Sorry for the Silent Blog

by Sue Rakoczy · October 27, 2010

I am on sabbatical this semester and spent three month in the US and am now back, working on a book on feminist interpretations of discernment.

In conversations in the US with many people, it is becoming clear that people are making distinctions about the sexual abuse crisis which goes on and on in the States and in so many other countries. They speak of the horrendous abuse that happened and the cover-up by bishops as equally terrible. �I feel that now people are more angry about the culture of clerical privilege which has caused so much suffering to so many people.

Another area which struck me is the great spiritual hunger people have and how their parishes seldom meet their needs. I met with a group of women who are barely hanging on as Catholics and who find their parishes devoid of any kind of nourishment–homilies are dull and boring, no faith sharing groups, no lectures, nothing. I encouraged them to meet as a group and read books together, pray together, support one another.

And this is much the same in South Africa–seldom do parishes help nourish the faith of adults and when you find a parish that does it seemslike a miracle.