Cherie Blair Says Catholic Church Sexist, Credits Personal Success to Contraception(Catholic Caucus)

LifeSiteNews.com ^ | 2 March 2009 | Hilary White and John Jalsevac

[A.A. Cunningham]

Monday March 2, 2009

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Cherie Blair Says Catholic Church Sexist, Credits Personal Success to Contraception

By Hilary White and John Jalsevac

LONDON, March 2, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Church "marginalizes" women and keeps them "virtually invisible" in its public face, says Cherie Blair. Speaking on a BBC television program, the wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair said that "ambivalence" towards women is a "fundamental weakness" of Christianity and of Catholicism in particular.

The controversial remarks were made during the final installment of a documentary, Christianity, that was aired on BBC's Channel 4 on Sunday night.

During a section of the program that dealt with the Catholic Church's teaching on contraception, Blair credited her use of contraception for her personal success. Blair said that every time she didn't use contraception, "I seemed to have a baby."

"I'm a feminist…How could I have done all the things I have done if I hadn't used contraception?" she asked.

Despite being a self-professed devout Catholic, Blair has been an outspoken advocate of artificial contraception, which the Catholic Church teaches is an intrinsic evil. In her recently published autobiography, "Speaking for Myself," Blair infamously admitted that at least one of her children was conceived when she had "forgotten her contraceptive equipment" when on holiday.

During the program Blair also appeared to insinuate that it is only with the ordination of women to the priesthood that the situation of the "invisibility" of women in Christianity could be remedied.

In an interview with Cormac Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, the Archbishop of Westminster and the head of the Catholic bishops of England and Wales, Blair rebuked the cardinal, saying, "If you actually look at the formal structures of the Catholic Church, you don't see a woman's face when you see people speaking for the Catholic Church. Can we change that?"

The cardinal responded, "I don't think that [the Church] will develop towards priesthood or episcopacy [for women] because of the tradition of the Church in that role." But Mrs. Blair objected, saying, "Until the traditional churches fully resolve their relationship with the female half of the population, how can they expect Christianity to have a future in the modern world?"

Blair, a long-time feminist and activist for "progressive" causes, said, "I firmly believe the traditional churches in Western Europe can be saved but there are a number of urgent steps that need to be taken.

"Today, while women remain marginalised, Christianity cannot flourish. Women and men must be equal partners in 21st-century Christianity."

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

No Comment from Bishops as Cherie, wife of Former PM Blair, Touts Catholicism While Extolling Contraception
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/may/08052104.html

URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/mar/09030209.html

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[stevem]

It seems to me that the Catholic Church has been a paragon of respect for women and without peer in pressing for the dignity of women. Is Cherie Blair a self-loather?

[9YearLurker]

And if Christ had 10 white toes, then I guess all church leaders better be white. Except, oh my, what if he really wasn’t white—then what are we doing with Polish popes?

[Varda]

Your argument is pretty silly.....

[9YearLurker]

Hello, mirror.

[Varda]

Look it’s pretty clear you aren’t Catholic and you argue like a child. The caucus designation means this thread is for Catholics. The Catholic Church is composed of people who adhere to a set of beliefs. Christ founded the Church and composed it in a specific way. That way is chronicled in scripture. That way has been adhered to since the beginning. While you and Cherie Blair can stamp your feet and hold your breath and complain about the unfairness of it all, the structure is what Christ set it to be. Neither the Pope nor anyone else has the authority to change it.

[marshmallow]

Islam is mentioned at least twice in this thread.

I noticed that too but couldn't be bothered pursuing it.

The whole thing is beyond silly and a good example of the nit-picking and lack of common sense which has come to distinguish the religion board.

Back to the General Forum and the financial apocalypse, where one can speak a little more freely.

Hope all is well with you.

[Campion]

gross sexism where men are the leaders and women only followers

That's fine if you're talking about General Motors. However, that isn't what the church is all about, and we do -- or at least should -- have a different idea of what constitutes "leadership".

It isn't about power. It's about service. Jesus said so himself, more than once. Rightly understood, you're complaining that women don't get to serve enough.

The least and most insignificant saint in heaven -- male or female -- is a more important "leader" in the life of the church than the reigning Pope in Rome. That's simply a fact.

"Gross sexism"? The last Pope's motto was "Totus Tuus" -- "completely yours". The person to whom he said he belonged "completely" was a Jewish peasant woman who was never rich, never powerful, never had much education, and whose only son died a humiliating death on a Roman cross.

"Completely yours". Think about it.

[RobbyS]

What an arrrogant twit. The modern world, indeed! If you say these things to the Muzzies, they would stare at her and reply. have a nice day!

[RobbyS]

Excellent argument!

[RobbyS]

I agree. Can we send flowers?

[dsc]

“So women are wrong to point out and try to counter gross sexism where men are the leaders and women only followers?”

Not merely wrong—evil.

We are all followers, and we have our own roles to play. Who is the most important human ever to live, if not the Blessed Virgin?

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

Women shouldn’t even be taken seriously when they claim their problem is that they are not allowed to be “leaders.” This reflects a notion, whispered into mankind’s ear by Satan, that the noble, indespensible, and even heroic role that God ordained for women should be scorned, should be abandoned in a futile effort to fulfill instead the role he ordained for men.

Even if women were successful in this effort, the result would be grotesque.

[Cincinna]

Yikes! That was a quick turnaround.

Cherie gets her husband Tony Blair to convert to Catholicism, and then starts trashing the Church.... nice.

[DBeers]

Assuming you are Catholic you are not well catechized...

Recommend you go back to lurking for another 9 Years...

Seek first to understand THEN to be understood...