Picture it: March 19 (St. Joseph's Day), 1970. I and 16 other members of the War Resisters League were arrested blocking the Selective Service Office building in Albany, NY, to protest the war in Vietnam. We would henceforth be referred to in the Albany Times Union as "The Albany 17." My claim to fame was captured in the article as, "One youth sustained a bloody nose."
I raise this specter of the 60s to clarify my understanding of what civil disobedience entails: you see an injustice, you selectively and peacefully break a law, you take the punishment and you hope this focuses attention on the original injustice.
I also raise this to help myself clarify my own very conflicting emotions surrounding Fr. Roy Bourgoise and his precent predicament vis-a-vis the Vatican and Maryknoll.
Before espousing the cause of women's ordinations in the Roman Catholic Church, Roy made a name for himself as the founder of the School of the Americas (Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation) Watch in Fort Benning, GA. SOAW contends many of the more notorious tyrants and murderers of church people of Latin America are graduates of the school and it should therefore be closed.
Each year near the anniversary of the killings of the six Jesuits and their housekeeper and her daughter (November 16, 1989) by graduates of the SOA, tens of thousands of protesters, most of them young people, carrying coffins and crosses bearing the names of the thousands killed or disappeared in Central America, demonstrate outside the gates of Fort Benning. The demonstration culminates in some people intentionally "crossing the line" onto the base and therefore breaking the law. They INTENTIONALLY break the law to get arrested to focus media and, hopefully, the country's attention on the anomaly of having such a base on U.S. soil and supported by U.S. taxpayers.
Roy himself was arrested many times in the past and spent four years in federal prisons, often in solitary confinement (I guess so his presence doesn't corrupt the other prisoners). The judge made it crystal clear that should Roy get arrested again, he's going away for a long, long time. Subsequently, Roy has not "crossed the line", at least civilly.
Which brings us to ecclesial disobedience. Roy knew he was crossing the line by participating in an attempted ordination of a woman. And the punishment he incurred was excommunication. By continuing to speak out publicly on this topic, he now runs the real risk of dismissal from Maryknoll.
I understand Roy's case is now before the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples to decide whether or not the dismissal from Maryknoll is warranted.
Them's the facts.
What I still don't understand is, why fight the consequences of an action designed to provoke precisely these consequences?
Roy's "street cred" in the forefront of the women priests movement is enhanced by his excommunication and pending dismissal from Maryknoll. Forever he will be presented as a priest who paid the price for his solidarity with women.
Thanks to erroneous reports in no less a paper as the New York Times, most people think Roy has already been dismissed, even though the process has not played out. Maryknoll has paid the price amongst many erstwhile supporters, even though Fr. Dougherty, our superior, told me specifically, that Maryknoll would continue its financial and medical support of Roy no matter what.
What is to be gained by either side in interminably prolonging this process?
********
On a related topic, Fr. Ray Finch, up from Cochabamba, Bolivia, to attend the various centennial gatherings and upcoming mission symposium at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, reports a development in women's ability to become Yatiri (native healers) among the Aymara in the altiplano. Many people may not be aware that the Yatiri in Bolivia, Peru and Chile face the strictest selection standards in the world. To become a healer, one must be struck by lightning——and survive. Most do not, Ray says. But the interesting point is that for the first time, WOMEN who survive a lightning strike are being accepted as Yatiri!
Ah, but the Buddhists of Thailand have gone this one better, according to Br. John Beeching. Since it is against the law to harm a monk in this predominantly Buddhist country, to protect the endangered forests from loggers, the monks ordained the trees! And it worked! Loggers refused to lay a hand (or a saw) on these consecrated trees.
In fairness, though, I must confess we don't know the gender of these pious plants.
Showing posts with label SOA Watch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SOA Watch. Show all posts
Friday, September 30, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Maryknoll & SOA Watch
Thanks to Fr. John Sivalon for bringing to my attention the following NCR article about Maryknoll reinstating funding for the SOA Watch. Let's hope the supporters and benefactors who left because of the previous position might reconsider, as our Council obviously did. (You can read this while awaiting tonight's Super Bowl.)
**********************
U.S. missionary order Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers has reinstated grant funding to School of Americas Watch, the antimilitary organization founded by Maryknoll Fr. Roy Bourgeois.
Maryknoll suspended their support of the group in May because Bourgeois publicly supports women’s ordination. The reinstatement of funding came after talks with Maryknoll Fr. Michael Duggan, SOA Watch organizers told NCR yesterday.
“This is a real expression of solidarity and it means a lot to us,” Bourgeois told NCR “Like all grass-roots organizations, we’re struggling. So we are very happy.”
A spokesperson for Maryknoll confirmed the news today. "SOA Watch has given us assurances that the funds will be used strictly for their work and that's why we restored those funds," Maryknoll's Mike Virgintino told NCR.
A check for the grant, which totals $10,000, was sent to SOA Watch in December, SOA Watch organizers said. The news became public when Call to Action sent an e-mail to supporters yesterday.
The grant will be used to pay for part of the production of Presente, the newspaper of the movement, which aims to close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation located at Fort Benning, Ga, said Hendrik Voss, SOA Watch national organizer.
In a May 24 statement regarding its original decision to pull its support of SOA Watch, Maryknoll wrote it could not “continue its financial support of that organization without giving the impression that it also supports the actions of its leader concerning the issue of women’s ordination.”
Since the decision to pull funding, 19 separate church and social justice organizations signed onto a letter to Maryknoll encouraging its reinstatement, Call to Action said in their e-mail.
Among the groups signing on to the letter were Voices for Creative Nonviolence, the Women's Ordination Conference, and the Mexico Solidarity Network, Call to Action told NCR yesterday in an e-mail exchange.
While Bourgeois said he didn’t know why Maryknoll reconsidered its support now, he said the news “brought joy to my heart.”
Said Bourgeois: “I’ve been with the community for 42 years, a priest for 38 years with them, and Maryknoll is my family, my community. To be very honest, I really don’t understand why Maryknoll, who is so well known for its work for justice, will not address this injustice of the exclusion of women as equal members in our church. And so we were very happy. This is a real expression of solidarity and it means a lot to us.”
Voss said the funding would allow Maryknoll to further its own mission.
“The newspaper is used to educate people on the reality of U.S. foreign policy in Latin America,” said Voss. “Maryknoll...has people across the Americas who work along the same lines and work for the same goals.”
[Joshua J. McElwee is an NCR staff writer. His e-mail address is jmcelwee@ncronline.org.]
0
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**********************
U.S. missionary order Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers has reinstated grant funding to School of Americas Watch, the antimilitary organization founded by Maryknoll Fr. Roy Bourgeois.
Maryknoll suspended their support of the group in May because Bourgeois publicly supports women’s ordination. The reinstatement of funding came after talks with Maryknoll Fr. Michael Duggan, SOA Watch organizers told NCR yesterday.
“This is a real expression of solidarity and it means a lot to us,” Bourgeois told NCR “Like all grass-roots organizations, we’re struggling. So we are very happy.”
A spokesperson for Maryknoll confirmed the news today. "SOA Watch has given us assurances that the funds will be used strictly for their work and that's why we restored those funds," Maryknoll's Mike Virgintino told NCR.
A check for the grant, which totals $10,000, was sent to SOA Watch in December, SOA Watch organizers said. The news became public when Call to Action sent an e-mail to supporters yesterday.
The grant will be used to pay for part of the production of Presente, the newspaper of the movement, which aims to close the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation located at Fort Benning, Ga, said Hendrik Voss, SOA Watch national organizer.
In a May 24 statement regarding its original decision to pull its support of SOA Watch, Maryknoll wrote it could not “continue its financial support of that organization without giving the impression that it also supports the actions of its leader concerning the issue of women’s ordination.”
Since the decision to pull funding, 19 separate church and social justice organizations signed onto a letter to Maryknoll encouraging its reinstatement, Call to Action said in their e-mail.
Among the groups signing on to the letter were Voices for Creative Nonviolence, the Women's Ordination Conference, and the Mexico Solidarity Network, Call to Action told NCR yesterday in an e-mail exchange.
While Bourgeois said he didn’t know why Maryknoll reconsidered its support now, he said the news “brought joy to my heart.”
Said Bourgeois: “I’ve been with the community for 42 years, a priest for 38 years with them, and Maryknoll is my family, my community. To be very honest, I really don’t understand why Maryknoll, who is so well known for its work for justice, will not address this injustice of the exclusion of women as equal members in our church. And so we were very happy. This is a real expression of solidarity and it means a lot to us.”
Voss said the funding would allow Maryknoll to further its own mission.
“The newspaper is used to educate people on the reality of U.S. foreign policy in Latin America,” said Voss. “Maryknoll...has people across the Americas who work along the same lines and work for the same goals.”
[Joshua J. McElwee is an NCR staff writer. His e-mail address is jmcelwee@ncronline.org.]
0
Copyright © The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company
115 E. Armour Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111
(TEL 1-816-531-0538 FAX 1-816-968-2268)
Send comments about this Web site to: webkeeper@ncronline.org PRIVACY POLICY ADVERTISING POLICY
Monday, August 30, 2010
"Disheartened and dismayed"
To date I have received five letters from Catholic priests (two from the same priest) expressing their strong disagreement with Maryknoll's decision to cut off our yearly subsidy ($17,000) to the School of Americas Watch because of Fr. Roy Bourgeois' continued advocacy for women's ordination. I presume I was included in these correspondence (to Fr. Ed Dougherty, Fr. Bob Jalbert or Mr. Jim McCullough and cc-ed to me) because my name appeared in the NCR column by Ms. Heidi Schlumpf.
Here are two letters from Fr. Brian Joyce from Christ the King Church in Pleasant Hill, California, which I reprint with his permission:
July 30, 2010
Dear Fr. Dougherty,
I write to you as an experienced, active pastor and a long time friend and supporter of Maryknoll to express my disappointment and dismay at the decision to withdraw my customary and long time annual financial support to SOAW. It makes a clear and alarming statement about the current direction and goals of the Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers. The ongoing protest by SOAW is one of the very clear and doable calls for justice in our nation and one which directly affects the people of Latin America where Maryknoll has so faithfully served.
Any argument that the goals and funding of SOAW should be tied to the recent "excommunication" of Fr. Roy or considered part of any agenda over ordination of women is obviously mistaken and wrong headed. For the thousands upon thousands who annually protest at Fort Benning or financially support SOAW and Maryknoll's work as well, the issue is clearly not ordination of women. The issue is the School of Americas Watch. Our local congressman and the Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor said to me of the School of the Americas and its promotion, "If we lay down with dogs sooner or later we will get fleas." No mention of women's ordination there! Only a serious issue of justice which up to know Maryknoll has joined in addressing and now has uncharacteristically deserted. My considerable efforts at fund raising will now be directed to SOAW and the sisters, not the fathers and brothers, of Maryknoll.
May God bless you and may you quickly reconsider.
Sincerely,
Rev. Brian T. Joyce
Pastor
***************************************
[This second letter was addressed to Mr. Jim McCullough, in our Marketing and Development office and cc-ed to Father Dougherty and me. Once again, it is reprinted here with Fr. Joyce's permission.]
August 13, 2010
Dear Jim,
Thanks you for your letter of August 5. While everyone recognizes Fr. Roy as founder and inspiration of SOA Watch, given a moment's reflection, no one would think of him as its "public face"! The public face of the SOA Watch is clearly the four churchwomen killed by military death squads of El Salvador, six Jesuits and their companions slain in El Salvador, and the countless victims whose names and crosses are carried in procession each year at Fort Benning. That is the public face of SOA Watch and that is the face, people and cause, Maryknoll leadership has chosen to forsake. It is interesting that you cite how Society members have long been involved in the defense of human rights throughout Latin America. I question whether those members were consulted or whether they would agree with this recent decision.
I have been a faithful and vocal supporter of Maryknoll for many years, so I am doubly disheartened and dismayed at the decision and also at your "explanation". Please note my contribution this year, exactly $17,000 to mirror the amount withdrawn by Maryknoll leadership, will go to SOA Watch.
You still have time to reconsider.
Sincerely,
Brian T. Joyce
Pastor
[A xeroxed copy of Fr. Bryce's check to SOA Watch appears on the bottom of his letter.]
Here are two letters from Fr. Brian Joyce from Christ the King Church in Pleasant Hill, California, which I reprint with his permission:
July 30, 2010
Dear Fr. Dougherty,
I write to you as an experienced, active pastor and a long time friend and supporter of Maryknoll to express my disappointment and dismay at the decision to withdraw my customary and long time annual financial support to SOAW. It makes a clear and alarming statement about the current direction and goals of the Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers. The ongoing protest by SOAW is one of the very clear and doable calls for justice in our nation and one which directly affects the people of Latin America where Maryknoll has so faithfully served.
Any argument that the goals and funding of SOAW should be tied to the recent "excommunication" of Fr. Roy or considered part of any agenda over ordination of women is obviously mistaken and wrong headed. For the thousands upon thousands who annually protest at Fort Benning or financially support SOAW and Maryknoll's work as well, the issue is clearly not ordination of women. The issue is the School of Americas Watch. Our local congressman and the Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor said to me of the School of the Americas and its promotion, "If we lay down with dogs sooner or later we will get fleas." No mention of women's ordination there! Only a serious issue of justice which up to know Maryknoll has joined in addressing and now has uncharacteristically deserted. My considerable efforts at fund raising will now be directed to SOAW and the sisters, not the fathers and brothers, of Maryknoll.
May God bless you and may you quickly reconsider.
Sincerely,
Rev. Brian T. Joyce
Pastor
***************************************
[This second letter was addressed to Mr. Jim McCullough, in our Marketing and Development office and cc-ed to Father Dougherty and me. Once again, it is reprinted here with Fr. Joyce's permission.]
August 13, 2010
Dear Jim,
Thanks you for your letter of August 5. While everyone recognizes Fr. Roy as founder and inspiration of SOA Watch, given a moment's reflection, no one would think of him as its "public face"! The public face of the SOA Watch is clearly the four churchwomen killed by military death squads of El Salvador, six Jesuits and their companions slain in El Salvador, and the countless victims whose names and crosses are carried in procession each year at Fort Benning. That is the public face of SOA Watch and that is the face, people and cause, Maryknoll leadership has chosen to forsake. It is interesting that you cite how Society members have long been involved in the defense of human rights throughout Latin America. I question whether those members were consulted or whether they would agree with this recent decision.
I have been a faithful and vocal supporter of Maryknoll for many years, so I am doubly disheartened and dismayed at the decision and also at your "explanation". Please note my contribution this year, exactly $17,000 to mirror the amount withdrawn by Maryknoll leadership, will go to SOA Watch.
You still have time to reconsider.
Sincerely,
Brian T. Joyce
Pastor
[A xeroxed copy of Fr. Bryce's check to SOA Watch appears on the bottom of his letter.]
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Be careful what you pray for
More than ten years ago at one of Maryknoll's many "brainstorming" sessions about how we can once again make Maryknoll a household word among Catholics, the idea surfaced (modesty forbids me from saying from whom) that Fr. Roy Bourgeois and the SOA watch should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. I even blogged about it earlier.
Anyway, thanks to Fr. Roy, Maryknoll is once again becoming a household word though not in the way we had hoped. Then, go to find out, Roy and SOAW have indeed been nominated for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize by the Society of Friends (Quakers) Service Committee. You can read their statement here: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/11/22/
Themselves a Peace Prize winner, the SFSC is only one of many former winners who may be inclined to vote for Fr. Roy. These include Desmond Tutu from South Africa, Rigobertto Menchu from Guatemala and Wangari Muta Maathai from Tanzania. (Kim Dae Jung, another winner and friend of Maryknoll from Korea, passed away in August 2009.)
My point is this: imagine if Roy and SOAW win. The Christian in us should probably rejoice because the causes of justice for Latin America and equality in the Church have come to the fore and public discussion of these following the media attention can only help clear the air. The pragmatist in us realizes we're screwed. No matter how we spin it, no way does Maryknoll come out looking good.
Now more than ever we need an articulate, street-smart, media savvy, professional journalist for our Media Rep who can think on his/her feet and cultivate that kind of relationship with both Catholic and secular press people that will see us through times of both crises and celebration.
Here at the Knoll, reaction to the news about Maryknoll's discontinuing of funding the SOAW has been mostly one of confusion and disappointment---and not a little anger. Many have checked out the video in the link below and concluded that that side of the story has not gotten out and as a result Maryknoll's reputation is suffering. I know for a fact we have lost supporters over this. This only underscores the URGENCY to hire a full-time, experienced, pro-active public media-relations rep, but to date no posting has been made, internally or externally, to fill this position.
Inertia may indeed prove our undoing.
Anyway, thanks to Fr. Roy, Maryknoll is once again becoming a household word though not in the way we had hoped. Then, go to find out, Roy and SOAW have indeed been nominated for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize by the Society of Friends (Quakers) Service Committee. You can read their statement here: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/11/22/
Themselves a Peace Prize winner, the SFSC is only one of many former winners who may be inclined to vote for Fr. Roy. These include Desmond Tutu from South Africa, Rigobertto Menchu from Guatemala and Wangari Muta Maathai from Tanzania. (Kim Dae Jung, another winner and friend of Maryknoll from Korea, passed away in August 2009.)
My point is this: imagine if Roy and SOAW win. The Christian in us should probably rejoice because the causes of justice for Latin America and equality in the Church have come to the fore and public discussion of these following the media attention can only help clear the air. The pragmatist in us realizes we're screwed. No matter how we spin it, no way does Maryknoll come out looking good.
Now more than ever we need an articulate, street-smart, media savvy, professional journalist for our Media Rep who can think on his/her feet and cultivate that kind of relationship with both Catholic and secular press people that will see us through times of both crises and celebration.
Here at the Knoll, reaction to the news about Maryknoll's discontinuing of funding the SOAW has been mostly one of confusion and disappointment---and not a little anger. Many have checked out the video in the link below and concluded that that side of the story has not gotten out and as a result Maryknoll's reputation is suffering. I know for a fact we have lost supporters over this. This only underscores the URGENCY to hire a full-time, experienced, pro-active public media-relations rep, but to date no posting has been made, internally or externally, to fill this position.
Inertia may indeed prove our undoing.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Some still unsettled dust
The following was an anonymous post in a CNS (Catholic News Service) blog on Maryknoll's stopping financial support for the SOA Watch.
Anon, on July 26, 2010 at 5:58 pm Said:
Heidi – I send this to you FYI. http://thechristianradical.blogspot.com/2010/07/fr-roy-soa-primer-2010.html. This video was shot on Fr Roy’s SOAW national tour (information I found on a SOAW press release re: dates/locations for Fr Roy’s national tour, which ended in late May 2010). The tape is dated within the week of the reported May 24 meeting between Maryknoll and Fr Roy about the SOAW funding cut by Maryknoll. My guess is that this is the reason Maryknoll felt they had to cut funding. Listen through to the end of the tapes. Fr Roy has my full faith and support and I trust that he speaks from a place of deep and well-formed conscience. Nonetheless, I am not surprised Maryknoll felt it had to make this decision, based on Fr Roy’s very clear statement that, whenever and wherever he is granted a forum to speak about SOA and SOAW, he will also speak about women’s ordination. In fairness to Maryknoll, I think these videotaped – and thus fully authentic – statements need to be publicized, to flesh out this story and balance the speculation. Again and again, I have read and heard questions – including my own – that ask why it is assumed that SOAW should be held accountable for the personal beliefs of its founder. The tapes answer that question, I believe. I do not write this in critique of Fr Roy or SOAW. I write in the interest of honesty in general and fairness to Maryknoll in particular.
The CNS blog can be read here: http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/maryknoll-ends-financial-support-of-school-of-americas-watch/
Anon, on July 26, 2010 at 5:58 pm Said:
Heidi – I send this to you FYI. http://thechristianradical.blogspot.com/2010/07/fr-roy-soa-primer-2010.html. This video was shot on Fr Roy’s SOAW national tour (information I found on a SOAW press release re: dates/locations for Fr Roy’s national tour, which ended in late May 2010). The tape is dated within the week of the reported May 24 meeting between Maryknoll and Fr Roy about the SOAW funding cut by Maryknoll. My guess is that this is the reason Maryknoll felt they had to cut funding. Listen through to the end of the tapes. Fr Roy has my full faith and support and I trust that he speaks from a place of deep and well-formed conscience. Nonetheless, I am not surprised Maryknoll felt it had to make this decision, based on Fr Roy’s very clear statement that, whenever and wherever he is granted a forum to speak about SOA and SOAW, he will also speak about women’s ordination. In fairness to Maryknoll, I think these videotaped – and thus fully authentic – statements need to be publicized, to flesh out this story and balance the speculation. Again and again, I have read and heard questions – including my own – that ask why it is assumed that SOAW should be held accountable for the personal beliefs of its founder. The tapes answer that question, I believe. I do not write this in critique of Fr Roy or SOAW. I write in the interest of honesty in general and fairness to Maryknoll in particular.
The CNS blog can be read here: http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/maryknoll-ends-financial-support-of-school-of-americas-watch/
Friday, July 23, 2010
Statement by Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers on SOA Watch Funding
Here, without comment or critique, is the official statement crafted last May by the General Council, a hard copy of which I got from Mr. James McCullough, interim media rep.
*********************************************************
On May 24, 2010 Father Edward Dougherty, Superior General of the Maryknoll Society, met with Father Roy Bourgeois to discuss the Society's decision to discontinue financial support to the School of Americas (SOA) Watch.
Given Father Bourgeois central role as founder and public face of the SOA Watch, Society leadership has determined that it cannot continue its financial support of that organization without giving the impression that it also supports the actions of its leader concerning the issue of women's ordinations. (Those actions led to his automatic excommunication [Latae sententiae] by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2008.)
This decision is not intended to be punitive and is not designed to put pressure on Father Bourgeois, or on the SOA Watch organization and its activities. Maryknoll continues its solidarity with the people of Latin America and the Caribbean, and is unambiguous in its support of the goals of the SOA Watch.
*********************************************************
On May 24, 2010 Father Edward Dougherty, Superior General of the Maryknoll Society, met with Father Roy Bourgeois to discuss the Society's decision to discontinue financial support to the School of Americas (SOA) Watch.
Given Father Bourgeois central role as founder and public face of the SOA Watch, Society leadership has determined that it cannot continue its financial support of that organization without giving the impression that it also supports the actions of its leader concerning the issue of women's ordinations. (Those actions led to his automatic excommunication [Latae sententiae] by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2008.)
This decision is not intended to be punitive and is not designed to put pressure on Father Bourgeois, or on the SOA Watch organization and its activities. Maryknoll continues its solidarity with the people of Latin America and the Caribbean, and is unambiguous in its support of the goals of the SOA Watch.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Maryknollers pull SOA Watch funding | National Catholic Reporter
Maryknollers pull SOA Watch funding | National Catholic Reporter
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/maryknollers-pull-soa-watch-funding
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/maryknollers-pull-soa-watch-funding
Shared via AddThis.com
Sent from my iPad
Thanks to my Catholic Press Association colleague, Ms. Heidi Schlumpf, author of the above blog, for giving me a heads-up on the above story via Facebook.
I, and I trust most Maryknollers, were blind-sided by this. There are problems on many levels.
1) Absent any media relations person (a replacement for Ms. Betsey Guest who retired last month has yet to be hired) calls from the press get bounced around giving the impression of an organization in disarray.
2) Maryknollers find out about this from outside sources. Granted it doesn't have to be via this blog, but it might have been classy to let the membership know that this very public action was taking place. Talking points would have been nice.
3) As Heidi pointed out to me in a later post, Maryknoll shouldn't be surprised when this results in bad press for us and even more loss of support.
4) We will lose more friends and not placate our detractors by one iota. So who are we trying to impress? (I know the answer, but I need my Prudence Chip now more than ever.)
5) Sources here would neither confirm nor deny details of this story and then, WHAM, it appears in NCR. What happened to transparency and better communications?
6) The Acts and Motions of the Eleventh General Chapter are effectively dead. In the paragraph about our relationship with the Church in the U.S. we said that actions on behalf of justice were necessary "even when they result in a loss of support." The word "prophetic" peppered that same document. Sounds nice, but this present action belies that stance.
7) What in the name of justice does the righteous work of closing WHINSEC (School of the Americas) have to do with the "attempted ordination of women"?No matter what you think of the latter, (and last week we know exactly what the Vatican thinks of this) the SOA Watch seeks to give voice to the voiceless and bring peace to Latin America.
8) SOA Watch has already issued a fund raising letter and will no doubt replace the funds cut.. The ultimate loser in this sorry case is Maryknoll.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Some news at lunch today
FR. BILL COY, fresh back from the SOA march at Fort Benning, GA, reports a smaller crowd than in previous years. Only four people "crossed the line" and got arrested. In addition, Fr. Roy Bourgeiose was away for the first time since the annual march began in 1990 to be at the bedside of his dying father. Please pray for them.
Fr. Ed Szendrey reports a mystery leak in the main sacristy on the first floor, which had apparently dripped down through Health Services on the second floor making quite a mess, which in turn came from someplace on the third floor C-Wing, perhaps Fr. Tom Mc Donnell's room. Tom has been away since his remedial surgery and then the sudden death of his brother Martin who died while driving up to see Tom. Please pray for them.
Fr. Mike Duggan, newly elected U.S. regional superior, will be the main celebrant and homilist at our Thanksgiving liturgy this afternoon. Ed will be cantor in Mike's place. Please pray for them.
What with the new (?) changes in the English Mass due in 2010, renowned liturgical composer Michael Joncas (of "On Eagle's Wings" fame) may have to make adjustments to the Gloria of the Mass he has composed for Maryknoll's 100th anniversary. Ms. Lucille Naughton, once and future choir director and our main contact with Joncas, is having a few Maryknollers over to her house this week to listen to the new Mass.
Fr. Ed Szendrey reports a mystery leak in the main sacristy on the first floor, which had apparently dripped down through Health Services on the second floor making quite a mess, which in turn came from someplace on the third floor C-Wing, perhaps Fr. Tom Mc Donnell's room. Tom has been away since his remedial surgery and then the sudden death of his brother Martin who died while driving up to see Tom. Please pray for them.
Fr. Mike Duggan, newly elected U.S. regional superior, will be the main celebrant and homilist at our Thanksgiving liturgy this afternoon. Ed will be cantor in Mike's place. Please pray for them.
What with the new (?) changes in the English Mass due in 2010, renowned liturgical composer Michael Joncas (of "On Eagle's Wings" fame) may have to make adjustments to the Gloria of the Mass he has composed for Maryknoll's 100th anniversary. Ms. Lucille Naughton, once and future choir director and our main contact with Joncas, is having a few Maryknollers over to her house this week to listen to the new Mass.
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