The Holy Catholic Church

When we use the word catholic in the Apostle's Creed we understand it to mean universal. Certainly, in 2008, especially in the US we rejoice in the spiritual and practical partnerships between Protestants and Catholics. I had a priest friend that I worked with for 26 years in providing affordable housing for our community. I joyously supported Father Joseph, born in Uganda, when he came to organize a Spanish speaking Catholic community. For all our cooperation, we still sure are different.

The son of very good friends of ours was ordained as a priest this past Saturday. The service was beautiful, dramatic, inspiring. The archbishop's homily was forceful and faithful. Wonderful music. Powerful rituals. I certainly honor the dedication and spirit journey of the six men who were ordained. After the service, our young friend Ted seemed very happy, blessed, radiant with the spirit. He will be a wonderful priest. Once again,though, I was glad that I am a Presbyterian, however, much I grumble about it.

The service was at the Shrine of hte Immaculate Conception in Washington. This glorious and imposing building is dedicated to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, a strange 19th century creation. The Immaculate Conception implies that conception is normally of course not immaculate. Being conceived by human means is to be born into sin in this theology. Mary must be sinless in order to be the proper vessel for the Christ child. So Mary is really not a human being in this theology. But why? And don't we know all the more the glory of her life and the power of the incarnation precisely because she is a human being.

On the pulpit, an unusual phrase was carved. "The seed is the Word of God." Now, that is not a biblical phrase, but it is powerfully interesting. It combines the image of the seed being planted in Mary by the Holy Spirit with John's proclamation that the Word was with God and in God and then with us. Then too Paul says Jesus in the resurrection is like a seed that dies and then lives in new form. Jesus as the seed as well as the Sower. Wow--I am still pondering that.

Those being ordained promised obedience to the Bishop and his successors. I was grateful, really grateful for being a Presbyterian. God does speak through communities of folks and their elected leaders, at least more or less and over the long run. Call no one father, but God, who is your father in heaven says Jesus according to the Scripture.

Finally, though,seeing maybe 50 or sixty male priests together, and the archbishop and a cardinal, I felt sad and angry at the way part of the the church has marginalized women. I loved asking confrimands if they believed in the equality of men and women before God and therefore in the chruch and in the world. When they say yes, I remind them that that means they were in a minority among Protestants in the US and a small minority among Christians in the world. So they are called to the struggle for justice and equality.

My life has certainly been deeply enriched by the Catholics I have known and worked with. My personal pantheon of saints includes Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, Oscar Romero, Bartholomeo de las Casas, Mesiter Eckhardt. But I am happy to live in the Presby part of the universal church.