Posted on 04/30/2004 10:15:43 AM PDT by Land of the Irish
BOSTON (AP) - Boston Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley offered an apology to women for including feminism in a list of societal ills, and for his decision not to include women in a foot-washing ceremony. O'Malley, in a letter published in Friday's edition of The Pilot, the archdiocesan newspaper, praised what he termed "Christian feminism," and affirmed his support for the contributions of women in the church.
He also pledged to seek guidance on whether he should wash women's feet when he visits the Vatican in August.
"I am sorry if this controversy has been upsetting to our Catholic women, and I hope that these reflections will help you to understand that I more than value the gifts and contributions that women make to our church and to my own faith life," he wrote.
The controversy erupted on April 6 when during a homily, O'Malley said of the Baby Boom generation, "they are heirs to Woodstock, the drug culture, the sexual revolution, feminism, the breakdown of authority, and divorce."
Two days later, O'Malley washed the feet of 12 men on Holy Thursday, breaking with the tradition of his predecessor, Cardinal Bernard F. Law, who washed the feet of men and women.
An O'Malley spokesman said the archbishop washed the feet of 12 men because Jesus' apostles were 12 men, adding that parish priests were still free to wash the feet of men and women.
Push religion aside in lieu of politics? I don't think so. Many martyrs were offered "options" to save their own lives, they chose to remain Catholic rather than deny or even allow suppression of their faith.
I've got to admit I'm a little confused, not by you, but by this O'Malley, McCarrick, Kerry, connection.
Only one of them can be Kerry's official Bishop, and the other just incidental as to where he attends Church when he is away from home. What one Bishop does should have no real bearing on the actions of the other. At least that's how it seems to work in the real world in the USA.
Is it your position that one of the Bishops is weak, and the other is honoring that weakness?
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