Omnibus News - Diocese of Nottingham

omnibus 6
nbcw
Church needs
women to unveil
'masculine
secrecy'
A greater presence of women in
decision-making roles in the Church
might have helped remove the "veil of
masculine secrecy" that covered
priestly sex abuse cases, a front-page
commentary in the Vatican newspaper,
L'Osservatore Romano has said.
Writing in the 10 March issue of the
Vatican newspaper, Lucetta Scaraffia,
an Italian journalist and history
professor, who has been a frequent
contributor to the paper in recent
years, says that despite calls by popes
and others to welcome women into
equal, though diverse, roles in the
Church, women have generally been
kept out of positions of responsibility.
As a result, the article states, the
Church has failed to take advantage of
the many talents and contributions that
could have been provided by women.
As an example of what the Church has
lost by not taking advantage of
women's contributions, Scaraffia points
to the "painful and shameful
situations" of sexual abuse by priests
against the young people entrusted to
their pastoral care.
"We can hypothesise that a greater
female presence, not at a subordinate
level, would have been able to rip the
veil of masculine secrecy that in the
past often covered the denunciation of
these misdeeds with silence," the
article in L'Osservatore Romano states.
"Women, in fact, both religious and
lay, by nature would have been more
likely to defend young people in cases
of sexual abuse, allowing the Church
to avoid the grave damage brought by
these sinful acts," Professor Scaraffia
says. (Source: Catholic News Service)
Laywoman promoted
to senior Vatican post
Flaminia Giovanelli, 61, becomes undersecretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice
and Peace, the Vatican department that deals with issues of justice, peace and human
rights. She is the first woman ever to serve in the post, which had been vacant for four
years, and will be the second highest ranking woman in the Curia, the Vatican hierarchy.
Cardinal Peter Turkson, of Ghana, the head of the Council since last October, said the
appointment of Ms Giovanelli by Pope Benedict XVI "demonstrates the concern of the
church for the promotion of the dignity and rights of women in the world," which is one
area of special concern to his office.
Cardinal Turkson, 62, former Archbishop of Cape Coast, who is seen by some as a
potential future black contender for the papacy, noted that the late John Paul II had also
stressed the need for a “fuller and meaningful participation of women in the development
of society'.”
Ms Giovanelli, who is Italian, was brought up in Brussels in a family of diplomats. She
holds a degree in political science from Rome University and another in religious studies
from the Pontifical Gregorian University, and has worked at the Council for thirty six
years dealing with development and poverty issues.
Sister Rosanna Enrica, a Salesian nun, is undersecretary of the Congregation for Institutes
of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. The last woman to serve as an undersecretary
at a pontifical council was Rosemary Goldie, an Australian, who held the post
from 1966-76 at the Pontifical Council for the Laity.
Ms Giovanelli told Vatican Radio that her work on behalf of the poor and the Third
World was "more than a job, it is a vocation...we feel the joy and the suffering of the
world, minute by minute". Il Messaggero, the Rome daily, noted that only a fifth of
Vatican employees were women, most of them in positions "subordinate to men"
despite the fact that many were highly qualified.
Richard Owen in Rome
From Times Online Jan 22 2010
Middlesbrough Diocesan Women’s
Commission
Mrs Sentamu
will speak on
Acts 4:35
“They laid it at the apostles’ feet and it was distributed to each as any
had need.”
Saturday 8th May 2010
10.30 a.m. -12.45 p.m.
followed by the AGM at 2.00 p.m.
(Tea/Coffee from 10.00 a.m.)
at
English Martyrs Church Hall
Dalton Terrace, York
Fairtrade Stall | Tea/coffee available | Bring a packed lunch | Closing Liturgy at 12.30 p.m.
A donation towards expenses would be appreciated
Page 6 April 2010