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  2013-05-12    Darlene Starrs, Canada blogger 

The Cry of the Poor

 

I was so very surprised to see that there were a few reviews of Professor Garry Wills book: Why Priests? I believe they call that synchronicity! IT IS VERY, VERY, IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT GARRY WILLS DID NOT CALL FOR THE ABOLITION OF THE PRIESTHOOD. His most salient point is that we need to re-examine our belief in the "ontological power" of the priest. This is extremely significant for the Church, should we find ourselves, increasingly without members of the clerical order, and needing to call forth our presiders from the laity. What we need are Divine X-ray machines to see whether there really are ontological characters. That might solve that polemic in a hurry!

With the election of Pope Francis, the Church, has its' most recent best chance at so many areas that need reform. We see the Pope taking steps to do that, particularly, with the selection of the advisory group. However, there is also, the reality that Pope Francis, is not at a place, as it is said in scripture, where "all things have been revealed to him"

Unfortunately, Pope Francis has broken my heart, with his final stance with the sisters of the U.S. He has reiterated that the "authority of Christ is the same as the authority of the Church". We know that is simply not always the case. Ironically, Pope Francis and the Vatican want to beatify Archbishop Romero, and he knew, only too well, that the authority of Christ and the authority of Rome can be very two different things.

There is no apparatus for me to be able to sing for you the song by John Foley S.J., "The Cry of the Poor", so I am directing you to youtube to listen to a young man named Sunny Castillo, who sings the song, but he speaks to his audience first, then sings, and ends the video with a visual prayer. It is very, very nice! Please check it out and enjoy! The link is here

This is a song that I sing for private prayer very frequently. I imagine it is the song that would have been a favorite of Christ's, the saints, and most assuredly Mary's. In the Canticle of Mary, she says that the "Lord has raised up the lowly". "Lowly" is another word for the "poor". This is the "poor in spirit", the "Anawim of God", the ones who know they are totally dependent upon God to be their help, to be their refuge, and to be their guide.

Scripture tells us, that the Lord hears the cry of the poor, and given what has happened, with the Sisters of the U.S. this week, at the Vatican, I dedicate this song to them, and all of us women, who continue to be told by the Vatican that our place is to obey the men.

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Comment added by Darlene:

To accompany my above comment, this is the link, to what the German bishops are encouraged to do for women http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1302058.htm…..I know that some might say, that the privileged group, the ones with the Holy Orders would remain, that would continue the inequality……but, having a group of women as deacons, who are blessed, and who take their "credentials from baptism" would still set the Church on a new course…..THE CRUMBS THAT WE WOMEN WOULD RECEIVE FROM THE CLERICAL TABLE, MIGHT WELL CREATE A LOAF OF BREAD, IN FACT, MANY LOAVES OF BREAD, SO THAT IN FACT, CHRIST WOULD HAVE HIS MINISTERS TO GATHER THE REMNANT……WE KNOW THE WORD IS PLANTED WITH THE WOMEN TOO, AND IF THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH CONTINUES TO BLOCK THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL CONFOUND THEIR PLANS, FOR THE LORD’S WORD DOES NOT RETURN TO HIM EMPTY….Happy Mother’s Day, and Happy Feast of the Assumption…..I never thought I’d see the day, when Father Ron Rolheiser and myself would have our names on the same blog spot……You see, how things can change! I will tell You in all sincerity…..there have been those who have tried to throw me into the well, those who have tried to stone me, those who have tried to throw me off the cliff, those who have tried to put my lamp under the table, and those who have tried to put nails in my hands and feet, but the LORD KEEPS RAISING ME UP……The LORD HEARS THE CRY OF THE POOR….AS MARY SAYS IN HER CANTICLE…..He has promised to bring the mighty down from their thrones and to raise up the lowly…..Alleluia….we’re still in the Easter Season….and headed toward Pentecost, when the spirit is unleashed TO RENEW THE FACE OF THE EARTH AND THE CHURCH

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