There is a billboard sign outside of an Anglican Church, near one my city transit bus stations that says: Stand in God’s light and cast a long shadow.  Today, being February 2 and Groundhog Day, I thought I would begin with this coincidence of experiencing light and shadow.

It appears to the Church and to the world that the RC Church has stepped into God’s light and is casting a long shadow with the brilliance of Pope Francis.  As Hans Kung had hoped, winter might well be over and spring sprung for the Universal Catholic Church of Christ.

Certainly, Pope Francis is redirecting the Church to embrace the person and gospel message of Jesus Christ.  Perhaps, this redirection by his words and actions, must precede any tangible structural change.

Father John Wotherspoon has refocused the Vatican 2 Catholic website to reflect Pope Francis’s concern for the poor and disenfranchised.  Agreeably, the focus of the Catholic Church and its catholic people must be where the focus was for Christ.

I am furthering the discussion of Christ and the poor with mention of an article that appeared in our local newspaper: The Edmonton Journal, on Saturday, January 25.  “The title of the article is:  “One of the best ways to serve the poor is to ordain women”. The article is written by Lori Dexter, a graduate of Newman Theological College and is a trained spiritual director.  She says,

“The way I see it, if Pope Francis is truly all about justice for the poor and the marginalized, then he is also all about the advancement of women in all aspects of society, including (if not especially) religion. But this is exactly where his train goes off the track. The question of the role of women seems to be his stumbling block”.

“In his recent apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium. (The Joy of the Gospel) he writes that the question of women's ordination "is not open to discussion." By refusing even to discuss the possibility, this Pope risks losing any ground he has gained by advocating for the world's poor”.

I wholeheartedly agree with Lori Dexter, especially when she states:  “By refusing even to discuss the possibility, this Pope risks losing any ground  he has gained by advocating for the world’s poor”.   For whatever reasons and it baffles me, Pope Francis is unable to realize that it is not God’s will to refuse women the Church’s anointing for teaching, preaching, and sanctifying. This refusal on his part, will keep the Church in the shadow , in spite of any great effort to serve the world’s poor. I am sure Pope Francis will know this when he takes his last breath, but, that will be too late.  Hopefully, he recognizes his stumbling block as Lori Dexter calls it, before his eventual meeting with Christ face to face.

In returning to the comparison of light and shadow on this Groundhog Day,  we have had a very trying winter in Canada.  I wonder if the Groundhog will see his shadow!  We have had a very trying winter in the Church, I wonder if the Pope will see his shadow!

Pope can help by ordaining women

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