Us vs. Them

The National Catholic Reporter released an article about a women’s religious community with a fairly young “epochal footprint” (the word epochal is real, but I made up the phrase). They’ve taken down the page, but the unedited original article can still be read here.

There are (or rather were) many comments under the article that bemoan the “us vs. them” attitude of a young (age 26) religious sister.

But, wait a minute here, when I think of the National Catholic Reporter, I think of a paper that strongly (and I mean strongly) encourages an “us vs. them” attitude. Most articles down through the years seem to have this sort of attitude. Read any given article about Mother Angelica in the paper from years past and I think you will see an “us vs. them (or her)” sort of attitude.

So, now it is forbidden for young religious to have such an attitude? Isn’t that what the 60’s were all about? It was a time to rally against the ‘stablishment, man. Change, change, change.

Well, change is coming, but it’s not the sort the ‘stablished communities were hoping for. It is indeed a case of “us vs. them,” by virtue of “young vs. old.” I thought that was encouraged in the 1960s. The CMSWR came into existence because of some women’s religious communities complaining about the direction the LCWR was taking. The CMSWR, therefore, is the newer group. This seems to get lost in the rhetoric.

True, the ’60s were also about everybody getting along. The Beatles sang that all you need is love. They promptly broke up and held grudges for many years.

Somehow, I remember the Beatles breaking up and not being able to reunite better than what they sang about. Actions speak louder than words. Music can give one a false feeling that everything is fine, but, I hate to tell you, it isn’t. The young are seeking a better way, and they are finding it. They don’t have grudges about “them” but they also know they are quite different from “them.” The times they are a’changin’… (and this is a bad thing?)

Back in 1993, when Mother Angelica gave her famous “I’m so tired of you…” speech, which came about because of a young woman playing the part of Christ during the Stations of the Cross (the reason was obvious), she said something to the effect of, Go ahead and keep doing what you are doing. See how many vocations you get. See how many people follow you… (Not an exact quote.) She gave a challenge, and the young religious are going ahead… and siding with Mother Angelica.

Olympic Swimmers and Mary’s Intercession

Mireia Belmonte, a 21 year-old Olympic swimmer from Spain, recently went to the shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat to dedicate the silver medals she won to the Virgin Mary.

It should also be noted that 15 year old Katie Ledecky (US), who won gold in one of the races that Mireia won silver in, said that she prays a Hail Mary before each race.
Mireia Belmonte at Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat
Mireia Belmonte dedicates her Olympic medals to the Virgin Mary

There Will Be Time Later

World War II was still raging less than 70 years ago.

A soliloquy about it written in 1944 by Norman Corwin called “There Will Be Time Later,” brings the reality of those days to the listener.

From 68 years ago: August 15, 1944: There Will Be Time Later.

This will give you pause to give thanks to God for the relatively peaceful situation we live in today.

There is, without a doubt, a longing for peace that is palpable in this soliloquy, but a recognition that it has not come yet. But also, hope. Why listen to this now? I guess you have to listen to it to see why.

Vollert on Mary and the Church

“But she was redeemed quite otherwise than the rest of men; she was preserved form contracting the sin of nature. She was redeemed apart, and therefore placed apart. Her fullness of grace, which grew in her all her life, was not dependent on the Church, but has its explanation in her divine maternity, its rule and measure. Thus she constitutes an order apart, so that she alone can enter into comparison with the rest of the Church. This fact makes possible an analogy between her, a particular person, and the collectivity which is the Church.” Vollert, Cyril, “Mary and the Chruch,” in Mariology (Carol, Juniper, editor) vol. 2, p. 558.