September 1985 Print

 

CARDINAL HAMER REFUSES TO DIALOGUE WITH DISSIDENT NUNS

Chicago (RNS)—A Vatican administrator who oversees religious orders reportedly told several Chicago nuns "there is nothing to talk about" in regard to twenty-four American nuns he has threatened to dismiss unless they recant their public call to dialogue on the Roman Catholic Church's anti-abortion stand.

Cardinal Jean Jerome Hamer's comment came in a private conversation shortly after he addressed more than 1,000 persons—mostly nuns in habits—at Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral August 21st. He refused to comment publicly.

The twenty-four women are among ninety-seven Catholics who signed an October 7, 1984, New York Times ad calling for dialogue on the issue of abortion. Cardinal Hamer, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes, is author of a letter threatening to dismiss the signers unless they recant. Four male signers have recanted; none of the women has.

Several nuns and lay women wearing black crepe arm bands stood in the rear of the cathedral during Cardinal Hamer's homily, holding aloft signs reading, "One and a half million women have left this Church," "Patriarchy is a mortal sin," and "No more sexist apartheid."

"We were invited to meet and pray with the man who in essence will force these women out of their families," said Sister Maureen Gallagher, one of the protest organizers.

After meeting and talking briefly with Cardinal Hamer, the women expressed dismay at his attitudes. He chided several nuns for not wearing habits. Responded one, "I believe the habit of Christian living is more important than an external habit."

At issue, said one of the women, is the whole Roman Catholic system. "We're protesting the exclusion of women from decision-making positions in the Church, including ordination to the priesthood." said Sister Gallagher.

The women also called on Cardinal Joseph Bernardin to dialogue with the nine local ad signers: eight women (including five nuns) and one man. "We want to say to him, 'you also, Brother Joseph, should be a little more pastoral in a tense situation with a Roman Church that doesn't understand well educated American women,' " Sister Gallagher said. Cardinal Bernardin said he has done everything he can behind the scenes. He said he is willing to meet with the signers, but he insists the dispute over the ad is between the Vatican and the signers. While the women claim the issue is the right to dialogue and free speech, Cardinal Bernardin asserted it is a doctrinal issue: the Church's stance on abortion. "The Church's position is very, very clear," he said. "It has always taught that abortion is morally wrong."

The purpose of Cardinal Hamer's visit, Cardinal Bernardin said, was to learn more about religious life in this country.

 

DIGNITY MEMBERS AFFIRM THEIR HOMOSEXUALITY AND CATHOLICISM

New York (RNS)—Members of "Dignity," the national Roman Catholic organization for homosexuals, affirmed their sexual orientation and advocated ordination to the priesthood for homosexual and married men and women during their national convention here August 18-25.

"We who live healthy, holy lives as sexually active, responsible adults show that the Church's position on such matters is inappropriate," said Dr. Mary Hart in the keynote address. She is a member of the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual.

The conference was attended by 800 persons, where some of the workshops offered were sexual ethics, networking with gay and heterosexual organizations, feminist spirituality, parenting and psychotherapy.

Dignity members say they will gain more acceptance in American Catholicism by working within the system. At present, no American bishop publicly supports the group, but Dignity President John Hagar said that several bishops, archbishops or cardinals had given support to gay issues. He said they included prelates in Milwaukee, Seattle, Baltimore, Miami, Brooklyn, Chicago, Richmond and Wheeling.

Mr. Hagar said he disagreed with the approach taken by another gay Catholic ministry, "Courage," which is recognized by the Archdiocese of New York. Courage believes in the intrinsic evil of homosexuality and tells homosexuals that they are to remain celibate. Although he disagreed with its approach, Mr. Hagar suggested that "Courage might be a first step for many Catholics to take the painful coming-out-of-the-closet process."

Most speakers at the conference connected the struggle of homosexuals with other liberation movements, including labor unions, black civil rights, women's liberation and anti-apartheid groups. Dr. Hart mentioned the need to end American intervention in Central America several times in her keynote address.

 

MUCH IS FORGOTTEN ABOUT WWII, ARCHBISHOP SAYS

New Orleans (RNS)—There is much about World War II that has not been recalled during the 40th anniversary observances of the end of that conflict, says Archbishop Philip M. Hannan of New Orleans.

In a column for the "Clarion Herald," newsweekly of the Archdiocese, the prelate wrote that "Nagasaki and Hiroshima were not the most destroyed cities of World War II. Warsaw and many other cities had far more devastation.

"Not a word is said today for the U.S. servicemen and women and civilians in Honolulu killed by the sneak attack of the Japanese which started our war with them. Remember we did not start the war with Japan."

Archbishop Hannan said he has not seen any mention about "the mass slaughter by the Japanese forces of our soldiers in the 'death march' on Bataan and the systematic torture of prisoners by the Japanese." Nor, he added, has he seen any mention of "the fact that the Nazis and the Japanese were frantically trying to develop an atomic weapon to use against us" or even one article about "how the U.S. revived the industry of Japan and saved the nation."

While joining in calls to pray for peace, Archbishop Hannan advised that "praying for peace should also include a fair remembrance of the events that led to the destruction of large parts of Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

 

ROACH ON 10TH ANNIVERSARY: "REVIVE SPIRIT OF VATICAN II"

St. Paul (RNS)—Twenty years after the Second Vatican Council "there is still a lot of healing going on," Archbishop John R. Roach said here in an interview on the tenth anniversary of his installation as head of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

The past president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops said that "you have to expect some honest differences of opinion, but there is a kind of hostility or lack or respect for other people's opinions which to me is very bothersome."

He expressed regret that he had not been able to heal the differences, which he said involve priests, religious and laity and their positions on such things as liturgy, education and authority.

Some Catholics are "more comfortable with a kind of collegial, non-authoritative style than others," he said, describing his own style of leadership. "There are some people who are very unhappy that I seem to do more consulting than necessary and other people who think I don't consult enough," he said.

He said he would like to see the extraordinary synod of bishops convening in Rome in November address the ramifications of shared responsibility in the Church.

"The spirit of Vatican II needs to be revived," he said. "We need to go back and make sure we have been true to what the Council Fathers were hoping for and praying for and to what was mandated by the Church at that time."

In response to a question, he said he did not agree that national bishops' conferences had become too powerful and were usurping the authority of local bishops, as has been suggested in some Vatican circles.

 

TWO MASONIC LEADERS, BOTH CATHOLICS, DEFY CHURCH RULING

Minneapolis (RNS)—When Roland Marier completed a term as master of the Masonic Lodge in suburban St. Paul Park, he was succeeded in the top chair by Vincent Zilka. Both men belong to the Catholic Church, which recently renewed its historic condemnation of Freemasonry, as "incompatible with Christian faith and practice." But on the basis of their own experience, Messrs. Marier and Zilka dispute the Church's position and say they will continue to be active in both the Masons and the Catholic Church.

Many Catholic Masons across the country reportedly are bewildered by their Church's latest condemnation, which contrasted with earlier friendly U.S. Catholic overtures toward Masonry. "About 10 to 15 years ago, there was a mellowing of Church attitudes," said Ray Schlemmer, Grand Secretary of the Minnesota Masonic Grand Lodge. At that time some bishops appeared as honored guests at Masonic functions, deploring past antagonisms. An official 1974 Catholic statement seemed to indicate that Catholics could be Masons if their lodges weren't anti-Catholic.

But in 1983, the Vatican's Congregation on Doctrine issued a declaration stressing that the ban on Masonic membership remained despite omission from the new Code of Canon Law of a provision, contained in the old Code, which called for automatic excommunication of Catholics who become Masons. The revised Code makes excommunication optional, but bars Masons from receiving Holy Communion because of their "state of grave sin."

A couple of months ago, a committee of U. S. Catholic Bishops, headed by Cardinal Bernard F. Law of Boston, mailed a confidential report to all Catholic bishops in the country calling Freemasonry irreconcilable not only with Catholicism but with all Christianity. "The principles and basic rituals of Masonry embody a naturalistic religion, active participation in which is incompatible with the Christian faith and practice," the bishops' report said. "Those who knowingly embrace such principles are committing serious sin."

The bishops' study said that most U.S. Masonry today is "politically reactionary and racist" and that with the exception of one New Jersey lodge that admits blacks, "all women, men under 21, and blacks are barred from Masonic initiation in regular lodges."