Victim Souls Of Our Age

From OregonLive.com: Portland Catholic Women to Boycott Mass Over Treatment of Women

Jane Rickenbaugh practices sacred dance for Sunday's public protest of the Vatican's treatment of women. Several women who attend St. Andrew Catholic Church are organizing a public witness in the Park Blocks Sunday morning as Portland's response to an Irish woman's call for women to boycott Catholic Mass on Sunday, Sept. 26th.

The above photo is Jane, a victim soul in her own right, during a moment of ecstasy when she learned her protest will be covered by the local news. Because nothing displays True Suffering more than having a reporter interview you about your hurt feelings.

Here's a companion story from the same site: "We've Had Enough" - Portland Catholic Women to Skip Sunday Morning Mass Over Treatment of Women

[...]

"One Spirit -- One Call" will unfold at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in the South Park Blocks in downtown Portland. The 90-minute program calls for prayers, a gospel reflection, and a litany of women saints. Organizers say they hope participants will attend Mass on Saturday night or stay downtown for a special noon Mass at the Downtown Chapel.

"This is not a boycott of the Eucharist," Granger says. "It's an opportunity for women to tell their stories, for our voices to be heard."

90-minute program!?! Think of all the poor people that could have been fed in those 90 minutes!

And I guarandarntee you that every single woman saint from their litany would not support this program. They'd be in the Church praying for these ladies.

Organizers of "One Spirit -- One Call" say women's ordination is only one concern on a longer list. Women, they say, do not help determine policy within the Catholic Church and are not allowed to serve as deacons, even though they may be as educated and as experienced as many priests. Women fill a number of secondary roles in parishes, they say, completing many pastoral duties but they are not allowed to preach publicly. The fact that the Vatican is investigating communities of nuns and sisters in the United States is another sore point. Church leaders say the goal of the investigation is to assess how religious orders are fulfilling their stated missions. But critics suspect the point is to determine whether women are following church teachings.

"The images of God and the language we use in liturgy are big issues for me," says Katie Hainley, 31, a member of St. Vincent de Paul parish, also known as the Downtown Chapel. "Our church tradition holds that God is neither male nor female, but God is usually portrayed from a masculine perspective."

Gee, Katie - maybe you should take that up with Jesus, since He taught us to say "Our FATHER"! Get over yourself already. Go out and help the poor and stop making everything about your feelings.

I have to wonder if any of these women would be able to withstand real suffering, should it ever come to our shores. Where people are killed for their beliefs. Where they are forced to worship in secret. Where family members report on each other to the authorities. Where places of worship are routinely burned. Where women and children are kidnapped and turned into slaves. These women are fortunate to belong to a faith and live in a country where such a protest can be legal and safe. They risk nothing, but act as if they've been denied everything. Crazy, what?

(Men of Portland - I'll pray for ya! You're the true victim souls, doncha know.)