Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Another thing that irks me...

I'm late in blogging about this, but my mind has been with more important issues. There are bigger fish to fry, in other words. But I've got a big pan, so I'm throwing this one on in the perimeter. Despite this story being reported by the Boston Globe, I take it to be somewhat reliable regarding the Boston Archbishop's recent choice to include women in the Archdiocesan Mandatum (foot-washing) Rite at the Mass of the Lord's Supper this Holy Thursday. The article states:
"The Congregation [for Divine Worship] affirmed the liturgical requirement that only the feet of men be washed at the Holy Thursday ritual." However, the Congregation did "provide for the archbishop to make a pastoral decision."
Well, I'm irritated.

I have the utmost respect for Archbishop O'Malley, and farbeit from me to disagree with the Congregation for Divine Worship; but I agree with Jimmy Akin that "what we have here is a real mess." I'm confused as to whether this instruction is truly law or not. If so, why the exception? The Archbishop ruffled many feathers last year when he classified the typical, American breed of aggressive feminism alongside other grave evils in our society. But he was right. Modern American feminism is a denial of true femininity and womanhood, and dehumanizing for both sexes. Mary has been surpassed by Marge Sanger as the "woman par excellance," and nowadays an abortion earns you a privileged membership card in NOW.

Even if the law has been justly relaxed and the "pastoral decision" of Archbishop O'Malley is within the law (which I am giving the benefit of the doubt), I still wonder about its pastoral implications. Which were the people offended by his decision last year to exclude women: true Catholic feminists who study at the school of Mary in contemplating Christ? Or the type just mentioned? I don't have the answer. I give the Archbishop my support and faith. But I wonder...

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just recently stumbled on to your site..it is well written, blanced, and betrays a sharp mind on the part of the writer. As for this post...you express the frustratiuon of a great many who have worked to be faithful to this rule, and now ask why!

3/23/05, 3:09 PM  
Blogger Joe Grabowski said...

Thank you for your compliments. More people have called me "extreme" than "balanced," but I really have tried to seek the Aristotelian "golden mean" in my approach to debate - in media stat virtus. But sometimes we must play tug-of-war to keep that center truly balanced, and cannot all stand in the middle, so I feel justified in my (occasionally) strong language and opinionation. I hope you visit more.

3/23/05, 4:03 PM  

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