Accessible Christianity

Yesterday, I saw an article in the Catholic Herald celebrating the girls’ altar ministry at a church in North Carolina.  The girls will be called “The Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”  This news was accompanied by a picture of a group of girls, all wearing lace head coverings.

I heard about a million heavy sighs when I saw that.  “Handmaids.”  How can they not know the negative connotation associated with the word “handmaid” in today’s pop culture?

Foolishly, I made a comment that someone hadn’t really thought that through.  I was immediately attacked as not a real Catholic, and wanting to “cancel culture” everything.

I should have ignored it, but I’m a word nerd, and language matters to me.  I have always had a difficult time with the language used to refer to God.  I find myself uncomfortable around people who refer to God as “The Lord.”

“King of Kings.”  “Father God.”  What do any of those words mean?  Are there still places in this world where the title of “lord” really has any meaning?  I realize it had meaning when the King James version was translated, but it’s been a few hundred years.  Even kings as they were known, then, have ceased to exist.  It means nothing to me to refer to God as Lord or King.

And “Father God?”  What do I know of a father?  I mean my birth certificate literally says, “unknown” in the space for father.

Two men have acted as fathers to me in my life.  The first one was an alcoholic and abusive.  When he and my mom split, we basically ceased to exist in his life.  The second one was a a drug addict and abusive.  He evolved, and eventually he became the only man I will ever consider my dad, but I have always associated “father” with abuse.

My mother’s father abandoned her when she was five years old.  My biological father moved to the opposite coast to avoid taking responsibility for having help create me.  I remember having fantasies as a little kid that some day he’d come for me.  In fact, (and I’ve only ever shared this with Drew) I used to lay awake after my parents sent me to bed.  I’d pretend that I was sick in the hospital and my dad and my brothers would be standing around me, entertaining me and trying to make me feel better.

Do we need a God who rules over us as a Lord or a King?  How about God the Counselor?  God the Wizard Advisor?  I know it sounds silly, and possibly, irreverent, but those names have far more significance to me than any of the names I’ve been instructed to use.

One lady told me that young people need to understand that Catholicism is ancient tradition and that has value.  More value than a God that is accessible to all?  Really?  Words?

Until 2021, Bishops could decide for their own diocese whether or not to allow girls to act as altar servers.  Pope Francis changed Catholic law so that girls would always be allowed.  Pope Francis can adapt for the changing times.

People choose the silliest things about which to get righteously indignant.