Quailing Before Feminists

by Christopher A. Ferrara

        Boston Archbishop Sean P. O’Malley is touted as one of the most "conservative" prelates of the post-conciliar Church. Conservative compared to a liberal Protestant, perhaps, but a liberal by any historical standard of Roman Catholicism. Witness O’Malley’s quailing before the angry feminists of the Boston Archdiocese.

        As reported by AP on April 23, 2004, O’Malley "offered an apology to women for including feminism in a list of societal ills, and for his decision not to include women in a foot-washing ceremony." It seems O’Malley made the mistake of excluding women from the Holy Thursday rite of washing the feet of twelve men, to symbolize the twelve Apostles whose feet were washed by Christ on the night of the Last Supper. Why, how dare the Archbishop imitate Christ, who obviously knew nothing about the great advances that feminism would bring to the Church in the 1960s?

        Even worse, O’Malley dared to proclaim that feminism is actually a societal ill, instead of a great boon to the Church and the world. What was he thinking?

        O’Malley quickly saw the error of his ways, and did public penance in his own Archdiocesan newspaper, The Pilot, wherein he "praised what he termed ‘Christian feminism,’ and affirmed his support for the contributions of women in the church." What exactly is "Christian feminism"? Who knows? But it surely sounds good to itching feminist ears.

        Rhetorically groveling before the feminist hens of Boston, O’Malley "also pledged to seek guidance on whether he should wash women’s feet when he visits the Vatican in August." Oh please. This is a "conservative"?

        Practically blubbering for forgiveness, O’Malley continued: "I am sorry if this controversy has been upsetting to our Catholic women, and I hope that these reflections will help you to understand that I more than value the gifts and contributions that women make to our church and to my own faith life." Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t we, Archbishop O’Malley? And, by the way, where are your public apologies to the traditional Catholics of the Archdiocese of Boston, who have suffered from ruined liturgies, sissy priests, and the general deconstruction of Roman Catholicism since Vatican II?

        What exactly did O’Malley say that so offended the feminist hens? He said that the members of the Baby Boom generation "are heirs to Woodstock, the drug culture, the sexual revolution, feminism, the breakdown of authority, and divorce." That is, in a momentary lapse from post-conciliar correctness, he spoke the truth. Well, we can’t have that. An immediate apology was in order, and Archbishop O’Malley was only too happy to oblige.

        With "conservatives" like this, who needs liberals? Can anyone fail to see why the Catholic Church is in crisis?