Connections

Call To Action of San Diego County

June 2002 Issue

Coming Events

June 7 (Friday) Prayer Vigil for the blessing of the Spirit before U.S. Bishops’ Conference; 5:30 P.M. at St. Joseph Cathedral, 1535 Third Ave.; (Wear your “Call To Action” T-shirts!)

June 8 (Saturday) Day of Recollection, focused on the Beatitudes; 9 A.M. to 2 P.M.; see info on page 13.

June 15 (Saturday) House Church; 4:30 P.M., Liturgy and pot-luck dinner. Call Al (619) 284-6451 for info.

June 15 to 20; Fellowship of Reconciliation National Conference;  “The Power of Nonviolence: Exploring Alternatives”; New York City; additional info at conference@forusa.org or website www.forusa.org/events .

June 28 & 29 (Friday & Saturday) Women’s Voices Rising: Catholic Women’s Convocation; see page 1 below  for more info.

June 29 (Saturday) An Ecumenical Gathering of Women; 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., hosted by Immaculate Heart Community. The keynote speaker will be Sr. Joan Chittister, O.S.B., “God, Women & the World: Telling the Story Another Way”; First United Methodist Church, Pasadena, CA.; additional info by email from ihmla@pacbell.net. or by phone (323) 466-2157.

June 30 (Sunday) Voices of Eve; 7:00 P.M., Study & worship, Summer Series # 1; subject is Hildegard of Bingen. Christ Lutheran Church, 4761 Cass Ave. in Pacific Beach. Optional meeting for meal at 5:00 P.M. Call Pastor Deborah Butler (858) 483-2300 for info.

July 20 (Saturday) House Church; 4:30 P.M., Liturgy and pot-luck dinner. Call Al (619) 284-6451 for info.

July 20 (Saturday) The Response of the Faithful - Congress on Church Reform; sponsored by Voice of the Faithful in Boston, MA.; for more info go to www.votf.org . (see also page 20).

July 21 (Sunday); Mary of Magdala Celebration; 6:00 P.M. liturgy followed by pot-luck at Unitarian Universalist Church. Co-sponsored by C.T.A., Dignity, Catholic Worker, WomenChurch and Corpus. Call Janet (858) 277-0259 for more info.)

July 26 to 28; Pax Christi USA National Assembly; Detroit, MI; theme: “In Times of Terrorism, Casting Out Fear, Building on Hope, Living Nonviolence”; Speakers include Joan Chittister & Bishop Tom Gumbleton; for more info go to info@paxchristiusa.org 

July 26 to 28; CTA Next Generation Retreat; Chicago IL; for more info go to claire@cta-usa.org .

July 27 (Saturday) Workshop on Liturgical Dance; 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. see page 12 for info.

July 28 (Sunday) Voices of Eve; Summer Series # 2; subject is Mechtilde of Magdeburg; see June 30 above.

August 1 to 4; Joint Convocation of Christian Communities; San Antonio, TX; for info call (815) 399-2150.

August 25 (Sunday) Voices of Eve; Summer Series # 3; subject is Brigita of Sweden; see June 30 above.

(The closing date for getting data to the editor for the following month’s issue is the 20^th of the month.)

Women’s Voices Rising: Catholic Women’s Convocation

A gathering for women in Orange County, CA June 28-29, celebrating their voices in the church and in society, with keynote speakers Edwina Gateley, Susan Maloney, and Patricia Lynn Reilly. For a brochure or other information contact: Mary Pitcher mmpitcher@charter.net  or Center for Spiritual Development (714)744-3175.

Pedophilia Commentary by Archbishop John Bathersby

Sexual misbehavior is by no means a simple problem. It is complex and multi-faceted, part of a larger problem that demands urgent attention. Effective disclosure of criminal behavior, adequate and generous treatment of victims, intensive screening of and adequate preparation for ordained ministry and religious life, comprehensive education, prevention strategies and effective protocols are all needed if there is to be an adequate response to this horrible crime. But perhaps a greater need is for the Church to have a good look at itself, not only the adequacy of its structures and the integrity of its ministers, but most importantly the soundness of its theology. It seems to me that the problem of the Church is not so much one of predatory sexuality but of power, which has a subtle tendency to convince religious leaders that they are free of the constraints that binds lesser mortals, because of their elevated calling. Sadly, such delusions often lead to inappropriate exploitation in areas of sexuality. To try to overturn such attitudes, the Church must return to its origins, to Christ and the style of leadership He advocated for His followers. His most significant gesture shows Him washing the feet of His disciples. It is a powerful symbol for Church, but sadly one that, although recognized, is often neglected.   A tension between service and power was present among the Apostles and has existed in the Church ever since, not at all helped by the Christian conversion of Constantine. Vatican II tried to remedy the situation when it proposed a theology of Church as “communion” and the “people of God”, where leadership was not over and above the community but rather at its heart. It is a lesson that Church people find difficult to understand, because, once power is grasped, it is extremely difficult to relinquish. There are significant signs of hope, but until we learn the servant model of leadership espoused by Christ, the Church will continue to be afflicted by problems that undermine its mission of good news. For me, that is the very heart of the problem that confronts the Church today, whose probing by the media should not be resented but welcomed. After all, the Church does claim the high moral ground of the Good News, and some of the news coming out at the present time is decidedly not good. If the Church wishes to engage the world, it needs to come warts and all and should not resent disclosure of its dark side. For too long, some Church people have used inappropriate models of leadership whose weaknesses are only now becoming manifest, sadly in the most sensitive area possible, the violation of children.  As the Church moves closer to the ideal chosen by Christ and elaborated more recently at  Vatican II, it must do everything in its power to overcome present problems with all the honesty, transparency, and resources that it can muster. To do anything less is to betray the mission of Christ who came that all people, especially the little ones of the world, might have life and life in its fullness.

(From an article in The Brisbane Courier-Mail, 4/22/02).

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Political Equality Update

While the ways of Washington often seem slow and sometimes confusing, plenty of action occurs on issues of great importance to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Americans. Bills are introduced; committees conduct hearings; allies pledge support; opponents and supporters write “dear colleague letters”; candidates declare their intention to run; endorsements come down and history is made, all the while affecting our community. Similar activity occurs at the state level. HRC is helping to make progress locally through close partnerships with statewide GLBT advocacy groups. With the HRC Political Equality Update, HRC hopes to keep interested parties aware of our work in the legislative, electoral and state arenas - with our audience consisting of HRC members, community activists, Capitol Hill staff, contributors and more. This publication serves as a regular update on political activities of the previous weeks, and the actions of our allies, adversaries and endorsees. We envision a publication that is short and timely, filled with updates, rather than extensive backgrounds, or news re-reported from other GLBT press sources. For more info, go to our website, www.hrc.org .

Comments

By Evi Quinn

I have for a very long time yearned to see some REAL ecumenical action in our U.S. church. My heart aches when I hear from Germany about the wonderful developments in Ecumenism there. They now plan a huge event (tens of thousands anticipated to attend) in Berlin in 2003 for Catholics and Lutherans, with a joint Eucharistic celebration. The difference between them and us is that both the Catholic and the Lutheran churches in Germany have an official national council of laity. Whatever happens (good or bad) in their respective Church, that council has much to say, along with the council of bishops, in a totally legitimate and accepted voice, which is a basis for a shared dialogue.  Of course, this is based on active, independent and responsible parish councils and diocesan councils throughout the entire country. I believe that one root problem of the systemic problems in our U.S. Church is the lack of such councils. Much, much would and could be different if our laity were represented officially. I don’t know what it would take to get such councils established here. I believe that we, the laity, will never accomplish anything, unless we are OFFICIALLY and LEGITIMATELY established, accepted, respected, recognized and heard. Joy and Hope. (Evi is past president and a board member of Call To Action) 

We Praise You, God

We praise you, God, for women who lived before their time,

For prophetesses, priests and abbesses, for poets with their rhyme.

Great Hildegard of fiery tongue, Teresa, tireless, bold;

Such women lived with trust in you, and broke tradition’s mold.

We praise you, God, for women who championed freedom’s cause;

Sojourner Truth and Rosa Parks, who challenged evil laws.

They spoke the truth and held their ground, resisting what was wrong.

They rested on your love and power; their courage makes us strong.

We praise you, God, for women who made your call their choice.

The church denied, but they affirmed your Spirit’s inward voice.

They break the bread and bless the cup, though that was man’s domain.

Their priesthood opens worlds of grace to heal our grief and pain.

We praise you, God, for women who ventured paths unknown

With faith that you had called them there and claimed them as your own.

When we lose heart, then bring to mind the courage you bestow.

The saints surround, a witness cloud to cheer us as we go.

(Words by Ruth Ducks [copyright held by Pilgrim Press]; music by Hildegard

of Bingen [copyright held by Selah Publishing Co.])

What the American Flag Stands For

By Charlotte Aldebron

The American flag stands for the fact that cloth can be very important. It is against the law to let the flag touch the ground or to leave the flag flying when the weather is bad. The flag has to be treated with proper respect.  You can tell just how important this cloth is because, when you compare it to people, it gets much better treatment. Nobody cares if a homeless person touches the ground; a homeless person can lie on the ground all night without anyone picking them up, folding them neatly, or sheltering them from the rain. School children have to pledge allegiance to this piece of cloth every morning. No one has to pledge loyalty to justice and equality and human decency. No one has to promise that people will get a fair wage, or enough food, or affordable medicine, or clean water, or air that is free of harmful chemicals. Yet we all have to promise to love a rectangle of red, white & blue cloth. Betsy Ross would be quite surprised to see how successful her creation has become, but Thomas Jefferson would be disappointed to see how little of the flag’s real meaning remains.

(Aldebron is in the 6^th grade at Cunningham Middle School, Presque Isle, ME; the above appeared in PeaceWork, April 2002)

Military Environmentalism

By Peter M. Kopkowski

While some people might believe that the above is an oxymoron, I chose the title in part because this issue has illustrated a significant point to me. Just when I think that it is no longer possible for me to hear a more outrageous and ridiculous statement from a politician than those that I have already heard, someone comes along and proves me wrong!  In an Associated Press article in The San Diego Union Tribune on 5/2/02 entitled, “Environment exception O.K.’d for military”, one congressman noted that the action described, “opened a huge hole in the environmental laws of this country”. However, Rep. Duncan Hunter of El Cajon rejoined, “We are trying to take care of a very important endangered species, and that’s the American fighting man or woman. Our ability to train people well is in jeopardy.”  All I can say is that, if the Defense department can’t train people adequately on $400 billion per year, the money CLEARLY ought to be spent on other things!

Legislative Update About Debt Cancellation

The World Bank will come before Congress this year to ask for funding to continue lending to the most impoverished nations.  This part of the World Bank is called the International Development Association and this is the 13^th time that they have asked Congress for money. This only happens every few years, so now is an excellent time to ask members of Congress to pass legislation that requires the World Bank to provide deeper debt cancellations. The legislation should also ask for an end to harmful structural adjustment policies now promoted by the World Bank, such as user fees for health & education services, forced privatization of water and lowering of minimum wages & labor standards. Start writing to your elected officials now; more info is available at the Jubilee USA website: www.jubileeusa.org .  Contributions in support of this work are tax-deductible and can be sent to Jubilee USA Network, 222 East Capitol St. NE, Washington DC 20003.

(From Drop The Debt, Spring 2002)

Nun’s Group To Seek Greater Voice

By Mary Leonard

A delegation of U.S. Roman Catholic nuns plans to deliver to Vatican officials a frank letter  denouncing the church's handling of sexual abuse cases and calling for power-sharing with women and an open  dialogue on human sexuality. Said Sister Kathleen Pruitt, “I would be less than honest if I didn't say there is anger among religious women at the cover-up and misuse of authority in the church.'' Many nuns say they are deeply hurt by the scandal; in Boston, some worked with priests who have been accused of abuse or were the teachers of boys who were victims. They say they are speaking out now with compassion, after much prayer, and because they feel compelled in their traditional roles as helpers and healers to restore trust and bring reconciliation to the church. Said Sister Joan Duffy. ''We belong to this broken church, and we are committed to renewing it and to making sure this situation doesn't happen again.'' The delegation will demand that women take a larger role in diocese policy-making and gain a voice in future deliberations on the fate of priests accused of molesting children, Pruitt said. They also plan to tell Vatican officials that education in human sexuality, including open discussions of homosexuality and clergy attitudes toward women, must be integrated into a priest's seminary training. ''Homosexuality is not the issue and celibacy is not the issue,'' Pruitt said. ''The issue is whether we will address the need in the church for an integrated, holistic theology of human sexuality and start discussing how you foster healthy relationships.''
(From The Boston Globe, 4/26/02).

                                                                             For Discontent
                                                            A prayer from Dom Helder Camara
Come God! Do not smile and say that you are already with us. Millions do not know you, and to us who do,
what is the difference? What is the point of your presence if we do not alter our lives? Change our lives; shatter
our complacency. Make your word flesh of our flesh, blood of our blood; make it our life's purpose. Take away the quietness of a “clear” conscience. Press us uncomfortably, for it is only thus that your peace is made.
(From “The Fire of Peace: A Prayer Book”; received by email from the “fast from violence” newsletter 5/7/02)

Express Your Outrage over Continuing Antigay Rhetoric from Catholic Leaders

                                                 By Ellen Turner
On Friday, April 26, 2002, Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, Archbishop of Philadelphia, made the following statement: "We feel a person who is homosexual-oriented is not a suitable candidate for the priesthood even if he had never committed any homosexual act." Bevilacqua added that when a heterosexual man accepts celibacy to become a priest "he's giving up a very good thing, and that is a family and children," Bevilacqua said. "That would not be true about a homosexual-oriented candidate . By his orientation he's not giving up family and marriage. He's giving up what the church considers an aberration, a moral evil."  These remarks come on the heels of statements made by U.S. Catholic Bishops Conference President Bishop Gregory, Cardinal George of Chicago, Cardinal Maida of Detroit and Vatican spokesman Dr. Joaquin Novarro-Valls, all blaming the U.S. clergy sexual abuse scandal on gay priests. These comments are outrageous (as well as untrue!) and represent the worst kind of bigotry. They are not consistent with authentic Catholic teaching; they are dehumanizing and could incite some people to antigay violence. EXPRESS YOUR OUTRAGE AT THIS SCAPEGOATING!

(Turner is President of C.T.A. of Northern California; the above was received by email).

Is the Pope Catholic?

By Bill Keller

The uncomfortable and largely unspoken truth is that the current turmoil in the Roman Catholic Church is not just a sad footnote to the life of a beloved figure. This is a crisis of Pope John Paul's making. I do not mean that the pope condones child abuse, but his zeal to combat it ranks right down with that of Cardinal Bernard Law. The pope has not apologized for anything, nor has he acknowledged anything amiss in the hierarchy's decades of dissembling — or, as he dismissively put it, the way church leaders "are perceived to have acted." It should be clear by now that this scandal is only incidentally about forcing sex on minors. There is no evidence so far that predator priests are more common than predator teachers or predator doctors or predator journalists. The scandal is the persistent failure of the church hierarchy to comprehend, to care and to protect. The Catholic bishops are still parsing the rhetorical fine points of "zero tolerance," which is at best an empty slogan and at worst a way of abdicating responsibility. The pope laments that the child abuse scandal is eroding trust in the church. But that is backward. American Catholics have reacted so explosively to this sordid affair precisely because they felt so little trust to begin with! This distrust is the legacy of Pope John Paul II. One paradox of the Polish pope is that, while he is revered by some for bringing down the Communists, he has replicated something very like the Communist Party in his church. Karol Wojtyla has shaped a hierarchy that is intolerant of dissent, unaccountable to its members, secretive in the extreme and willfully clueless about how people live. Like the Communists, John Paul has carefully constructed a Kremlin that will be inhospitable to a reformer. He has strengthened the Curia, and populated it with reactionaries. He has put a stamp of papal infallibility on the issue of ordaining women, making it more difficult for a successor to come to terms with the issue. He has trained bishops to know that the path of advancement is obsequious obedience to him alone. Alarmed by priests who showed too much populist sympathy for their parishioners, the pope has turned seminaries into factories of conformity, begetting a generation of inflexible priests who have no idea how to talk to real-life Catholics. Nor is the pope about to let America’s uppity laity exploit the current crisis to claim a greater voice in their own affairs. The American policy on handling sexual abuse is to be dictated by Rome. And while a large majority of Catholics want leaders who mishandled marauding priests to resign, the culpability of bishops is not even on the Vatican’s agenda. It seems clear that the pope declined to let Cardinal Law resign because he feared it might give the laity the idea their opinion mattered. (Cardinal Law promptly marched home and quashed efforts by restive Boston Catholics to organize an association of parish councils.) The struggle within the church is interesting as part of a larger struggle within the human race, between the forces of tolerance and absolutism. That is a struggle that has given rise to great migrations (including the one that created this country) and great wars (including one we are fighting this moment against a most virulent strain of intolerance). It seems fair to say that a church that was not so estranged from its own members on subjects of sex and gender, i.e., a more collegial church, would have handled the issue of child abuse earlier and better. Whether the church will reform, or fracture, or continue to drift, I have no way of knowing, but I wonder how long faith can withstand such a corrosive rain of hypocrisy.  (From The New York Times, 5/4/02)

Peace in History/Nonviolence

In 1350 B.C., Hebrew midwives, in the first recorded act of civil disobedience, refused to obey Pharaoh’s order to kill male Hebrew babies.  In 26 A.D., Pontius Pilate displays emblems of Roman authority in Judea, which Jews considered idolatrous. Thousands of Jews protested by lying down around Pilate’s house for five days. When he threatened to kill them, they offered their necks to the sword, but did not move; he removed the emblems.  During World War II, there were many instances of peaceful resistance to the Nazis: (1) Finland saved all but 6 Jews from the death camps through nonviolent means. (2) In Denmark, 6500 out of 7000 Jews escaped to Sweden; the rest were hidden, aided by people and by tips from within the German occupation force. (3) A rail worker strike in Holland shut down almost all traffic from November 1944 to May 1945, despite extreme hardship to the Dutch people. (4) In Norway, teachers refused to teach Nazi propaganda. (5) In Romania, the government persecuted Jews at first, then reversed itself and refused to give up a single Jew to the death camps. (6) In Bulgaria, thousands of people marched in protest demonstrations, hid Jews, and sent countless letters opposing anti-Jewish measures. Bishop Kiril threatened to lead civil disobedience and to lie down on the tracks in front of death trains, thus saving all Bulgarian Jews.  (After the war, German generals admitted their complete inability to cope with such nonviolent strategies.)

(From “Paths to Peace” in N.C.R., 4/26/02)

                                                           Apartheid in the Holy Land
                                                             By bishop Desmond Tutu
We used to say: "I am not pro- this people or anti- that people. I am pro-justice, pro-freedom; I am anti- injustice, anti-oppression." But you know as well as I do that the Israeli government is placed on a pedestal in the U.S., and to criticize it is to be immediately dubbed anti-Semitic, as if the Palestinians were not Semitic.

(From an article in The Guardian, 4/29/02, received by email)

United We Stand (?)

By Kira Freed

As I read more and more about “United We Stand”, I find myself getting angry. What is this about 9/11 “uniting” our country?  That is news to me! Never in my life have I felt as alienated from my country as I do these days. There used to be at least some tolerance of diversity, but now I am told to go back where I came from if I don’t have an American flag on my car. (I’m from America, thank you.) I indeed am an American, one who, like many others, loves peace & hates war, and thinks that military solutions never address the real problems nor achieve lasting solutions. Wouldn’t it be great if our country could truly be united, while respecting our diversity? 

(From a letter to Utne Reader, March-April 2002)

Doing Something About Home Demolitions

It has been learned that the bulldozers used by Israeli Defense Force to destroy the homes of Palestinian are supplied by the Caterpillar Co., which is reported to NOT be insensitive to its image, and indeed has a public relations campaign to emphasize its efforts to save the rainforest. Our readers are encouraged to contact Benjamin Cordani, Caterpillar's Media Rep. for Social Responsibility; ask him: (1) Is it true that the Israeli government uses Caterpillar tractors in the perpetration of massive human rights abuses and possible war crimes against the Palestinian people? (2) What is the company’s position on the use of its products in such illegal acts? (3) Will Caterpillar continue to sell its products to Israel for such uses? (4) How does the destruction of olive trees and other agricultural products compare to the preservation of the rainforest?  You can contact Cordani by mail at Caterpillar, Inc., 100 NE Adams St., Peoria, IL 61629 or at cordani_benjamin_s@cat.com .

(From an unsigned article in Fellowship magazine, March/April 2002)

Michael Morwood

Those of our readers who have heard Michael speak when he visited San Diego, and/or have read his books) may find additional information at his website. Go to www.eisa.net.au ; this will connect you with the Australian internet.  Then, enter “morwood” as the search subject. 

            The Quiet Heart

            By Charles Austin

I am not afraid with Jesus beside me;

I am not afraid with God at my side,

Though all the forces of evil betide me, 

I am not afraid with my Friend & my Guide.

Friends may forsake me & family may leave,

But God will not fail me whenever I grieve.

I know the One I can turn to for comfort;

God’s loving arms will protect and relieve.

(Austin is in Ohio State Penitentiary; the above

was published in The Encourager, 3/1/02)

Does This Sound Familiar?

The Prophets considered the consequences of an exploitive economy, where the rich get richer and the poor become even more hopeless; Amos speaks of the consequences of unrestrained acquisitiveness at the expense of one’s neighbor, greed exhibited as self-indulgence, in Amos 6: 4-6:

“Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory, and lounge on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the stall; who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and, like David, improvise on instruments of music; who drink wine from bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of others in their community! You shall be the first to go into exile.”

(From an article in The Witness, May 2002)

The “Philosophy” of Learning

By Peter M. Kopkowski

In the April 29, 2002 issue of America, Keir Lieber reviews a new book by John Mearsheimer, “The Tragedy of Great Power Politics”. Lieber notes that, in 1997, Mearsheimer said that “all major colleges & universities in this country are remarkably amoral institutions.” Lieber maintains that the reason that universities make little effort to provide students with moral guidance is that to do so would violate their most important mission: to teach critical thinking. He says further that critical thinking involves asking the important questions and challenging prevailing truths when we believe that they are wrong, and then making convincing arguments of one’s own on the matter.  I happen to disagree with both Lieber & Mearsheimer, to wit: (1) Most universities today DON’T teach “critical thinking”, even those who say that they provide a “liberal education”; there is a heavy emphasis on “knowledge/facts” and less emphasis on “wisdom/applying the facts to life”. (2) Students should be taught at least some critical thinking long before they enter college (or are we to assume that people who do not attend college don’t learn to think critically?!) (3) On the other hand, I do not think that college is the place to learn “morality”; students should be exposed to such concepts as soon as they reach the age of reason, and continue to learn more all their lives. (4) The best educational results are probably achieved by having students learn both morality and critical thinking before they reach college; when they enter college, they should be encouraged to seek “truth & wisdom” as well as “technical knowledge”.

A New “Politics”

By Arundhati Roy

What we need to search for and find, what we need to hone and perfect into a magnificent, shining thing, is a new kind of politics. It is not the politics of governance, but the politics of resistance; the politics of opposition; the politics of forcing accountability; the politics of “slowing things down”; the politics of joining hands across the world to prevent certain destruction. In the present circumstances, I would say that the only thing worth “globalizing” is dissent!

(From “The God of Small Things” in The Nation, 2/18/02)

The Higher Patriotism

By Richard Deats

(The love of country is a splendid thing, but why should love stop at the border?  -  Pablo Casals)

            There is an ugly mood of lockstep patriotism in the air today. The great American tradition of dissent and vigorous debate is hard to find. The U.S. flag has become for many people the litmus test of whether or not one really loves this country. When two men from Voices in the Wilderness (a peace organization) went to a Chicago post office in December to buy 4,000 stamps for a mailing, they requested Statue of Liberty stamps instead of those with the flag. They were asked to stand aside and wait; in about 20 minutes, the police arrived, questioned them, and ran a police check on them (!)  They were asked to return the next day, when they finally got their stamps, but they had to meet for 30 minutes with a Federal postal inspector. (Editor’s note: I find this absolutely incredible!) When people begin saying that you have to fly the flag to prove your patriotism, while the government is at the same time curtailing our civil liberties, we are in danger. When the administration’s approval ratings hit record highs, and as it becomes more & more bellicose, it is a cause for grave concern.

(From Fellowship magazine, March/April 2002)

Celibacy

By Mary F. Hazlett

By saying that celibacy is “a gift”, the institution says that non-celibacy is not a gift, continuing the myth that not having sex is the preferred state. Like many of the men accused of abusing children & adolescents, the members of the clerical hierarchy seem to be emotional adolescents themselves, [especially if they rely on this type of thinking].

(From a letter in N.C.R., 4/19/02)

Lively Lay Activism

By Gary Macy

It was the turn of the millennium, and the church was in the midst of scandal. Programs for reform were rife, but church leaders were far too heavily invested in the status quo. Many people were appalled at what seemed to be ever-growing sex scandals in the priesthood, and a complete overhaul of the ministry seemed to be the only solution. Does this sound like a description of the start of the third millennium?  It’s not; this is what Christianity looked like to many people a thousand years ago! The way that Pope Gregory VII spoke to the laity of that time is radically different from that of the present pope. Listen to Gregory’s advice:  [Among other things relevant to this issue] “we also decree that if the [diocesan] clergy refuse to obey the orders of the holy fathers [those in orders], the people shall refuse to receive their ministrations, in order that those who disregard the love of God and the dignity of their office may be brought to their senses through feeling the shame of the world and the reproof of their people.” Historian Joseph Lynch noted, “In an 11^th-century context, this was a very radical idea, namely that the people should judge the worthiness of the clergy. If the people decided that their priests or bishops were not living a proper Christian life, the pope insisted, they should boycott them until they came to their senses.” By the way, it worked!  The lively debates of the reform period unleashed ideas that influenced religion for centuries; a new lay activism emerged. Perhaps it is time that the laity of today heeded the words of Gregory and took responsibility for their church again.

(From an article in N.C.R., 4/19/02)

                                                            *   *   *   *   *

The Board of Directors of C.T.A. of San Diego for the fiscal year ending 11/30/02 is:
President: Janet Mansfield, (858) 277-0259, ejmans@pacbell.com

Vice-President: Al Rauckhorst, (619) 284-6451, lualrauc@lvcm.com 

Treasurer: Mike Magee, (760) 471-4305, Mmagee@utm.net
Secretary: Rich Nirschl, (858) 273-0213, richNMo@aol.com

Directors-at-large: Evi Quinn, (760) 434-3710, eviq@cs.com ;

            Al O’Brien, (619) 222-5676, obrien1@sdsu.edu ;

            and Ed Mansfield, (858) 277-0259, ejmans@pacbell.com .          

(Visit our website:  www.dignitypacific.org/ctasandiego/)

Peter Kopkowski, editor, (858) 278-8800, ajpmk@san.rr.com .

Clothing Firm Adopts Non-Sweatshop Concept

By Nancy Cleeland

Ø      Ice cream mogul turned social activist Ben Cohen is out to prove it’s possible to make clothes with a conscience in Los Angeles, a city maligned by some as the nation’s sweatshop capital. In a bland warehouse on an aging industrial strip, a few dozen true believers bustle about with samples of SweatX, the brand of casual clothing they hope to market to college stores and high-end sports shops. The enterprise is run by a former banker and is staffed by veteran garment workers who can hardly believe their luck at landing an $8.50-an-hour job, with benefits, a pension and profit-sharing. With $1.5 million from Cohen’s Social Venture Fund, the business is aiming to show a profit within a year. More significantly, SweatX plans to raise consumer awareness of working conditions in garment shops while proving to other manufacturers that it’s possible to pay a “living” wage and still earn a profit. “We aim to end the myth that it’s impossible to produce clothing at a competitive price and have a good quality of work life,” said Cohen. “Will we succeed? We’ll see.”  Although most clothing makers insist that they treat workers well, the evidence is against them in L. A., where state and federal inspectors frequently find violations of wage, hour and safety laws. An estimated 140,000 production workers are employed in the L.A. garment business. “The whole industry is based on the fact that workers are not paid properly,” says Kimi Lee, director of the nonprofit Garment Workers Center in L.A. “Hopefully, SweatX will be successful and a good example, but they’ll be competing against every factory that’s not doing things the right way.”  Ilse Metchek, director of the California Fashion Assn. Says, “I think what they’re trying is wonderful, but it’s not proven yet”. She noted that the production of basic apparel--including sweatshirts, jeans and undergarments--generally has moved to Mexico, China and other countries  where labor is cheaper, leaving L. A. with trendy fashion wear that requires a quick turnaround. She questioned whether shoppers will be willing to pay a premium for a T-shirt just because the worker who made it was paid and treated well. “Students protest. They yell and scream. But when push comes to shove, they go to Wal-Mart and buy clothing made in Saipan,” Metchek said. TeamX, the managers and unionized factory workers behind the new label, are betting otherwise. They say that growing anti-sweatshop activism on campuses across the country proves there’s a market and profess amazement that no one has tried to fill it. “There are people out there who believe in the message,” said Doug Waterman, SweatX’s president and chief financial officer. “Are there enough to make this a successful business venture? That’s the big gamble.” Waterman said SweatX will produce clothing at the high end of the casual market, using designs that incorporate hip slogans with a social bent. Because production workers are organized under UNITE, the garment union, the brand hopes to be a major supplier for labor unions and governments. The company hopes to keep the labor premium under $1 per garment by boosting production and shaving costs. The company plans to buy state-of-the-art equipment, including air-driven sewing machines and a completely automated computerized cutting machine. Perhaps most important, Waterman said, the company will benefit from high productivity because all workers, from sewing machine operators to sales staff, will be part-owners of the business. For more information about SweatX, visit their website www.sweatx.net .

Ø      (From The Los Angeles Times, 4/9/02, forwarded by Educate For Justice)

Some Thoughts on Peace

    - Peace is dependent on all members of the community, not just the government; peace is a collective responsibility. (Tulo, a Kenyan).

   - Why are we violent, but not illiterate?  Because we are taught to read!  Children must be educated in non-violence, the “weapon of the strong”. (Colman McCarthy)

- We are called to love our enemies; right now, that means simply trying to stop our government from killing 

them. If we pledge our allegiance to the God of peace and start acting publicly like Jesus did, many eyebrows will be raised, and some people will become upset, and some relatives & friends may even walk away from us.

(John Dear, S.J.)

[The above are from the special section, “Paths to Peace” published 4/26/02 by N.C.R.]. 

Court Says NIKE Can Be Sued for False Ads

By Andrew Quinn

Nike Inc. can be sued for false advertising over a publicity campaign that sought to dispel reports that Asian sweatshops are used to produce its footwear, California’s Supreme Court ruled. The court found that Nike’s efforts to defend its business practices were in essence commercial, and thus not subject to the free speech protections guaranteed by the U.S. constitution. “Our holding in no way prohibits any business enterprise from speaking out on issues of public importance or from vigorously defending its own practices”, the court said. “It means only that when such organization, to promote and defend its sales and profits, makes factual representations about its products or operations, it must speak truthfully”. The decision overturned an appeals court ruling that held that Nike’s efforts to defend itself against sweatshop allegations were noncommercial free speech and thus immune from legal challenge. The case stems from a suit that charged Nike with willfully misleading the public about working conditions for the workers who produce the footwear with the distinctive logo. The suit said that Nike knew that these workers were subjected to physical punishment and sexual abuse, endured dangerous work conditions, and were often unable to earn a “living wage” despite workdays that could be 14 hours long. It charged Nike with violating California laws barring false advertising by deliberately obscuring these facts, alleging that the company mounted an aggressive advertising and public relations campaign portraying itself as a “model of corporate responsibility” in an effort to boost sales of its products. Nike rejected the charges, and argued that the case should not proceed because all of the statements cited in the lawsuit were protected as free speech. The decision to allow the suit to go forward marked a potential setback for Nike and for other firms which have sought to allay U.S. consumer concerns over overseas labor conditions through publicity campaigns depicting happy, well-paid workers in clean, safe factories.
(From a Reuters report dated 5/2/02 forwarded by Educate for Justice)

Blueprint for Vatican III

The cover story of the May 3 issue of National Catholic Reporter was on this subject; eight full pages were devoted to it.  Reprints can be purchased by contacting  jschierhoff@natcath.org .

Open Dinner Dialogue on Current Church Crisis

By Richard Nisrchl

          In the first of what may become frequent occasions, an open discussion over dinner was held at the home of Rich & Maureen Nirschl, on the current crisis in our church. Eleven people attended, including some from CTA, Catholic Workers, and Dignity, as well as parishioners from All Hallows and St Mary Magdalene church. They discussed their reaction to the current crisis of scandals about sexual abuse, and what changes were needed to prevent it from recurring. The following are some highlights from the discussion:
 - Some people thought a formal apology was needed, as well as more dialogue.
 - People agreed that, “It cannot be business as usual. Some changes are needed.”
 - It is important for people to talk about what happened. This is a formula for healing to begin.
 - People asked, “Where was the voice of the victims in the recent Rome meeting?”
 - The encyclical Humanae Vitae was and is an indicator of the presence of the Spirit in the church; for the
first time, people were asked to make their own sexual decisions, and they did. (See story following)
 - The people need to question church authority and to demand accountability.
 -  The criteria for priest selection should change to include women and married persons; review the celibacy requirement and the use of minor seminaries.
 - Teaching on sexuality in the church needs to be revisited.
 - Accountability should replace secrecy.

          The following actions can be taken as individuals to improve our church:
 -  CTA San Diego plans  a prayer vigil in San Diego, on Friday, June 7 at the Cathedral, before the U.S. bishops convene in Dallas. (See Coming Events)
- People are encouraged to write letters to bishops and priests with their suggestions.
- Affirm the local pastors when some openness is shown, such as the recent Open Forum at All Hallows Parish.
 - Attend ecumenical celebrations, such as the Mary of Magdala liturgy on July 21.
 - Have more open dinner discussions on this and/or other topics.

Further Comments

By Oliva Espin, Ph.D.

When Humanae  Vitae was issued, my parish priest said that it was proof of the presence of the Holy Spirit in
the Church because what the Church needed was Catholics able to make mature decisions about their sexual and reproductive lives, not Catholics blindly obeying the Pope. He said that the Church's need was for people to
learn to listen to their conscience rather than to the Pope. If the document had "given permission" to use contraceptives, Catholics would continue to be kept in an infantile state, following the directives of the Pope rather than thinking and deciding as responsible adults. Therefore, he saw it as pushing Catholics to maturity rather than to more unthinking obedience. This had a powerful impact on me; it made me think about many ideas and feelings that had been awakened by Vatican II that went beyond reproductive issues and deeper into the core of what it meant to be Catholic. I think it applies to what is happening now in the Church, not just the sexual abuse crisis but many other abuses of authority that we have been living with during the reign of this Pope. We need to think with our own heads and conscience about what is happening rather than wait to be told what to think.
My own opinion is that this crisis will push the Church to rethink celibacy, women's ordination, and the exercise of monarchic/secretive authority that feels accountable to no one. This will not happen under John Paul II, but it has to happen. We also have to be very careful of the consequences of this rethinking. For example, it will be important not to go from celibacy to the imposition of marriage on every priest! A lot of what is happening has to do with authoritarian decision-making and secrecy more than with sexuality per se. It is important to rethink Church teachings on sexuality and to make sure that seminaries, parishes and convents do not become the refuge of the sexually "damaged." Also, just as a curious detail, the charges of sexual misconduct/unethical sexual behavior against psychologists have decreased dramatically in the last decade; this has been attributed to two factors: legal prosecution of offenders AND a dramatic increase in the number of women in the profession (because practically all abuse cases have historically involved male perpetrators.)
                                                                       A Chance to be Heard

By Elizabeth Fernandez

In an impromptu catharsis, victims of clergy sexual abuse crossed a momentous threshold, sharing their stories and their tears with officials of the San Francisco Archdiocese. "When I came here a few years ago, they told me to forgive and forget. I felt they wanted me to go away," said Sonia Rubino, who was abused as a young girl. "This is a miracle." The gathering, part of a chain of rallies around the country by survivors of clergy abuse, was designed to urge the Catholic bishops to lobby law- makers for changes that would allow more robust prosecution of priests who molest children. Toward that end, in San Francisco, several dozen survivors and supporters, waving "no more secrets" and "zero tolerance" signs, met outside the archdiocese's head-quarters. Unexpectedly, they were invited inside by Auxiliary Bishop John C. Wester. "We sincerely welcome this dialogue," said Maurice Healy, director of communications for the archdiocese. "We have something to learn from the survivors," Healy said. "The church in general has not done everything it can to help people get through the pain of clergy abuse." Two years ago, the Oakland diocese held a formal day of apology, attended by dozens of survivors, but few other dioceses have followed suit. Now, in a highly emotional meeting, survivors gave voice to their grief and to their fury at a church that discounted and disbelieved them. With Wester, Healy and Sr. Antonio Heaphy, the victims held hands and bowed heads in prayer. In an extraordinary disclosure during the meeting, Healy revealed that he too was a survivor of childhood molestation at age 7 by a lay person at a home for boys in western New York. "He tried to empathize with us," said an East Bay resident who was raped by a priest when she was 12. Some survivors emerged from the session with renewed hope for healing. Wester promised to meet with several survivors in a non church location, free of painful memories, an offer viewed as an important gesture. "We have been banging on the door for 10 years," said Terrie Light, West Coast director for SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused By Priests), which organized the rally. "Finally they have opened the door; this is a major breakthrough. It is absolutely amazing." Others were dubious of substantive action. "There are good people in the church who want to do good things," said Don Hoard, whose son was abused by a priest, but the problem is that the people at the highest levels don't want changes. It is too threatening."  "We've clearly learned that when prosecutors get involved, priests get locked up," said David Clohessy, a victim from Missouri and a longtime leader of SNAP. "When only the bishops get involved, many times priests get reassigned and then abuse again."  (From The San Francisco Chronicle, 5/10/02)

Stories

By Peter M. Kopkowski

I think that most of you have heard this first story, but here it goes again.  Two people are walking along the beach at the water line as the tide is receding. (For simplicity, we’ll call them “Jack” and “Jill”.) As Jack walks along, he picks up the sand crabs that have been left high & dry by the receding tide; he carefully tosses each one back into the water. Jill notes this and says to him, “Jack, there are a million sand crabs on this beach, and you can’t possibly make a difference with the few that you are saving.”  Jack pauses, picks up another one, and tosses it back into the water, saying to Jill, “I made a difference to that one!”

            The reason that I am possibly “repeating” this story is so that I can take exception to it!  My exception is based on the fact that the story implies that each of us, acting individually, CAN “make a difference”.  My exception is based on my opinion that acting individually is not enough!  Here is a second story.  You are walking through town and come to a bridge over a creek; as you casually look into the water, you are surprised to see that there is a young child in the water, calling for help.  Even though you are not the world’s greatest swimmer, you plunge into the creek and bring the child to the shore, where a couple of other people help you with the child.  Suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, you notice another child in the water!  You jump back into the creek and drag the second child to shore, amazed at the coincidence of two children being in need of help at the same time and place. Meanwhile, more people gather.  Then, there is a cry from one of them, telling you that there is still another child in need of help. I am sure that you will immediately go after the third child, but I also know that you are starting to wonder what is going on?  As soon as you reach shore the third time, you exclaim, “Let’s get organized!  Someone must go upstream and see what is happening there!  Either the bridge has fallen, or someone is throwing children into the water!” 

            The point that I wish to make is that BOTH actions are needed, namely, saving the child at hand AND trying to stop them from being in the water.  This point is absolutely essential to working for social justice; it is necessary to feed the hungry at our door, but we ALSO need to get organized to stop the programs and practices that are leading to more people being hungry! 

Liturgical Dance Workshop

The Called to Dance Association, a program of the Ecumenical Council of San Diego will hold a workshop from 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. on Saturday, July 27 at the Disciples Center, 201 Fir St.  Entitled “Dancing Christian Liturgy”, the workshop will feature presentations by several dance directors.  Lunch is included in the registration fee of $20. Contact the Disciples Center at (619) 232-6436 for more info.

Announcement

VOTF, Voice of the Faithful, in Boston, has secured the Hynes Convention Center for a meeting of 5000 concerned Catholics on Saturday, July 20 from 9-6.   The goal of the event is to provide to attendees with hope, specific actions, and a plan on how to re-claim their Church.  Speakers and agenda are being finalized. Keep the faith. Change the church.  More info at www.votf.org

                                                           *   *   *   *   *

Having campaign contributions solicited from the California governor’s office isn’t “illegal”, but it’s not entirely “ethical”; it’s a Gray [Davis] area.

(Based on a cartoon by Steve Breen in The San Diego Union Tribune, 5/17/02).

                                                            *   *   *   *   *

Sweatshop worker # 1: I hear that management is going to give us 7 paid vacation days per year.

Sweatshop worker # 2: What?  That’s great!  What’s the catch?

# 1: We have to support the company’s lobbying for a new national law.

# 2: What? What do they want from a new national law?

# 1: A 53-week year.

(Inspired by a cartoon by Carol Simpson in Network magazine, March/April 2002).

                                                            *   *   *  *   *

My Dreams

By Robert Muller

As a young boy, from the high window of my parents’ house in Alsace-Lorraine, I could see the border between France & Germany; it was a line not to be crossed.  Beyond it lived hereditary enemies, the Germans, whom we were taught to hate.  Yet, they spoke the same language and had the same names that we did!  When I lifted my eyes to the sky, I saw that the sun, the clouds, the birds, the moon & stars all totally ignored that border.  I dreamt that someday I would be able to work to suppress it. Our family still had a lot to suffer from that border: two evacuations that made us refugees; World War II; Nazi occupation; my father’s imprisonment as well as my own; the French underground; to be a fighter for de Gaulle in the mountains. Today when I look at the photo graph of my 1939 schoolmates, I sadly see that almost all of them died in French or German uniforms. Yet, my dream moved me onward; I became a servant of the United Nations, and I worked there all my adult life. Mean- while, other people also took issue with that border and worked for the creation of a European Union, which is today a flourishing reality. When I received my last passport, I had a beautiful surprise: it was titled “ European Union” , with “France” in the sub-title. I continued to hope to return to my hometown to see the last remnants of the border dismantled, and this dream came true in 1994. I saw the empty police & customs building which had created so much misery and suffering in Alsace-Lorraine.  What a miracle:  the border was gone. Like the sun, clouds, birds, moon & stars, I could cross the imaginary line unimpeded. I remembered that my friend and elder, Robert Schuman, the father of the European Union, had died without seeing his dream fulfilled.  I went to his tomb to report it to him.

(From “Ideas & Dreams for a Better World”)

ChurchWatch

If you typically review this monthly newsletter from the national office of C.T.A. quite quickly, I suggest that you go back and check out the May issue; on page 5 there is a lengthy article, “Working Parish Snapshot” that features San Diego’s own Christ the King parish.

Blessed are the Meek, for They Shall Inherit the Earth

By Mark G. Steinfort

Have you ever wondered who the meek are? Does being meek mean that we are to be timid, shy, quiet, and let people walk on us?  Does it mean that we must walk around in servitude, talking quietly, not offending anyone? It’s really quite the opposite!  Aren’t we to be like Jesus?  If we are, we can’t be timid, shy, non-offensive, deferring to everyone else.  Jesus was a real man; he wasn’t anybody’s “boy”. When he spoke, people listened. He was a hard-working carpenter; he wasn’t effeminate. His actions were those of a real man. People perceived him as a very spiritual man, and a very special man.  He was a strong man.  But, you may say, Jesus was meek man; very true!  He definitely was meek, but we need to define what “meek” really means. The word comes from the Greek, and means to have a strong but tender & humble life. It is not being weak or spineless. This person is able to control themselves; they are disciplined because they are God-controlled. So, who are the meek? They are people who are under control; the mind and body are disciplined. Passion & urges, speech & behavior, sight & touch, are controlled. The meek person is humble, not prideful; they are humble before both God and other people. The meek person is gentle and not easily provoked; they are able to be even-tempered, able to show displeasure without reacting impulsively; they are forgiving and not revengeful; they are quiet.

There are two points to be made about “inherit the earth”: the first one is simply that the meek do inherit the earth now. They presently enjoy and experience the good things of the earth; they have found themselves and are comfortable with themselves. They know where they are going and yet they are teachable. They have purpose, meaning & significance in life without having anything to prove. They are assured that they will overcome whatever confronts them; they are free from stress & tension. They have peaceful souls.  The second point is that the earth, the new heavens & earth, the kingdom promise by Jesus will also be theirs, just as Jesus promised it to them.

(From The Encourager, of which Steinfort is editor, 3/1/02)

“There are Things that a Decent Person Just Does Not Do!”

By Yishai Rosen-Tzvi

In the past year, I was in a military prison for my refusal to carry out the “orders” that I received with respect to the occupied Palestinian territories. I want to tell how people come to undertake this act of refusal and how they feel terribly cheated. For example, a soldier goes to the territories and is confronted with the situation there: thousands upon thousands of people sunk in deep misery, poverty & humiliation. Then you get your orders and find out what your job is: you job is to push these people deeper into misery & poverty & humiliation, to keep them caged in town & villages, not to let them out, not to let them earn a living, not to let them live a normal life. Two things happen: (1) You look around in disbelief; you take your head into your hand and ask, God, can this be true? Is this really what I am supposed to do?  How did I get here, how did I come to get such orders, to be asked to do such things?  (2) Then you cry out, “I have been cheated!”  All the propaganda arguments collapse - that we Israelis are a peace-loving people, that the war was imposed on us, that we do what we do in order to fight “terrorism”.  Everything collapses, all these specious arguments, like a house of cards, and you are faced with the cruel reality. Fighting terrorism?  What a joke! Our army maintains a hothouse of misery & poverty & hopelessness, a hothouse where the plants of terrorism have ideal conditions for growth.  Our government’s policy is keeping the terrorism hothouse going & flourishing. And then, the conclusion is very simple: There are things that a decent person just does not do! A decent person does not starve people, does not humiliate people, does not treat people as if they were dirt. A decent person just does not do that!  Not under any circumstances. Fortunately, there are more decent people here in Israel than we thought, and every day more people discover that they are decent, and start behaving as decent people should.  When there are enough of them, the occupation of the territories will just come to an end.

(From “News” (Rabia Harris, editor) in Fellowship magazine, March/April 2002)

                                                                  *   *   *   *   *

Hubris isn’t just about luck or wealth; it’s about throwing away food while hungry people watch.

(Biologist-ecologist-author Barbara Kingsolver, commenting on American mores & morals (e.g., “This culture’s greed, its wasteful habits of consumption and its blithe disregard of how the rest of the world sees us”) in “Small Wonder” [Harper Collins, 2002].

                                    Commitment

By Peter M. Kopkowski

Making a commitment to a serious project does not require a person to be “of adult age”, any more than becoming of adult age guarantees that a person is mature. Nathaniel Vogel made a commitment to a serious project about a year ago when he was in the eighth grade(!). The “serious project” was to change the name of his school in Cambridge, MA. Reading Stephen Jay Gould’s “The Mismeasure of Man”, Vogel became aware of the painfully racist extreme views of the man for whom the school had been named.  At the same time, he read about Maria L Baldwin in “Black Women in America”, edited by Darlene Clark Hine. Baldwin, an African American educator, was the real heart and soul of Vogel’s school!  She had been appointed as a teacher of all seven grades of the interracial Agassie School in 1887 and became principal in 1889.  Her position was elevated to “Master” in 1916, a position that she hold until her death 6 years later. Vogel found that most responses to his suggested name change were either indifferent or simply opposed to “a change that will stir up more controversy than it is worth”. Some people mistook it for an attempt to give the school a “politically correct” image.  Vogel’s proposal was the subject of a front-page story in The Boston Globe, and is under consideration by the Cambridge City council.

(From “The Mismeasure of Maria Baldwin” in PeaceWork, April 2002).

Alice in Wonderland

By James Fitzgerald

All the recent stories of how the bishops have dealt with pedophile priests feels like a visit to Alice’s Wonderland.  “Up is down and down is up. Out is in and in is out”. Keep pedophile priests active, but keep married priests inactive. Disperse pedophile priests among the people with children, but isolate from the people those priests “infected” with marriage. Of course, never give the people of God the blessing of priests who are “afflicted” by being women!  “Sick is well and well is sick. Wrong is right and right is wrong”. Alice in Wonderland is fiction, but this is not!

(From a letter in N.C.R., 4/19/02).

Becoming a True Peace Church

By Michael Baxter

The hope that the Catholic church will become a peace church seems forlorn. Why?  Because, as Thomas a Kempis observed, we desire peace, but not the things that make for peace. We desire peace as an end, but we do not desire the means necessary to attain that end. We lack prudence, which Thomas Aquinas defined as “practical reasoning, or right reason applied to action”. We are blessed with good intentions but beset by fuzzy thinking, and we look in the wrong direction for the necessary means to achieve peace. We think that the things that make for peace are to be found in the governments of the various nations, but such policies are not what make peace, not true peace, in any case. John 14:27 tells us that the peace of Christ is a peace that the world cannot give.  Today, peace among nations is at best forged by a balance of power and secured by violence; it is all too worldly, and not “peace” at all.  It is merely a truce among mutually suspicious parties. It is a pale reflection of the peace given by Jesus to his apostles and to all of us. There is an antagonism between the peace of Christ and the peace of nations; the church should devote all efforts to forming Catholics into a people who are able to resist the claims of the nations, and to pledge their highest allegiance to the Prince of Peace. This kind of formation entails instruction in nonviolence as well as in conscientious objection to the military aims of the nations, including our own! 

(From N.C.R., 4/26/02).

America Magazine

If you are not a subscriber to America magazine, I suggest that you go to their website, www.americamagazine.org for the May 27 issue; it includes “My Hopes for Dallas” by Roger Mahony, “Considerations for a Church in Crisis” by John R. Quinn, and “Why?”, by Andrew Greeley, among other interesting articles and features. 

President’s Report

By Janet Mansfield

What has your board done recently? Hopefully, you were able to experience some of our programs.  Oliva Espin is truly a gifted person who explained gender and gender issues, as those attending in April found out. Some of you have attended  “Dinner Discussions", a pro- gram that we would like to promote more in the coming months.  This is a good way to get people in your parish more active. (For more information on this program, please call me.) In June there will be a day of recollection with Dorothy Hulburt; details are elsewhere in this newsletter. Dottie facilitated the San Diego Catholic Worker Day of Recollection this year; she

 is a very dynamic speaker, who uses interaction with the attendees during part of the day. Her

 thinking helps one to make good choices. Also in June, CTA will have a prayer vigil for our Church and its hierarchy.  With more news breaking almost daily, we know this is needed.  The date is June 7, and details are listed one page 1 of this newsletter. On July 21 we will have our 3rd Mary of Magdala celebration, and San Diego Catholic Worker, Dignity, CORPUS and Women Church will again co-sponsor this event. This is another activity that we hope will spread to all parishes in the future. Those in CTA who attend House Church have been privileged to share several evenings with theologian Bernard Cooke who spoke on the Eucharist and Liturgy.  At the most recent meeting he noted that “Eucharist and Social Justice cannot be separated; participation in the Eucharist is a commitment to Social Justice”. What a great thought! The big event of the year is scheduled for Oct 19th. (Mark your calendars.)  CTA will have a talk by Robert Kaiser, TIME correspondent during Vatican II, who also interviewed Pope John XXIII.  This program was made possible by a donation from two of our CTA members. (Thank you Classen and Pat Gramm!)  John Allen (Vatican correspondent for The National Catholic Reporter) has often shared talks with Kaiser.  If twenty or more members will commit $25 to $100 each, we could engage both of these excellent presenters.  The deadline for a commitment by Mr. Allen is June 15^th, so how about it, CTA members?  Send your check marked "Oct 19th seminar" to our P.O. box. There is one more thing in the works:  Michael Morwood; there is a possibility of bringing him to San Diego again, in November, in conjunction with THE OPEN DOOR BOOKSTORE, which is located at Christ Lutheran Church in Pacific Beach, where the San Diego Catholic Worker serves lunch every Friday.  We will keep you posted on this. November is also nomination month; please think about whom you want as your CTA officers.  Perhaps you, yourself are called?  We will need a new president, as my term expires this year, and I do not believe one person should stay on the job too long.  New blood is always needed, and I would consider running again at a future time.   Please, ask yourself and others about serving. Thanks.

Peace & Truth

By Mohandas K. Gandhi

The way of peace is the way of truth. Truthfulness is even more important than peacefulness. Indeed, lying is the cause of violence. A truthful person cannot long remain violent; they will perceive in the course of their search that they have no need to be violent and will discover further that as long as there is the slightest trace of violence in them, they will fail to find the truth for which they are seeking.

(From “The Words of Gandhi”, edited by Richard Attenborough, [Newmarket Press 1982]).

It is Up to Us

(A Continuing Need for Inclusive Language)

By Sr. Maureen Evelyn Brown, CSJ

For many of us, it was with great disappointment and dismay that we read that after 11 years of work by the best liturgical and scriptural scholars in ICEL, and five years of exhaustive debate among the U.S. bishops (which led to their approval by two thirds vote), on the new English Sacramentary, that it will most likely not be published. This is due to the continual objections and corrections by the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments as well as their recent promulgation of a new Roman Missal, which supersedes the previous ones.  Therefore, if any change is going to occur, it is up to us to be the catalyst, both by supporting the extensive work and positive efforts on the part of the ICEL and the many bishops in America and other English speaking countries, as well promoting change in every facet of worship in which we find ourselves. Language, as we know, is formative; it contributes to forming attitudes; words shape thinking.  Great numbers of women are leaving our Church because they do not find a place for themselves in it, beginning with the use of exclusively male language to describe the Body of Christ which renders them invisible as persons, the traditional descriptions of God which almost totally lack a feminine perspective, and the ultimate ministerial and decision making inequalities between women and men in our Church. There is a growing awareness on the part of many Catholics that it is absolutely necessary for the spiritual development of women and men in the Church to up-date the language we use to describe and understand the fullness of God, who is neither female nor male but bears the attributes of both.  The words we use to describe who we are as the Body of Christ also need to reflect that we are both women and men who follow Jesus Christ and the beliefs of our Church. As stated in Creating Just Language: The Eighth Day Center for Justice:

            “The exclusion of women has been stunningly effective in speech about God. While officially it is rightly and consistently said that God is spirit and beyond identification with either male or female sex, the daily language of preaching, worship, catechesis, and instruction conveys a different message: God is male, or at least more like a man than a women, and/or more fittingly addressed as male than as female. Upon examination it becomes clear that this exclusive speech about God serves in manifold ways to support an imaginative and structural world that excludes or subordinates women.” “. . .”women have been forced to bow to the imagination and needs of a world designed chiefly by men whose views predominate in every area of church life: in ecclesial creeds, doctrines, prayers, theological systems, liturgical worship, patterns of spirituality, vision of mission, church order, leadership and disciplines.”

 The only consistent contact the vast majority of Catholics have with formal religion is their attendance at Sunday liturgy.   It is there and there alone that they are or are not positively influenced and encouraged to grow in their understanding of and relationship with God and the Christian Community.  I encourage you to be aware of what is happening in your own parishes and to bring this need for inclusive language to the attention of the priest and liturgy committees.  We must also model just language, not only for women but also all other minority groupings in any prayers we offer in all settings: prayer in your home, at meetings or at liturgies. Let us at the grass roots level see to it that our language reflects that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, that we all are disciples of Jesus Christ, and that we are fully respected and treated as equal members of his body, the Church.

The Apathy of Americans

Little or no outcry has been heard concerning the contents of the fiscal year 2003 budget request of the Bush administration. It proposes, for education, health, justice, housing, environment, veterans benefits, international affairs, space, transportation, social services, general government, economic development, social security & Medicare, agriculture and energy, combined, to spend a total of $ 371 billion. It further proposes, to spend for “military”, a total of $ 396 billion. In other words, “military” is proposed to consume more of the government’s discretionary spending than all other functions combined!!!  (And little or no outcry has been heard!!!)

(From the Center of Defense Information, as noted in PeaceWork, May 2002).

New Book

The disparity between rich and poor in our immensely wealthy nation, and the corrupting influence of money on politics to the advantage of the few over the many, form the heart of a new critical review of the U.S. presidency during the last 50 years. The book is “Sold, to the Highest Bidder”, by Daniel M. Friedenberg; in it the author argues that the vast technological resources unleashed by the computer revolution can and should be used to create a more equitable American future. (From Prometheus Books).

National Well-Being

According to an evaluation of 180 nations by the World Conservation Union and the Canadian International Development Research Center, the country that is best for “national well-being” is Sweden.  The study took into account wealth, human services, public education, political freedom, peace, conservation and environmental quality. Finland was second; Norway was third; Iceland was fourth; Austria was fifth; the U.S. was 27^th.

(From Earth Island Journal, Spring 2002)

Commentary on Marriage

By George Bernard Shaw

When two people are under the influence of the most violent, most insane, most delusive, and most transient of passions, they are required to swear that they will remain in that excited, abnormal, and exhausting condition continuously until death do them part.

(As quoted in “The Gifts of Marriage”, selected by Helen Exley).

Imagine

Imagine a young boy, Mohammed, living with his mother and three sisters in Somalia; there has been warfare in his country for most of his life.  His father died in the fighting, and even though he is only ten, Mohammed has become the man in the family.  Schooling is erratic for him and his friends, but they are eager to go whenever they can. Sometimes, the barrier is as simple as having no shirt to wear.

Imagine Lucas, age 12, who lives on a farm in Indiana; he plays on the baseball team & the basketball team; he belongs to the computer club and plays trumpet in the band. Like most boys his age, Lucas quickly outgrows his clothes. Through attending his Quaker meeting, Lucas knows about the regular collection of clothes, and a quick clean out of his room produces a large bag of items, including his favorite striped shirt.

Imagine that very shirt making its way to American Friends Service Committee office where it is sorted by volunteers, folded, stacked, and packed in a bale for shipping; destination: Somalia. And so, across the miles, Mohammed and Lucas meet. The A.F.S.C. acts on the Quaker belief in the dignity and worth of all people.

(From a fund-soliciting letter from A.F.S.C.’s General Secretary, Mary Ellen McNish).

Blaming the Victims

By Vernon Gregson

Concerning the recent pedophilia scandal, Msgr. Terry Tekippe, in the New Orleans’ diocesan paper, Clarion Herald, wrote that if married people practiced less birth control and had fewer abortions, bishops would not have to choose such mediocre candidates for the priesthood!  In his words, parents are responsible for their own children’s abuse because they don’t have enough morally and mentally fit children for bishops to choose from!

(From a letter in N.C.R., 5/10/02).

Spiritual Debilitation

By William Willimon

In our land of relative prosperity and governmentally-sanctioned greed, I see the following agenda for Christians: We must cultivate, in our churches and in ourselves, a deep suspicion that affluence is a debilitating and morally dangerous condition. Christianity and material prosperity are bad bedfellows.

(From “Locusts and Wild Honey”, as quoted in Catholic Agitator, May 2002).

Death Penalty

By Peter M. Kopkowski

I admit to perhaps being somewhat naïve in my beliefs that an emotional subject like the death penalty could nevertheless be dealt with sensibly in our laws, all in the pursuit of justice, of course.  I assumed that the laws and the Constitution meant what was said, when they said that all persons are entitled to a trial by a jury “of their peers”. My “education” was expanded by a newspaper article that pointed out that, in California, if the prosecutor announces that the death penalty will be sought in a particular case, each and every juror selected must, in advance, state that they are not morally opposed to capital punishment!  In other words, every person who is tried for a capital crime in California automatically gets a jury that believes 100% in the death penalty!

In other words, if I were being tried for a capital offense, I couldn’t get a trial by a jury of my peers, because those of the population of California opposed to the death penalty are automatically excused from such juries!

(From an article by Alex Roth in The San Diego Union Tribune, 5/26/02).