"What Would Mary Do?"

Such is the title of the cover story on the latest edition of Newsweek. I knew when I saw the cover that the story would not be good. But, I wanted at least to see the latest and greatest cultural commentaries on the issues going on within the Church. So, I read it - it is written by Lisa Miller, and I can assure, does not do much credit to her writing or researching skills.

The headline of the article begins shockingly: " A woman's place is in the Church." Wow. A statement like that could get you butchered by some feminists. I think as a general rule, women don't really like to be told where their place is, even if by a fellow woman. Wouldn't you say, ladies? The article posits that the Catholic Church is nothing but a good ole boy's club, and that is why the recent scandals have come to take place. If women don't get to be priests, well, then, the whole Church will simply crumble. (We know better of course, as Christ promised us that even the throngs of Hell would not prevail against it). Miss Miller goes on to say that the problem with the Church is that it is stuck in a pre-modern era, one that does not value as she puts 'the supremacy of the individual.' She even goes so far to say that 'we in the West' don't 'get' Church leaders. And they don't 'get' us. Did someone fail to give her a simple history lesson wherein she should have learned that 'we in the West' have been formed by the Church? I was shocked at such scanty journalism. To be honest, I am shocked that the editor actually published such, well, to be frank, crap. Aren't we sick of being indoctrinated with this junk in our news? I am.

Miller claims that unless women are allowed to be ordained as priests, the Church will become less relevant to women, and they will leave the Church, "taking their children with them." Really... I mean really? Is that the best solution she can offer? The stats in the article are simply hearsay, and the sources she draws upon are the Gospel of Thomas - sources that are not even considered authoritative. She does not even mention Mary, except on a few remote points. Very poor work, indeed. So, what would Mary do? Well, Lisa Miller does not tell us, but Scripture tells us that she would point us in the direction of her Son, and gently tell us, "Do whatever He tells you." Let's hope that all of us start listening a little bit better.