"A young priest in the Czechoslovak Hussite Church has been pleasantly surprised by the welcome and openness she has experienced at the Synod of Bishops on young people, she told America in an interview. A fraternal delegate, Rev. Martina Viktorie Kopecká, 32, has the distinction of being the only female cleric at the Synod of Bishops, which is taking place from Oct. 3 to 28 in Rome."
"Dressed in the liturgical vestments of the Hussite Church—a black robe with an imprinted red chalice and white stole—she delivered an address to the whole synod body on Oct. 11, emphasizing the importance of ecumenical relations, calling the synod a “sign of hope” and affirming the capacity of young people to be bridge builders."
“The true ecumenical movement must be lived and shared together,” she said."
"...The fraternal delegates who represent other Christian churches can make interventions in the synod aula and participate in small group discussions, but they cannot vote. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople has a delegate, as do ecclesial organizations like the World Lutheran Federation, the World Communion of Reformed Churches and the World Methodist Council."
"...Rev. Kopecká is representing the World Council of Churches, a fellowship of 350 member churches “seeking unity, common witness and Christian service.” Even at her young age, she has been entrusted with great responsibility at the W.C.C. She serves on their central committee and 20-member executive committee, and she moderates the ECHOS commission on youth in the ecumenical movement."
The Hussite Church has an interesting background. It dates from approximately 1920, separating from the Catholic Church after WWI. When I first saw the America article, I thought that the Hussite Church was likely a Reformed church in the Calvinist tradition. There is a Czech Presbyterian congregation near here; they claim their descent back to Jan Hus, a 15th century reformer who anticipated the Lutheran reformation by a full century. But the Hussite Church is not part of that denomination.
It is interesting that some of the people around here who claim a Czech heritage object to the term "Czech". They say they are Bohemian, that Czech was a later term that groups Bohemians, Moravians, and Silesians together.
Footnote on Jan Hus: It is a very dark moment in our history that he was burned as a heretic by the Catholic Church. "Nearly six centuries later in 1999, Pope John Paul II expressed "deep regret for the cruel death inflicted" on Hus and added "deep sorrow" for Hus' death and praised his "moral courage". Cardinal Miloslav Vlk of the Czech Republic was instrumental in crafting John Paul II's statement."
Katherine, many thanks for this post - very interesting. Frankly, I'm surprised that none of the other denominations and groups sent a woman.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as one "inside" the church, I'm not surprised that she's been welcomed. But I can understand (if I'm reading between the lines correctly) that folks who are not part of Catholicism and looking at it from outside may have an expectation that the Catholic male hierarchy is anti-woman and wouldn't want her around.
Regarding this: "It is interesting that some of the people around here who claim a Czech heritage object to the term "Czech". They say they are Bohemian, that Czech was a later term that groups Bohemians, Moravians, and Silesians together" - I hadn't heard of that specific thing before, but it's of a piece with other, similar trends in Europe. For example, in Belgium, there are those who would like to split the country into two, the Dutch-speaking (Flanders) and the French-speaking (Wallonia). (As there also are German speakers in Belgium, I am not sure how that would shake out). And then there is Britain/Scotland, Spain/Galicia, and probably others that I'm not aware of.
Regarding the Czech part of Europe: the Czech Republic used to be half of Czechoslovakia. When they were a single country, I read somewhere that their nightly newscasts featured two anchors, with one reading the first story in Czech, and the other reading the 2nd story in Slovak, and alternating their way through the newscast. Do Bohemians, Moravians and Silesians all speak Czech?
It is my understanding that they all speak Czech. By now the ones around here are more than 100 years removed from the "old country". However we attended Mass at a little country church where there were still Czech hymnals in the pews. Most of the songs were standard "Glory and Praise". But they sang one or two of the old Czech hymns. Lovely, but they need to buy some vowels!
DeleteMy Favorite Opera is "Predana Nevesta", "The Bartered Bride", by Smetana, totally in Czech. Not very close to Polish but close enough to sing along. Not as many jawbreakers as polish.
DeleteI will have to see if I can find some links to that opera on youtube. Some of the older people who are Polish speakers in our parish tell me that Polish and Russian are more similar than Czech.
DeleteDefinitely, Katherine. I can always pick words out when the Russkies talk.
DeleteJim, I am also surprised that none of the other denominations sent a woman. And I am also not surprised that Rev. Kopecka was welcomed. Because I don't believe that the Catholic church is really misogynistic. It is just so bound up by Tradition that we will never see women clergy. Well, maybe women deacons. But some people are ready to tar and feather Pope Francis for even talking about some minor changes. After 2000 years the wineskins are pretty brittle.
DeleteIf I'm not mistaken, Berwyn, IL, has/had a large Bohemian community.
DeleteI am guessing women clergy might feel more or less welcome depending on their countey/culture. I think modern Catholics are anti-woman; our RCIA Church Ladies liked to rant against feminism. But there have been important places for women in the Church going back to the Gospels. The marginalization of women has been more cultural than theological.
ReplyDeleteWell, I remember hearing a reading by Paul last month, (Sept 12, 1 Cor 7, 25-31) in which Paul said:
Delete"Brothers, ... Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation. Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife...brothers, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as ..."
and I was struck by how he was addressing himself exclusively to men; talking to them about their wives (or lack of wives), but never talking to women. My reaction was: "That reading is not for me. I am excluded from this part of the Mass."
Trouble is, feminism is a broad term, meaning different things, depending on who is speaking and who is hearing it. I'll bet even the church ladies would agree with a basic, "equal pay for equal work, equal opportunities for education and employment" definition. It is problematic that feminism has become code in some circles for abortion-for-any-reason rights.
DeleteKatherine, yes, that's so. Feminists = fetus-hating over-sexed ball busters, I guess.
DeleteThe Church Ladies seemed most concerned that we were not spending enough time at home and were too job focused. On Valentine's Day, they urged us to make some kind of special treat and write a love note to put in our husband's lunch.
I am very uncomfortable with other people giving me marital advice, so I said that if I was too nice to Raber, he'd think I was running around on him.
Wrong thing to say.
Claire, I just thought the reading meant not to make any life-altering changes cuz the End Times coming. Paul gets on that schtick sometimes.
I interpreted that as being about end times coming also. I always thought it was interesting in one of the gospels, I forget which one, it says that Jesus didn't even know when the Parousia was coming, only the Father did. I assume Jesus as the second Person of the Trinity knows now. But "...what did he know and when did he know it?"
DeleteJean and Katherine, I didn't get to the stage of wondering what the message was. Couldn't get past the fact that he was addressing himself solely to men and ignoring women...
DeleteClaire: I remember hearing a reading by Paul last month, (Sept 12, 1 Cor 7, 25-31)
DeleteMuch of that entire passage has bothered me for years. Yes, Paul thought the end-times were near. But his views of marriage are offensive, serving as one of the roots for the church's teaching that those who are celibate and ordained are ontologically superior to those who are not. That marriage is not a vocation that can lead to holiness, but is a "distraction". He is also pretty down on sex, telling those who are married to act as though they are not. The unmarried are concerned about the affairs of the Lord - so married people are not?
8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.
But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned......From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none;
...An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord.
33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife--
34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband.
35
Katherine, agree that too many think feminists are ALL for UNLIMITED abortion on demand all the way up to five minutes before labor begins.
DeleteI have always liked this comment from Rebecca West
I myself have never been able to find out what feminism is; I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat
Yes, Jean that the church IS misogynist. I don't know how anyone can not see that, but denial is VERY strong. If people didn't deny it, they might be forced to leave their comfort zones - especially the men, but some women too - and DO something about it. Resign in protest maybe - mass defection from the ranks of the deacons and wives, or priests or Church Ladies. Most are not comfortable doing this, it will cost them personally. So some of us simply leave all by ourselves but this does not impact things.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that an "illicitly" ordained female Catholic priest would not have been treated with the same respect as the sole female clergy member at this meeting. They will tolerate women clergy from outside the fold, but they will never, ever give women in their own church equal respect. The Catholic church literally teaches that women are to be subservient to men - AKA, they are second class citizens.
I subscribe to the daily emails from Joan Chittister.
The sin of tradition
January 23 is the birth date of Venerable Mary Ward (1585-1645), founder of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her idea to found an order of women that was nonenclosed and free of Episcopal jurisdiction led to persecution and suppression by church authorities. The following is an excerpt from an article on Mary Ward by Joan Chittister that appeared in The Way:Summer 1985.
Mary Ward understood her opposition well. She knew that men considered them radicals, “new beginners of a course never thought of before.” And through it all she persisted. Through the local investigations and complaints, through the accusations and disapproval, through the examinations by the Congregation of Cardinals, through the suppression of the Order, through the house arrest in the convent of Angers. So strong was her faith that women, too, were created in the image of God and that women were no lesser creatures than men that she laid down her own life to release the lives and gifts of other women.
Mary Ward did not prevail, except in part. Though some gains have definitely been made for some women—in education, in legal rights, in social inclusion, in theological developments and pastoral participation—nevertheless most of the poor, most of the hungry, most of the disenfranchised of the world are still women; all of the authorities of the Church are still men and the laws still prescribe cloisters, choirs, habits and male approval of women’s religious groups.
The Theology of Limitation is the catechism on women to this day. But Mary Ward does raise both questions and models that will not die. Does God value women as much as Mary Ward did? And if so, why does not the male Church?
The answers given to women about the strictures on their gifts when all other answers, intellectual and biological and social, have been given the lie, has always been “tradition.” But the real issue for our time is why is this the tradition? Is the exclusion of women from the administrative, sacramental life of the Church because inclusion wasn’t supposed to be or because no one would allow it to be? And isn’t the communal re-emergence of great women who do great things that great men say may not be done by a woman also part of the tradition? The question is, Why do we never legitimate that part of the tradition? …
It is 400 years later. The spiritual leadership of women depends yet on the witness, the verity, of courageous women. It depends as well on the honesty of conscientious men who will call their own systems to the Gospel truth. Or as a contemporary feminist said, “If you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.”
The RCC chooses to operate with half a brain. In denying the feminine in the Divine (God made them male AND female in God's image), they continue to damage THE church - the People of God.
Anne, I think you are probably right that an "illicitly" ordained woman priest would not have been welcomed or invited. One of my cousins is a woman priest in an "ecumenical community in the catholic tradition". I think she is considered excommunicated and I'm sure receives no invitations to symposiums.
DeleteThat is sad about Mary Ward, I hadn't heard of her. But I knew that St. Jane Frances de Chantal had wanted her order not to be enclosed, so they could better serve the poor. But the PTB wouldn't hear of it. In the end her friend and advisor, Francis de Sales, caved to peer pressure.
Maybe I'm splitting hairs here, but I don't think of the Church as misogynistic so much as most Christians (with the exception of a few mainline Protestant sects that are dying rapidly).
DeleteI don't think Jesus handed us a tradition that excluded women from debate or active participation (see St. Martha and many medieval women).
But, as our American society becomes more polarized, I think our parishes are following cultural trends (vs. good theology). Traditionalists/conservatives predominate in most Christian denominations. In Catholic parishes, they've staked their claim as the "good Catholics" who follow all the rules and balk at liturgical innovations. I would venture that most of official parish-dom--from priest to deacon to Altar Society, to CCD teachers, to K of C or mens' group--are dominated by conservatives. Progressives/liberals feel unwelcome and drop out or go elsewhere. I stick with it (cuz I'm not a snowflake), but it's not news to anyone here that I resent the holier-than-thous who run everything.
If you look at major religious groups in the U.S., you'll see that Christian denominations (compared to Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and Jews) have the lowest number of Democrats and the highest number of Republicans. Black Christian churches are the exception, but many of them are re-thinking their affiliation with Democrats and their social agenda.
http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/party-affiliation/
And, even as I write the above, I wonder to what extent I'm making "tribalism" worse by saying this stuff. I like to be in groups where I don't know what someone's political affiliation is these days. The people in our local parish are pretty triumphal Republicans.
Delete