Pastor’s Corner for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, by Rev William (Billy) Davies

This week we celebrated two significant events that have cause for reflection here at Holy Trinity: World Youth Day and Women’s Day.

At the final Mass for World Youth Day, Pope Francis, speaking directly to the youth,  stresses that the Catholic Church and the world need them and urges our youth to follow their dreams and change the world – not fear failure, but in words, we so often hear from Jesus, “Do not be afraid”.

His message throughout the week focused on inclusivity. He insists that “everyone, everyone, everyone” has a place in our Church, reinforcing his message that the Church isn’t a place of rigid rules where only the perfect can be let in, but rather a “field hospital” for wounded souls, where all are welcome.

Sadly, this conflicted with the experience of many women whose deep desire is to serve the Church and the Gospels in a more inclusive way. I’m not being drawn into the debate on women clergy because that is the responsibility of our Holy Father to lead, but …

Recently At Holy Trinity, on the Feast of Mary Magdalene,  we were blessed to listen to a Homily (or address?) by Sr Judy Coyle before her departure back to her Mother’s House in America. Her Homily was as informative, challenging, and thought-provoking as any we have had at Holy Trinity. But what about the other women of our parish and Church who could preach (address?) during Mass and would add an even greater richness to our Liturgy?

Is it, not time that we heed Jesus’s words: “Do not be afraid.”

 

Rev William (Billy) Davies