First of all – apologies on behalf of men if you’ve ever been harmed or hurt in any way by any man

• We live in an age of toxic masculinity and men are given a RADAR

As we think about femininity and masculinity, I think we need to say, first of all, that they are intimately related, and you can only completely talk about one in relation to the other

• So my talk at IU will also mention much about femininity

The role of a priest: to walk behind the battle lines, cheering people on, reminding them of their dignity, of their strength, of their power, and of their purpose – so I share these reflections with you in order to do that

Let’s acknowledge the setting, though -  WHO ARE THE REAL FEMINISTS - CATHOLIC OR SECULAR???

• Both within and outside the Church, what it means to be man, and what it means to be woman is THE battle of our time. In fact, of course, many today would argue that it doesn’t mean anything at all to be either – the theory gaining ground on campuses and so forth is that gender is a made up construct

• Another element to the setting – among those who put forward that theory, you are at the home base of the enemy of women – the Catholic Church. The man-splaining patriarchy of all patriarchies that has repressed and kept women down for 2,000 years and counting

And so, because of that setting, I’d like to share some thoughts tonight from a book I’ve been working through that is, no joke, one of the best and most timely books I’ve come across in a LONG time

The Authority of Women in the Catholic Church

Me coming across this book a month ago and then being asked to talk to you tonight is just one of those non-coincidental things that seems like a coincidence but it is really the working of God

This book addresses both of the things I said above – it acknowledges where secular feminism is coming from and answers its objections while also offering, from a WOMAN in the Church, some wonderful insights into how to view femininity – REALLY original stuff!!!!

“The extremist feminist solution to ecclesial authority erases differentiation between men and women. 

Peace, justice and equality are achieved when everything and everyone is the same.  Feminists believe that patriarchy is the result of the androcentrism, andro meaning man or male.  It is based on the idea that the male person sums up what it means to be fully human: male work, male thinking, male accomplishments, male strength etc defines the world.”

Radical feminists reject Christ as the sole model of redeemed humanity because his masculinity enforces male dominance.  But what they fail to appreciate is that Christ alone is not the sign of redemption.  Feminism fails to see that redemption is not summed up by the male Christ alone who must, then, if He is truly Lord, bring everything into one under the dominance of His power like a pagan god would do.  Redemption is not mediated by the male Christ alone, but by Christ and the Church”

Ephesians 5: 20-25

Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.*22Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.  For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her

          USCCB