Our Lady of Expectation by Fr. Marian Zalecki, OSPPE
Some years back I supervised a field education student in a campus ministry setting. Chris was pregnant when she ended her assignment with us and at our last meeting she brought me some flowers. A card with the flowers thanked me for my work with her and promised that she would "carry me with her..." I remember being very moved to know that someone who was carrying new life within her would, somehow, carry me, too. The experience of bearing new life into the world is something that a woman understands from a unique perspective: love takes flesh in her body and new life is created... How odd, then, that women, whose natural experience is so uniquely and intimately related to our understanding of the mystery of the Incarnation, should, on account of their gender, be excluded from the ministry of preaching and sacrament. But I digress...
In this Advent time I ponder Mary musing on the new life stirring in her womb. Certainly she shared some of Joseph's anxiousness (see post below). Certainly she pondered the mystery of an angel's visit and the message delivered. Certainly she carried many thoughts with her as she carried her child in her womb. Perhaps this is why, since ancient times, Christians have continued to ask her to carry their prayers to her son...
In this year's Advent, what thoughts and prayers, worries and concerns, joys and hopes might you ask Mary to carry to her son?
I was sorry that discussion did not continue under "Job security: something I have plenty of." This afternoon as I was driving around, I heard a short piece (ad?)on WBZ by CITI (Celibacy Is The Issue) ministry. Its purpose was to make people aware, especially at this time of year, when celibate priests are so busy, that there are married priests to help with spiritual needs. Once a priest always a priest (unless laicized.) They have a website rentapriest.com. The shortage of priests will become dire ere long, but I don't hear anyone pressing the panic button. Perhaps, in the future we could have APMs (Automated Priest Machines.) You could enter the booth, press your language, signal which sacrament you were interested in (reconciliation, Eucharist, etc.) and then have a virtual exchange with a cyberspace Automated Priest.
ReplyDeleteI am not being facetious. Someday, if nothing is done, it could come to this. Where are the thoughts on this serious topic from all of the priests that tune into your blog, Concord Pastor? It is something that deserves more attention than it has so far received.
There are women motivated and capable of being clergy.
ReplyDeleteThere are women who have been ordained priests already, but they do not have the blessing of Rome. It seems to me that to fill the void it would be far easier to invite priests back who left to be married. We already have married priests who have converted from other religions to Roman Catholicism who serve in the RCAB. I am not sure where they are as it appears they keep their light hidden under a bushel. Or someone keeps it hidden for them. I hope someone who reads this blog and is in a position to do something will take note of the discontent on this subject and start to take meaningful steps to rectify the priest shortage!!! Enough of the party line and excuses from Rome. It is time to include married men and women (single or married) as part of the priesthood.
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