Feminist Catholics?

There are lots of kinds of feminism. Some are compatible with Catholicism, some aren't.

Quick place to start:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism

Also, the first hit on google for

catholic feminism

is:

http://www.catholiceducation.org/directory/Current_Issues/Feminism/

You might consider using that or similar search keys to research your question.

Thank you SO Much!

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I'm a Catholic man and I do not see any inherent contradiction between Catholic values and feminist values.

In 12 years of Catholic school, no one ever said "men are better than women" or the equivalent. Why wout you think there's anything inherently anti-feminist about Catholicism?

To be sure, there were anti-feminist doctrines that were written by early Christian scholars, in the first through fourth centuries. But one has to delineate between the core tenets of the faith, and doctrines concieved and written by human beings (who are inherently fallible).

There is nothing in Catholicism that says "woman must stay at home, make babies, and cook for the man." The basic principles are universal: love God, love your neighbor, don't steal, don't kill, respect your parents, et cetera.

The only problem would be if this strongly Catholic woman decided she wanted to say Mass and serve Communion. The Catholic church does not permit the ordination of women as priests. But that rule is, again, a human-created doctrine.

Once again, I challenge you: why do you assume that Catholicism is anti-feminist?

Are we talking 'Keep your rosaries off of my ovaries' and 'Womyn in the priesthood NOW!' sort of feminism or "Wearing trousers isn't a sin' type feminism?
Because the first isn't orthodox Catholicism, and the second usually is.
For an _amazing_ 'Catholic feminist' read, try anything by Alice Von Hildebrandt (hope I spelled that right?) or St. Edith Stein. Or St. Theresa of Avlia for that matter.
Happy researching!

A devout Catholic can certainly believe that women and men should be treated equally, have equal opportunities, and so forth. There's no reason why a Catholic woman must be ladylike, or why she shouldn't react negatively to having her daughter told to be ladylike. I don't wear dresses or skirts except to church, and the only reason I do wear them to church is because I personally feel "more dressed-up" if I do. If I wanted to never wear dresses again, I could do that.

In theory, a Catholic may not support artificial contraception, which would put her in conflict with some feminist groups. In practice, a great deal of devout Catholics do, even though they shouldn't, and frequently even knowing they shouldn't. She also may not support any sort of right to abortion, and this one's more serious than the first one: obtaining, causing, or assisting someone to obtain or cause an abortion results in automatic excommunication, provided the person knows what they're doing. (A mentally disabled person who's asked "do you want me to take care of that baby you're carrying" and answers "yes" not knowing that the questioner meant abortion isn't responsible for that. A person who gives someone a ride to Planned Parenthood not knowing that the person intends to obtain an abortion isn't responsible for that either.)

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Uncle Cosmo, why do they call this a word processor?
It's simple, Skyler. You've seen what food processors do to food, right?

I'm a pretty strong Catholic, and I've never heard of the Catholic Church having any stand regarding lady-likeness.

As to the more general question, it depends what you mean by feminism-- ordaining women, abortion, no I don't believe a strong (I'm assuming you mean devout) Catholic would ever take 'feminist' views on those.

If you mean women working outside of the home, having high-powered careers, being a unique and independent individual in charge of her own life, that sort of thing, the Catholic church says nothing against those. There was a recent discussion (well, maybe 2 months ago) on Catholic Answers in which a woman (a troll I believe) repeatedly put forth her sad story of why she needed to work outside the home and asked if the Catholic church wouldn't please take pity on her and allow her (or something along those lines). On this board of devout ultra-orthodox Catholics, she was told repeatedly by every single poster that the Catholic Church does NOT say anything against women working outside the home.

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There's nothing incompatible with being Catholic and thinking that men and women should be treated equally, or that they should have equal rights.

The three places where a Catholic feminist might encounter difficulties are contraception, abortion, and ordination.

A Catholic may not use artificial contraception. Many devout Catholics do, even knowing that it is considered morally wrong, however. This could cause conflict with some feminist groups.

A Catholic absolutely must not support any kind of right to abortion. This is a much more serious prohibition than the first; any Catholic who knowingly and willingly obtains, causes, or assists someone to obtain or cause an abortion incurs automatic excommunication. (By "knowingly", I mean that a mentally disabled woman who agrees to an abortion without understanding that that's what she's agreed to is not responsible for that, for example. Neither is someone who drives someone else to Planned Parenthood, not knowing that the passenger intends to obtain an abortion.)

Lastly, the Church has said that it is impossible (not forbidden, not possible at all) for women to be ordained as deacons, much less priests or bishops. If ordination is seen as a "right", or as something that anyone who feels called to it should be granted, that'll cause at least interior conflict.

But everything else is pretty much fair game. A Catholic woman doesn't have to be ladylike. A Catholic woman can certainly be offended if her daughter is told to be ladylike. I only wear skirts or dresses when I'm going to church, and the only reason I do is because I personally feel like I'm more dressed-up when I do; if I didn't want to I would never need to again. A Catholic woman can support women voting, or teaching, or being leaders of nations, or getting the same jobs for the same pay as men, without any resistance from her Catholic beliefs.

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Uncle Cosmo, why do they call this a word processor?
It's simple, Skyler. You've seen what food processors do to food, right?

There's nothing incompatible with being Catholic and thinking that men and women should be treated equally, or that they should have equal rights.

The three places where a Catholic feminist might encounter difficulties are contraception, abortion, and ordination.

A Catholic may not use artificial contraception. Many devout Catholics do, even knowing that it is considered morally wrong, however. This could cause conflict with some feminist groups.

A Catholic absolutely must not support any kind of right to abortion. This is a much more serious prohibition than the first; any Catholic who knowingly and willingly obtains, causes, or assists someone to obtain or cause an abortion incurs automatic excommunication. (By "knowingly", I mean that a mentally disabled woman who agrees to an abortion without understanding that that's what she's agreed to is not responsible for that, for example. Neither is someone who drives someone else to Planned Parenthood, not knowing that the passenger intends to obtain an abortion.)

Lastly, the Church has said that it is impossible (not forbidden, not possible at all) for women to be ordained as deacons, much less priests or bishops. If ordination is seen as a "right", or as something that anyone who feels called to it should be granted, that'll cause at least interior conflict.

But everything else is pretty much fair game. A Catholic woman doesn't have to be ladylike. A Catholic woman can certainly be offended if her daughter is told to be ladylike. I only wear skirts or dresses when I'm going to church, and the only reason I do is because I personally feel like I'm more dressed-up when I do; if I didn't want to I would never need to again. A Catholic woman can support women voting, or teaching, or being leaders of nations, or getting the same jobs for the same pay as men, without any resistance from her Catholic beliefs.

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Uncle Cosmo, why do they call this a word processor?
It's simple, Skyler. You've seen what food processors do to food, right?

bah, I've been informed that my posts are posting, just not displaying to me. sorry about that. :(

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Uncle Cosmo, why do they call this a word processor?
It's simple, Skyler. You've seen what food processors do to food, right?

Hi. I consider myself a feminist/womanist and I'm a practicing Catholic and I'm by no means the only one. The thing to keep in mind is that with any belief system, real people don't always conform to the stereotypical views of their group. In other words, not all Catholics are conservative, not all feminists are non-religious, etc.

Please check the website www.catholicsforchoice.org and look up Call to Action.

As a young woman who is Catholic, the only issue I've ever had with the Church is that women can't be priests (and therefore bishops, cardinals, the Pope etc.). But as for everything else, there is generally equality, and women aren't treated as though they are lesser beings just because they can't be priests. Not that I've come across anyway, but there are probably people around.

If someone told this woman's daughter to be ladylike, and she is a feminist, she's going to say stand up for what she believes in, no matter what (unless of course, she's not that sort of person and is sort of secretly feminist).

Catholicism in the modern age is pretty different from in the Middle Ages, though. Despite the fact that it's based heavily in tradition. Catholics are aware of the fact that there aren't many women in the bible, but most of the ones who are in are strong characters who stood up for themselves and their families and what they believed in.

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Get lost (and I mean that in the nicest way possible).

I'm Catholic and consider myself a feminist.

Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.
-- Charles Bukowski, From "Betting on the Muse"

I'm Catholic and consider myself a feminist, too.

Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.
-- Charles Bukowski, From "Betting on the Muse"

Speaking as a not-so-strong Catholic woman, I'd say the two can definitely be compatible, but an extremist view on either side would probably cause friction. Certainly her stance on abortion would have to be carefully considered, but Catholics in general aren't big on the "wives, submit to your husbands" aspect of some Christian denominations, so it shouldn't be too difficult.

My own mother, who is one of the most devout Catholics I know, omitted the "obey" part of the line "to love, honor, and obey" in her wedding vows. :)

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Is this a modern day Catholic? As a 30-something woman I'm both a Catholic and a feminist. I think the majority of Catholic women are Realists. Sure, the Catholic church says no contraceptives but come on, they(the Church bureacracy) don't have to pay to raise 12 kids do they? As a Catholic I think believing in God and following the ten commandments are the biggees. Keep in mind that a lot of these Catholic beliefs, tenets whatever are handed down by guys sitting around in Rome who never met God. I personally would like to have my daughters be more lady-like but hey if this woman wants to make an issue of it and be offended let her--religious beliefs and belief of how women should be treated in the world are seperate if you ask me. In my own life I'm totally offended because the Ukrainian Catholic Church won't let girls be altar servers(we belong to a Roman Catholic Church but my daughter goes to a Ukr. Catholic Church school). She serves during Mass at our parish on Sundays but they won't let her serve when they have Mass at school. Every other girl in her class belongs to this Society of Mary but I wouldn't let her join because I figure if they won't let her be an altar server I won't allow her to be a second-class citizen who can only be a Society of Mary girl.

I totally think so. I'm definitely a feminist and grew up Catholic, but was lapsed for many, many years. I'm practicing again and still have found that my feminism has not detracted from my Catholicism. I've also found that the church were I live and how I grew up was/is still quite progressive and lay women are very active in the parish I go to. We have girl altar servers (as well as boys). I've heard arguments that having girl altar servers keeps the boys away. I don't think it's true. I'd even allow my daughter to be an altar server knowing that she would never grow up to be a priest. I don't think the church will change its stance on women's ordination and quite frankly I must admit that although I'm a feminist, I don't think I'd feel comfortable with the notion of a woman priest. That's only been a recent realization. Oddly enough, my mind changed when i started writing a story last year about a staunch feminist Catholic woman with a twin brother who was a priest.

But yes... I believe you can be a feminist and a Catholic. Though, some people will say you can't. I don't believe that the church is either by its nature anti-woman.

Maria

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Maria
http://cosmicink.livejournal.com/
A Promise Unfulfilled '06

"…therein is in writing the constant joy of sudden discovery, of happy accident." H.L. Mencken

Good examples. There are many, many examples of true women feminists in the lives of the saints. I suppose though, one person's definition of feminism is different from another's.

So, wearing trousers is a sin? ;-)

Maria

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Maria
http://cosmicink.livejournal.com/
A Promise Unfulfilled '06

"…therein is in writing the constant joy of sudden discovery, of happy accident." H.L. Mencken