Perspective Afraid to imagine what could go
right
By ARTHUR JONES
This sad little tale from the West
Coast speaks to the blind side of Catholicism as currently promulgated from
Rome. Its a parish tale that talks to the entire world.
This is a Dominican parish.
As most people know, the men and women whose vocation is to follow
in the footsteps of St. Dominic (1170-1221), have the initials O.P. after their
names.
It stands for Order of Preachers.
But it doesnt necessarily mean what it says if one is both a
Dominican and a woman. Dominican Sr. Benilda Desmond, who has been on the
preaching roster at St. Dominics Church in Eagle Rock, abutting Glendale,
Calif., for the past seven years, has just been told by her pastor, Dominican
Fr. Anthony Patalano, she can no longer preach at Mass.
Do not direct your immediate ire at Patalano. He, regardless of
the what and why of his actions, is to some extent more the messenger than the
measurer of such silly notions of what Gods women may or may not do.
St. Dominics parish in many ways does practically everything
a parish can do to be hospitable. St. Dominics has a large and loyal and,
by my observation at Mass there, a fairly low-key and slightly conservative
congregation of recent immigrants, many of them first- and second-generation
Filipinos and Hispanics. It is one of those churches that is a welcoming host
also to the regions Catholic lesbian and gay community.
It has good music, an enormous choir down where you can see it as
well as hear it, and the bulletin is crammed with ways of being involved --
scripture classes and contemplative prayer groups (English and Spanish) and a
Catholic study group, plus adult education led by Desmond.
On the Sundays when she is on the roster, Desmond, in her
preaching, is a rock-calm, a steady-as-you-go, educated and inspired
interpreter of the scriptures out into the lives and times of those at Mass.
They listen to her with the same interest, intent and respect as they do the
succession of men delivering homilies.
In a book of collected homilies published without the names, there
would be nothing in a Sr. Benilda homily to make the reader say, My, this
was preached by a woman. No, the reader would remark, This was
preached by a well-grounded preacher.
However, in a September parish bulletin, Patalano wrote:
Over the past recent years, several documents from the Holy See have
stipulated that only deacons, priests and bishops are to preach at Mass.
And he quotes from the most explicit of the three: Instruction on
Certain Questions Regarding the Collaboration of the Non-Ordained Faithful in
the Sacred Ministry.
Theres no need to spell it out. Most Vatican documents that
could imaginatively broaden the work of a faith-inspired laity can be
summarized in one word. No. The Vatican is terrified of losing the
chain of command that is its chain of control. Most Vatican documents dealing
with issues inside the church reflect little faith in the faithful. And
certainly precious little faith in Gods and the Risen Jesus ability
to cope with a world half-filled with women.
Its as if these men are afraid to imagine what could go
right, and instead stay awake nights worrying about what could go wrong.
In St. Dominics bulletin, pastor Patalano wrote that for the
past four years, aware of the edict, he chose to ignore the rule.
Without saying why -- theres apparently been no pressure from the
chancery -- Patalano decided to ignore no more, and took the painful
procedure of informing Sr. Benilda. The last thing I want to do is hurt [her].
She is an outstanding woman and Dominican. Her scholarship is without question.
And in my own way, as a man, I do understand her pain as a woman who feels
qualified to preach. However, contrary to how I may feel, as a priest, pastor
and prior, I must uphold the law.
Desmond appended a note: It is with sorrow I received [the]
decision. I had hoped that the pastoral exception made in the past could be
continued. It has been one of the great joys of my ministry that I was allowed
to preach to a Dominican parish, a community that hungered for the Word of
God.
She did not return NCRs call, but she has told sister
Dominicans she does not want to be a sign of controversy or
division in the parish.
There is a feeling among some of Desmonds sister Dominicans
that it is other Dominican friars who have pressured Patalano into this move.
What he told NCR was, It was painful. I truly love
and respect the woman. But he preferred not to talk about it, for he
regarded it as an internal Dominican matter.
This act is not, of course, an internal Dominican matter. It is
and has been a very public matter. Desmond has preached for seven years
to those thousands attending St. Dominics six weekend Masses. It is an
important matter to Catholics adult enough to want adult education. And to the
larger community of Catholics who do care about the role of women in a
male-dominated church.
O Rome. Oh what a boxed-in God and truncated Jesus they
envision.
O Catholicism.
Arthur Jones is NCRs California-based
editor-at-large.
National Catholic Reporter, October 5,
2001
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