Fighting Oppression in My Catholic Community
In the United States, the Catholic community is increasingly and more strongly divided. (This is also the situation in U.S. society in general and perhaps in many other countries.) I am tempted to dismiss my Catholic identity as a bad mistake from the past. As I’ve heard from many others, “I’m a recovering Catholic.” Given Catholic oppression (a real thing) and the ease of leaving the problems behind, I struggle to pay attention to and stay with the fight.
Sister Joan Chittister has said, “If you stay, stay loud! If you go, go loud!” Recently I’ve been called to do just that. A priest in our diocese has a large social media following and is using it to broadcast misogynistic and homophobic messages, including in his weekly homilies. It can no longer be ignored. Though I wasn’t familiar with him initially, I was asked to join a group of Catholics responding to the oppression.
As part of that group, I have talked with several other Catholics and asked them to join the effort. I’ve heard, “I’m not a Catholic anymore,” as they’ve declined. I’ve had to discharge about my and our roles in the current institutions in our collapsing society. In particular, I’ve had to discharge about my role as a white, Catholic, straight, cisgender female and how I want to use my voice, how my voice is valuable, and how oppression must be addressed wherever it is found. I cannot conveniently decide not to be Catholic.
A group of us, including the leaders of two Catholic reform/justice organizations, have met to discuss strategy. We will meet with the Bishop in the near future. We need the oppressive rhetoric to stop, and the Bishop is key to making that happen.
I am in this fight—with discharge, my colleagues, and all of you!
USA
Reprinted from the RC e-mail discussion list for leaders of Catholics
(Present Time 207, April 2022)