A newly ordained priest’s dictatorial decree banning women in pants from the sanctuary underscores a troubling trend of clericalism within the Church. These outdated views reflect a more profound fear of women asserting authority, revealing an institutional struggle with gender dynamics—the push for inclusivity clashes dramatically with his repressive stance.
Category Archives: Equality
Is Catholicism a Nature Religion?
The piece explores humanity’s connection to natural rhythms and the spiritual significance of seasonal changes, linking them to Catholic practices like the Liturgy of the Hours. It reflects on historical events, such as the Christmas truce of 1914, and emphasizes the importance of rest, nature, and divine presence in everyday life.
If God Is Love…
by Joseph Stoutzenberger When I was a child, I loved movies. As a paperboy, if I paid my bill in full by 10:00 Saturday morning I received a pass to our local movie theater. (My small home town had only one theater.) I attended many Saturday matinees. I took it to heart when a characterContinue reading “If God Is Love…”
Seeing the Bigger Picture
The author reflects on two distinct funerals attended recently, one traditional Catholic and the other held at a country club. Both services honored the deceased’s impact on the community but varied in spiritual connection. The Catholic liturgy provided a profound sense of belonging to a universal story, emphasizing gratitude and ongoing presence beyond death.
Is the Church Worth Saving?
The author reflects on friends who abandon religion, particularly former Catholics critical of the church. Despite flaws, many inspired by their faith have made significant contributions, like Abbe de l’Epee, who advanced education for the deaf, and the charity work of Frederic Ozanam and Catholic nuns, highlighting the positive impact of faith-driven actions.
Know Thyself
by Joseph Stoutzenberger A professor of mine at Temple University, David Harrington Watt, insisted that it is important in scholarship to let readers know who we are and what has influenced the positions that we are expressing. In my writing, I have always stayed away from talking about myself. If I wrote about, for instance,Continue reading “Know Thyself”
What Peaches and What Penumbras!
by Joseph Stoutzenberger Many years ago, I sat in on a class on sacraments at LaSalle College, now a university. During a lunch break, I sat at a table next to an old professor. I’m not sure what his subject area was, but he asked me what I was studying. I told him I wasContinue reading “What Peaches and What Penumbras!”
Sanctuary or Supermarket: Where Is the Church?
What’s missing? How about the everyday, commonplace expressions of love happening in families, in friendships, in schools, in businesses, in supermarkets, in the simple exchanges Catholics make throughout their lives?
What Does It Mean to be Anti-Racist?
by Joseph Stoutzenberger When Ibram X. Kendi, a fellow Temple University Ph. D., published How to Be an Anti-Racist a few years ago, I immediately got the point. Someone can say, “I am not racist,” or “I harbor no animosity toward members of other races.” Given conditions in the world today, that is not enough.Continue reading “What Does It Mean to be Anti-Racist?”
Are We Misreading “The True Spirit of Christmas”?
By Joseph Stoutzenberger, December 24th, 2023. A Christmas Eve morning news program ended with a panel discussing “the true meaning of Christmas.” At the heart of the discussion was, of course, “Keep Christ in Christmas.” One commentator railed against the materialism underlying all the shopping and gift-giving. Another suggested that doing random acts of kindnessContinue reading “Are We Misreading “The True Spirit of Christmas”?”
Joseph Stoutzenberger 