Nun Run!

I always thought a nun run was what you did when you saw a nun. I have always had a particular aversion to nuns, not because I had a mean nun as a teacher but because of the wacky ones that I seem to run across. The doctrinal assessment conducted by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has brought to light the wackiness. In fact Bishop Blair who recently conducted the assessment of the women religious commented about the assessment: "  What the CDF is concerned about, as I indicated, is the particular organization known as the LCWR. Its function, responsibilities and statutes were all originally approved by the Holy See, to which it remains accountable....What are the Church’s pastors to make of the fact that the LCWR constantly provides a one-sided platform — without challenge or any opposing view — to speakers who take a negative and critical position vis-a-vis Church doctrine and discipline and the Church’s teaching office?"

What kind of doctrinal positions do they take? These are the nuns who have "moved beyond Jesus and moved beyond the church" - what?? If Jesus is the mark and the standard, anything beyond is by definition off the mark and well off course. These ladies tend to get their panties in a wad about feminism. I don't think they have a clue what feminism is. It is not masculinity. It is not license to do what you want with your body. It is not rebellion.

It wasn't until I ran into some seriously dedicated and obedient nuns that I stood in awe of what a woman actually is. They were strong, happy, joyful and unmistakably feminine. They radiated what it is to be woman. They weren't weak. It's tough to be obedient. It's tough to be meek. Have you ever tried it? Some people think that obedience means you don't disagree and that you just follow without question and blindly. Untrue.

Obedience is stating your objections and reservations openly and honestly and then acting in accordance to what obedience demands. This at times takes heroic virtue and will. It's tough!

"Wives, be obedient to your husbands" - that line prickles doesn't it? It does if you don't understand what obedience is. I have to be obedient to husband. Does that mean I defer to him at all times? Does it mean that I have no mind of my own? Does it mean that I agree with all that he says or does? Does it mean that because I am the wage-earner and he is not that I'm the decision maker or that my place is higher than his? My place is next to him but he sees fit to elevate me. Humble yourselves and you shall be exalted.

I was at an ordination last month and one of the most amazing things was when the ordinati took his vow of obedience to the Bishop and his successor. I wondered about the ladies outside who were protesting the male only priesthood and I thought to myself, "Would any of the women ordination lot be able to take a vow of obedience?" The thing is they honestly think they are doing the right thing, standing outside of the cathedral protesting the ordination as the ordinati process into the cathedral on the most special day of their lives. Would any of them protest a wedding? A funeral? A hospital during the annointing of the sick? Second graders as they first take their Sacrament of the Eucharist? Baptisms? Why take the most special day for these ordinati and think that it's ok for them to try to ruin it by objecting to it? Did they ever once consider the individual or just themselves?

Honestly, I pray for these people and am very sad for them because they just don't get it. I hope they move beyond themselves and toward Jesus because he's the answer. He is always the answer.

Pastor with benefits

I attended a wedding yesterday. The couple was married by their Lutheran pastor. I've attended Lutheran worship services, served with pastors and members of other faith traditions while exercising ministry and enjoy the company of those of other faith traditions, even the evangelical Atheists. I dig them all. Really. The sight of a Lutheran pastor in a Roman collar though was a tad off-putting. It's not the first time I've seen a Lutheran pastor in a Roman collar but it does give me reason to pause and it made me immediately think of 'Friends with Benefits' (as gross and disgusting as that is to contemplate) because that's the bad taste it left.

You see "Pastors with Benefits" take all the benefits of being recognized as clergy without the sacrificial self-giving of oneself completely in ministry. Perhaps some would argue that's not the case. Perhaps where you live a Roman collar means Methodist minister, but universally throughout the world, sorry a Roman collar denotes unity with Rome. It means a priest is available for the sacrament of confession and for annointing of the sick in any situation including emergencies. Denominational ministers are not conferred the sacrament of Holy Orders and thereby do nothing more for me than any other lay person can do. Through the power of the church any denominational pastor cannot absolve me of my sins because by definition(of denomination) that pastor is not in communion with the Catholic church. Granted they may have knowledge, schooling, and gifts no other has and thus can discuss faith with public persons... just like any other lay person can.

A priest is available for ministry at any hour. He can be called to anoint the sick with the oils consecrated by the Bishop. While any pastor can minister to the sick, the priest by virtue of his ordination doesn't exercise HIS own ministry, he acts in Persona Christi ("in the person of Christ"), meaning that however sinful he is, however unworthy HE might be for ministry, God has set him apart to minister. It is Christ acting through him to bring healing, and the forgiveness of sins to His people. He does this by virtue of his ordination in communion with the church. It's not something he does on his own. It's a minor distinction, but it's critical. Some people think priests never disagree with the teachings of the church, but that's not the case. While they may be sympathetic to arguments made against certain teachings of the church, the truth is because they don't exercise their own ministry, because they exercise obedience to church teachings they and we who follow are guaranteed not to err. Any denomenational pastor or person who disagrees with his churchs' teaching are free to splinter off and create the next new and greater denomination with new church teachings and they do so at an alarming rate.

Further, the priest gives of himself completely by embracing celibacy. Is it easy? Not a chance. Is it radical? Absolutely! As Christians we are called to love. What wouldn't you do for your lover? Would you love them in a radical way? Sleeping with a potential spouse before marriage is an easy thing to do. Waiting until after marriage for sex, well that's a radical way to love. It's sacrificial. It hurts. A Roman Catholic priest sacrifices a potential wife and family to take as his bride the church. He takes a vow of obedience to his Bishop, a vow of chastity and some also take a vow of poverty. Are there abuses? Yes. Are they widespread? Not a chance. I've known way too many priests and am good friends with more than a few to know that abuses in the priesthood hurt them. I've seen firsthand how they suffer the repercussions of the priest abuse scandal. So it pains me when I see denominational ministers sporting the Roman collar for recognition, but easily side-step away from the taunts of those who acuse them of abuse because, they aren't "Catholic". They can listen to my story. They can bring me words of comfort. They can pray with me, but they cannot give me the body and blood of Christ and they cannot absolve me of my sins not even in an emergency. So why wear the collar?

Michael Duffy has an answer as the collar as yolk and witness.
Citing Monsignior Mangen and Fr. Murray's also weigh in Why a priest should wear his Roman collar:
"The Roman collar makes the priest available for the Sacraments, especially Confession and the Anointing of the Sick, and for crisis situations. Because the Roman collar gives instant recognition, priests who wear it make themselves more apt to be approached, particularly when seriously needed. The authors can testify to being asked for the Sacraments and summoned for assistance in airports, crowded cities and isolated villages because they were immediately recognized as Catholic priests."
Pastor Reckart a denominational pastor even quoted the Monsignior's piece in giving reasons why pastors should NOT wear the Roman collar.