Street roots
Aug. 17, 2012
ORDINATION, fro m page 9
just ignored.
J.Z.: When you were ordained a priest, did
you think that this was ju st an experiment o f
some sort? Did you think - as a movement -
that this was going to stick?
T.T.: We all knew that we would likely be
excommunicated. However, what does that
mean? The Vatican can issue an
excommunication order and say you can no
longer receive the sacraments. However,
when you’re a priest and you can offer the
sacraments, what difference does that rule
make?
Also, what does it mean to be
excommunicated? You’re not no longer a
catholic. Once you’re a baptized Catholic,
you’re always a Catholic. They can’t kick
you out of the church. It meant something
when you were part of little village and
there was a village church, and the next
village was 100 miles away, and everyone
knew you were excommunicated and
therefore the priest would not give you the
sacraments. But in a time like this, who
knows? It makes no sense.
Plus, you have to buy into being
excommunicated for a justice issue. I know
that I’ve been called to ordination by God,
and you men are telling me no, when your
biblical commission says there’s nothing to
stand in the way of my ordination. You’re
making this decision based on something
that makes no sense to anybody that
because I’m a woman and I don’t have a
penis, I can’t be a priest. So it’s a justice
issue. You’re the hierarchy — you’re not the
whole church. Most, over 58 percent of the
Catholic population, believe that women
should be ordained, and here I am as part
of this church saying this is what God is
calling us to. I firmly believe this.
J.Z.: Did you get any backlash from people
when you were ordained?
T.T.: Yes. I had a couple of letters, e-mail.
The first time I said mass in Eugene, The
Register-Guard newspaper picked up the
story before the mass and there were
picketers outside the church. I know where
people are coming from, and it doesn’t
really bother me.
J.Z.: You have likened the impact o f the
Vatican’s crackdown on the Leadership
Conference o f Women Religious not ju st on the
individual level but at its broadest - fr o m
congregations to politics. Do you think the
approach the bishops are taking
disproportionately hurts poor people more
than people o f wealth?
T.T.: Oh, yes. We know from studies and
research that’s been done. That if you
educate and empower the women, the
water of the society rises. Things get better
in that society if you empower the women.
Yet, what is happening politically, but also
with the church, is they’re trying to keep
women down. Which runs counter to what
culture and society needs in order to
become more just, more whole, more
compassionate, more supportive of one
another. Because when you have people
who are just taking care of their own
survival needs, and that’s all they can do,
they don’t have time to take care of their
children, to educate their children, they’re
not even able to be present to their
children.
It’s a sad thing. Talking about the ultra
right, it’s weird how there are people who
make it their calling to go to churches and
listen to anything that is the least bit liberal,
the least bit progressive and then report it.
Report it to Rome, report it to the bishop,
and the sad thing is, that those are the
voices that are getting listened to and
supported and empowered.
J.Z.: What do you think is their
motivation?
T.T.: I think it’s fear. Fear of change. I
think it’s a very narrow view of what is
correct, and as long as we stay right here
then everything is going to be all right. But
if we get out here, well, we’re going to go to
hell in a hand basket. Society is going to fall
apart. So they’re trying to make sure we
stay on the straight and narrow. And a little
bit of that can be useful. Because the
progressive side can get kind of crazy and
frenetic and kind of scattered. So a little bit
of that, and you have a balance. But when
you emphasize that and only support that,
then that becomes out of balance, There’s a
breaking point. We can’t rein it all in.
J.Z.: What is to happen for the church to
move beyond this conflict?
T.T.: I don’t know. I think one thing
that’s happening is we have a grassroots
church. And that grassroots church is
growing and it’s developing and
experimenting, and who knows what will
happen with that grassroots church as it
grows in its connectedness. As coalitions
are formed between Roman Catholic
Womenpriests and the Ecumenical, and
some of the protestant churches that are
also experimenting with faith based home
churches. I see a lot of ferment happening
at the grassroots. People are not satisfied
with what the institutions are telling them
any more — across the board. We’re not
trusting the institutions, we’re not trusting
the political institutions, certainly not the
churches. But underneath all of that, there
is a spirituality that is trying to find its way.
It’s healthy. We don’t know what it is. We
can’t name it yet. But it’s there. While the
institutions are crumbling, will the Catholic
Church institution crumble? I doubt it. I
think there probably will be something that
carries it on. The institution will survive,
and the grassroots will continue developing,*
and it may be a parallel univèrse. Maybe thé
two will meet down the road.
Sidewalk
By Michone Nettles
Here we go, side stepping
Looking down onto the vest
Of deep space
Let one be one!
Do you keep with
Or do you keep without?
Not being such a thing to be real
Side stepping through deep space
Moment after moment
Not knowing what will be done
In next seconds of time
Hoping all will be on my knees
Side stepping in deep space.
What’s coming our way today in the side step
On the sidewalk
Of planet Earth?
Wishing well fore each
Life’s turns and twists,
The sidewalk prevails.
The faces you can’t forget
Appear out of the deep
That separates us as individuals
Side stepping through deep space
What else is there?
Their unforgettable memories that go on living
In the heart and soul
Looking around you find your place
To fit inside upside down deep space
Stepping, wishing and hoping for that one and only
True love for life
Being alive in deep space,
Side stepping on the sidewalk of planet Earth’s deep, historic
beauty
And a wonder for life’s ongoing hopes and dreams
Keep on keeping on.
International Overdose Awareness Day
Memorial
Nearly 100 people die every'
dav from overdose. We
would like to lake a moment
to honor those we have lost
and ask you to join us for a
candle light memorial.
Please feel free to bring pic
tures. letters, flowers, or
candles to honor those who
are gone.
Outside
(EsDecially if you or your business are a frequent traveller!)
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