Saddened yet with hope

Saddened yet with hope.

There were several  pieces of news that specially concerned me this week. One was the news of the Pope’s recent visit to Germany. He met with victims of the priest’s scandal and was apparently quite moved by what they had to say. On the same visit he was also  told  that women priests should be considered as a possibility, and not just because of the scandall.

I read that after reading a letter from a young lady. She expressed eloquently how from her earliest awareness she had wanted to become a priest.  As soon as she was able she began to serve at the altar with enthusiasm. Now she finds out that in a neighbouring parish females have been banned from this task, one they have done faithfully and well for a number of years. The explanation given for this ban is that if boys act as servers they are more likely to consider the priesthood.  But does the fact that boys can make this choice preclude girls from serving?  There was a comedy show on this week in which a girl expressed the wish to become a Catholic simply in order to get into the same school as her friend. After researching the matter further she came to the conclusion ‘I could never be pope’ and so decided not to go ahead. It was a comedy show, yet like so much comedy actually had a kernel of truth. Women have no official voice in the church when it comes to decision making – decisions that are about them as often as not. If you think this is not true just think about papal elections.

The young lady server has bravely offered a challenge to the priest who issued the ban. She challenges him to take the thing to its extreme – to stop confirming girls, to stop baptising them. After all we are all equal in baptism – that is the theory. Baptism  by definition  is the means of ‘Enabling participation in the sacraments, the priesthood of all believers, and the growth in grace.’ Let us practise it in all its fullness.