Welcome to Wisdom Wednesday. We have big news today of Vatican reform and a call for more reform from FutureChurch and from some Catholic priests in Germany. We learn about a disturbing trend among young people worldwide, and of a possible litigation settlement for the Boy Scouts USA. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson puts her faith up front at her Senate hearing. We invite you to reflect on your “ideal church.” You won’t want to miss the answer given by Deb Rose-Milavec to the question: “Why would any woman stay in the Catholic Church after being treated the way they are treated?”
And at the end of the day, please consider this quotation for every preacher who ever dreamed of universal acceptance: “There is no evidence of a prophet ever being invited back a second time for dinner.”
We begin. This is a big deal: After 9 years, Pope Francis reorganizes the Vatican with focus on evangelization, roles for laypeople. We have reports from National Catholic Reporter, the Associated Press, and Deutsche Welle.
- A ninth anniversary announcement
Some questions remain.
- Deutsche Wellesays women will benefit from the Vatican reforms.
(Deutsche Welle, sometimes abbreviated to DW, is a German public, state-owned international broadcaster funded by the German federal tax budget.)
https://www.dw.com/en/vatican-women-to-benefit-as-pope-francis-unveils-reforms/a-61185737
Deutsche Welle also reports on another call for Church reform: An end to discrimination against LGBTQ people. A group of 120 priests have come out with a public statement.
https://www.dw.com/en/german-catholic-priests-come-out-as-queer-demand-reform/a-60531857
For anyone in family, youth or parish ministry, we have a disturbing report from News Decoder, a global educational news service for young people. Self harm is a growing problem among young people worldwide, and it is more of a problem in the LGBTQ community.
https://news-decoder.com/self-harm-is-a-growing-problem-among-young-people-worldwide/
A committee representing several Catholic entities in the Boy Scouts of America bankruptcy has reached a settlement with the BSA and is withdrawing its objections to its proposed reorganization plan, attorneys told a judge last Friday. The AP reports.
https://religionnews.com/2022/03/21/scouts-reach-deal-with-catholic-committee-in-bsa-bankruptcy/
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson publicly expresses thanks to God but keeps her faith history private. As her Senate hearing continues, Religion News Service provides the report.
If Lent is a time of self reflection for you, here is a question for now or any time: What is your ideal church? Long time AUSCP member and leader Bob Bonnot suggests this reflection from John Alonso Dick, published in La Croix International. (AUSCP members have a free subscription to this outstanding digital publication.)
https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/my-ideal-church/15805
Bread for the World fears the crisis in Ukraine, a top producer of the world’s wheat, could cause catastrophe.
The war’s impact is worldwide, according to the Associated Press.
The Associated Press also reports that Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh have welcomed the announcement by the United States that it considers the violent repression of their largely Muslim ethnic group in Myanmar a genocide.
The synodal process calls for thoughtful participation. Read what Deb Rose Milavec has to say about women in the Church.
https://www.futurechurch.org/sites/default/files/Deb%27s%20Witness%20for%20Session%20%23%203.pdf
Finally, can you avoid burnout? Jeffrey Salkin, writer of Martini Judaism, finds some guidance from Mordecai in the Book of Esther. Salkin draws a comforting lesson for any minister of any faith traditdion: Mordacai was popular with most of the people. Not everyone.
https://religionnews.com/2022/03/21/clergy-burnout-rabbis-ministers/