The following questionnaire was lovingly rather than scientifically constructed.
Questions were asked of men and women who had been baptized. All were at least thirty-six years old, and most remembered Vatican II. Half knew that a Synod was being organized, and half did not. The organizer, the Catholic Coalition for Church Reform, was planning a series of workshops and study groups with the theme, "Claiming Our Place at the Table." The group was questioned after they read an article about the Synod that appeared in The Spirit, the official publication of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, which is officially part of the universal Roman Catholic Church, where everything is very loving and magisterial. Or so they say. The questionnaire was lovingly designed to determine the effect the article would have on attendance at the Synod.
The Lovingly Constructed Questionnaire:
Will the Spirit article discourage people from attending the synod?
Of those who had planned to attend, 10% said the article made them change their minds. They would not attend because the Archdiocese had lovingly cautioned them to stay at home. The remaining 90% said that being lovingly cautioned to boycott the synod encouraged them to attend and to bring friends.
Of those who hadn't heard about the Synod before reading the article in the Spirit, 100% lovingly expressed their gratitude to the Spirit for informing them of this upcoming event. They've been wanting a place at the table for years. At the Synod, they'll be able to vent lovingly.
Both groups were asked if they felt the article was "lovingly written." 100% of those questioned said: No. When asked if they felt "cautioned," 100% selected the response: No. "Threatened" would be a better word.
Conclusion of the Lovingly Constructed Quesionnaire: Attendance at the Synod will surge because of the article in The Spirit. The article made all of those questioned aware of their acute hunger. As one said, "If we don't have a place at the table, we're going to starve.
http://cccrmn.org/v2/
ReplyDeletePretty dangerous stuff, all this talk of equality. The Good Ol'Boys in power ain't gonna like all this women stuff either. Some how I feel the cautions will get less lovingly as time goes on.
The synod logo looks a lot like Hildegard Von Bingen's art. She was a bit reform minded too.
You may find some interest in the works of Mathew Fox.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Fox_%28priest%29
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger applied some lovingly cautions to Fox back in late 80s early 90s. Both moved on to other things. Any shards of real Christianity (verses social Christianity)left in my condemned to Hell (albeit Lutheran Hell which is probably Sunday school compared to Catholic Hell) Soul can probably be attributed to Fox.
Interesting organization. The Good Ol'Boys will be getting nervous, reform, equality, women not being high on their list of favorite words. They got the right guy driving the bus at this time, and until the smoke flies from the Vatican roof, if you persist, they will quash the Catholicism right out of you and your band of infidel friends. Talk about "Say it ain't so Joe!" Joe has a history of saying it ain't so. He is somewhat of an expert in that field. Don't expect Joe or the Good Ol' Boys to make room at the table any time soon. Remember the RC clergy is basically a men's club.
Charon got you booked on aisle 5 starboard window seat, just above the oars. You better check with your Anglican woman friend (Ms Omega), and see if she can get a cancellation. If you maintain in your current direction, Joe is gonna have you sitting right next to me, cruising the River Styx in style, sipping on a mint julep discussing comparative theology. One thing to remember, there is a great freedom is being condemned to Hell. Kind of refreshing actually. Good luck to you. I love rabble rousers.
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ReplyDeleteDamn! When I posted my original comment, I got a message that it was too big to post. So then I post a comment moaning about losing my comment, only to find out that I didn't lose it. So then I post a comment stating Oh I didn't lose my comment after all. Then I think I got two simple minded comments that add nothing to the discussion so I go to delete them, but it doesn't fully delete the comment, only the text of the comment. The fact that I commented and then deleted it remains posted. So the above two comments were nothing juicy, just useless crap about the comments being lost then not lost--kind of useless like this comment which I am tempted to delete, but then find that I need to explain why I have 3 deleted comments.
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