dismantling of Vatican II "ordinary magisterial teaching" (which is so easily dismissed, much as yesterday's baseball scores!}is based on what we actually see happening to our Church as we watch them crawling backward into the future. The work to return the Church to an imagined 1950s scenario is more than disheartening to us women and men who were the "New Breed" of the Council years and who still are the enduring New Breed. . at least those of us who with hope stayed with the Church. The maxima scores of our sisters and brothers who have moved on and elsewhere is surely a phophetic shaking the dust from their sandals.
But did we listen and learn? Apparently not. The current scandalous inquisitional 'study' of U.S. religious women is clear evidence. Also there is added insult from the Vatican Cardinal asking the U.S. bishops to pay the $1.1 costs for this "study" from the coffers of the various dioceses - which money comes from the pockets of the people who ARE the American Church struggling to make ends meet financially. It is my not-so-humble opinion this money could be better used to alleviate the hunger, lack of medical care, homes, etc of the millions living way way below poverty levels.
I conclude by applauding the African bishops for allowing three women religious 15 minutes to address them. It is a slow beginning. May it become pandemic!
Special thanks to the African
Special thanks to the African Bishops for listening. The words are - collaboration used after Vatican II and seemingly forgotten. The other word is vision. Listen to the religious women and their visions for a better world.
Thanks
BRAVO for the women religious
BRAVO for the women religious who made every minute of their allotted five minutes count. BRAVO for the bishops who heard them, really heard them. Take note bishops of America, you who give rote obedience to the Vatican's outmoded practices.
The African Sisters each got
The African Sisters each got five minutes MORE than the US Sisters.
O futuro da Igreja está na
O futuro da Igreja está na África..
Thank you sincerely and
Thank you sincerely and profoundly for giving the women at least 5 minutes. I wonder if they could come to the United States, particurlarly in Ohio and speak to Bishop Pilarchyk. He needs at this time to forgive Sister Louise Akers for banning her from teaching in his (our diocese)!!!!!!
Sister Shirley Dix, SC
Isn't it sad that once Sr.
Isn't it sad that once Sr. Harry made her comment about asking the bishops to think about what the Church in Africa might be like without women, it brought a round of laughter!
Send these boyz for sensitivity training, will ya???
They are an arrogant lot!
wohh just what I was in
wohh just what I was in search of, thankyou with regard to placing
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