Sometimes the Truth Hurts
Last night, I stumbled upon a blog entitled "Questions from an Ewe," It is written by a Catholic woman with a theological education, and it hits the sweet spot of knowledge, insight, and righteous snark. It's great.
The best post by far that I saw on her site (I haven't looked at all of them) is the one where she provides her responses to the Vatican survey questions that were circulated a few months ago. As the kids say, she puts Church officials on blast. The highlights:
Q: How successful have you been in proposing a manner of praying within the family which can withstand life’s complexities and today’s culture?
A: Very successful. I am the primary educator of my children in their faith. They are all grown and in their 20s, attending weekly if not daily Mass, working in ad intra and ad extra ministries. They are champions of social justice and advocate for the marginalized. They speak truth to power.
I kept them away from superficial Jesus rah-rah pep rallies, spoke sincerely to them without using the hierarchy's favorite theological method of "making shit up", allowed and encouraged them to question and taught them the tireless patience required in ministering to under-developed clergy – which is sadly the overwhelming majority of clergy these days. (emphasis mine--FTW)
Q: Is cohabitation ad experimentum a pastoral reality in your particular Church? Can you approximate a percentage?
A: I can't tell you how much I love the Latin term for living together before marriage. That just screams, "we are out of touch" to a world that tweets in 128 character messages.
Q: In all the above cases, how do the baptized live in this irregular situation? Are they aware of it? Are they simply indifferent? Do they feel marginalized or suffer from the impossibility of receiving the sacraments?
A: Let's see...you call their situations "irregular" and ask if they feel marginalized....let's mark that as a great big "yes!"
Q: Could a simplification of canonical practice in recognizing a declaration of nullity of the marriage bond provide a positive contribution to solving the problems of the persons involved? If yes, what form would it take?
Q: Simplification can help many things. For one thing, that question could use a healthy dose of simplification. Canon law is a joke. It is ignored at the whim of bishops and it is enforced at the whim of bishops. Canon law is so focused on clergy it flies in the face of the gospel. The whole code needs revision but I have little hope that the same guys who wrote this complicated question would be effective simplifying Canon Law.
Q: Is [the ban on artificial birth control] accepted? What aspects pose the most difficulties in a large majority of couple’s accepting this teaching?
A: No.
People’s biggest difficulties with Humanae Vitae are that it was written and promoted by single guys, many of whom are gay, who pretend not to have sex and who do not have experience in healthy married sexual relations. However the fact that it is based upon dated flawed understanding of human biology, sexuality and psychology also plays a key role in invalidating it. Catholic couples are able to reconcile the respectful care of the wife’s health with welcoming new life into their union. Perhaps the hierarchy’s lack of primary experience in this area prevents them from understanding this. (Once again, FTW)
Q: What differences are seen [regarding birth control] between the Church’s teaching and civic education?
A: That civic education is based upon facts and the church's teaching is based upon Aristotle's flawed understanding of human biology, anatomy, physiology, sexuality, psychology, etc...
That civic education empowers women and teaches them to care for their bodies while the church's teaching is seen as reflective of its many sexist misogynist leaders.
That civic education values women's entire person while church teaching reduces the value of women to their wombs.
That civic education meets people where they are and church teachings "tie up heavy burdens and place them upon others."
The best post by far that I saw on her site (I haven't looked at all of them) is the one where she provides her responses to the Vatican survey questions that were circulated a few months ago. As the kids say, she puts Church officials on blast. The highlights:
Q: How successful have you been in proposing a manner of praying within the family which can withstand life’s complexities and today’s culture?
A: Very successful. I am the primary educator of my children in their faith. They are all grown and in their 20s, attending weekly if not daily Mass, working in ad intra and ad extra ministries. They are champions of social justice and advocate for the marginalized. They speak truth to power.
I kept them away from superficial Jesus rah-rah pep rallies, spoke sincerely to them without using the hierarchy's favorite theological method of "making shit up", allowed and encouraged them to question and taught them the tireless patience required in ministering to under-developed clergy – which is sadly the overwhelming majority of clergy these days. (emphasis mine--FTW)
Q: Is cohabitation ad experimentum a pastoral reality in your particular Church? Can you approximate a percentage?
A: I can't tell you how much I love the Latin term for living together before marriage. That just screams, "we are out of touch" to a world that tweets in 128 character messages.
Q: In all the above cases, how do the baptized live in this irregular situation? Are they aware of it? Are they simply indifferent? Do they feel marginalized or suffer from the impossibility of receiving the sacraments?
A: Let's see...you call their situations "irregular" and ask if they feel marginalized....let's mark that as a great big "yes!"
Q: Could a simplification of canonical practice in recognizing a declaration of nullity of the marriage bond provide a positive contribution to solving the problems of the persons involved? If yes, what form would it take?
Q: Simplification can help many things. For one thing, that question could use a healthy dose of simplification. Canon law is a joke. It is ignored at the whim of bishops and it is enforced at the whim of bishops. Canon law is so focused on clergy it flies in the face of the gospel. The whole code needs revision but I have little hope that the same guys who wrote this complicated question would be effective simplifying Canon Law.
Q: Is [the ban on artificial birth control] accepted? What aspects pose the most difficulties in a large majority of couple’s accepting this teaching?
A: No.
People’s biggest difficulties with Humanae Vitae are that it was written and promoted by single guys, many of whom are gay, who pretend not to have sex and who do not have experience in healthy married sexual relations. However the fact that it is based upon dated flawed understanding of human biology, sexuality and psychology also plays a key role in invalidating it. Catholic couples are able to reconcile the respectful care of the wife’s health with welcoming new life into their union. Perhaps the hierarchy’s lack of primary experience in this area prevents them from understanding this. (Once again, FTW)
Q: What differences are seen [regarding birth control] between the Church’s teaching and civic education?
A: That civic education is based upon facts and the church's teaching is based upon Aristotle's flawed understanding of human biology, anatomy, physiology, sexuality, psychology, etc...
That civic education empowers women and teaches them to care for their bodies while the church's teaching is seen as reflective of its many sexist misogynist leaders.
That civic education values women's entire person while church teaching reduces the value of women to their wombs.
That civic education meets people where they are and church teachings "tie up heavy burdens and place them upon others."
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