Condoms4Life campaign welcomes the words of Cardinal Martini

From Catholics for a Free Choice:

Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini joined a growing chorus of voices within the church suggesting that for couples where one partner has HIV/AIDS, the use of condoms is “a lesser evil.” Now we hear that the pope himself has commissioned the Council on Health Care to study this issue in the interest in changing it long-contentious stand against the use of condoms, even to prevent the spread of disease.

Visit the Condoms4Life campaign.

Report Back from Mass at Luther Seminary With Rev. Dagmar Celeste

Last night I had the privelege of joining Rev. Dagmar Celeste and Deacon Regina Nicolosi of Roman Catholic Womenpriests for a Mass at Luther Seminary in St Paul. Dagmar's daughter-in-law is a professor at Luther, to make the connection as to why we were holding a Catholic Mass at a Lutheran Seminary. :)

Dagmar and Regina led a beautiful celebration with inclusive language and a model of the discipleship of equals. During the homily, Dagmar invited us to stand and bless the people next to us. I heard the Holy Wind, Wisdom Sophia, move through that upper room as the voices of women whispered blessings upon each other. I'm getting chills just thinking about it.

We also learned that Regina, our very own from Minnesota, is in formation for the priesthood and will be ordained this June. Minnesota will also be sending another woman to be ordained a deacon. I'm hoping that this will result in the formation of a feminist church community in Minnesota.

We learned that Victoria Rue's weekly mass at San Jose State has finally drawn the notice and ire of the bishop the the Diocese of San Jose, causing him to release a statement in the bulletins of all the churches in his diocese that Victoria's ordination, masses and administration of the sacrements are "invalid." See the Most recent bulletin from St Victor's Church as an example. (Scroll down to "Religious Scams.")

After Mass, in the coy and faux-innocent style of Regina's humor, she asked of the photo we took, "Are you going to send this to the Catholic Spirit?"

Oh, wouldn't that be fun? Only if the headline can read, "Local Girls Participate in Heresy, Gunning for Excommunication." :) Hopefully, photos will be available soon.

Women's Ordination Event at Luther Seminary

A eucharistic celebration, lead by Rev. Dagmar Celeste, and ordained Catholic Womanpriest will be held in the Meditation Chapel of Olsen Campus Center at Luther Seminary in St Paul. Click for map.

Monday, April 24
7 p.m.

some lovely commentary on The Vagina Monologues at Notre Dame

In this gem of a commentary, "Diogenes" manages to compare Eve Ensler to Fred Phelps. But here's my favorite one-liner:

"But only a whore -- a whore terrified by the prospect of her patron's displeasure -- could state that the Vagina Monologues pose a serious challenge to conformism or fear."

no comment.

speaking of which, the comments are extremely clever and show that said commenters have no idea how TVM is in play at Catholic colleges and universities across the US.

This is what we're up against. I think we can handle it. :)