Women Need To Be Included At Every Level of Decision-Making In The Church

Sadly the Church in New York State is bracing for a slew of new lawsuits because of the enactment of the Child Victims Act (CVA). It was signed into law last February. This law will now allow new lawsuits as it suspends for one year any statue of limitations associated with alleged sexual abuse of minors. The Church continues to suffer because of grave sin, crimes against children and others, cover-ups and bad decision making.

The child abuse crisis is sickening. So far from what Jesus wanted for God's holy Church. But the Church needs cleansing and so let the cleansing begin and perhaps afterwards the Church can move forward with greater holiness. And let the healing begin for the victims, many of whom were treated unjustly in the past, but the Church has tried to correct that.

This would never have happened to the degree that it did, if more women were in leadership positions in the Church and were involved in high level decision making.  I firmly believe that. Women are intuitive, have great wisdom and common sense and by their nature are protective of children. Excluding women (and I don't mean from the priesthood) has had grave consequences for the Church and will continue unless women are given the respect, responsibilities and leadership positions they deserve. They would be an asset to the Church at all levels.

So changes are needed. Yet the Church is slow to change, but in this modern age of technological advancement and young people who won't put up with all the nonsense and disfunction, the Church for its own good and survival must make changes, that build up the body of Christ.
I love the Church and for all of us who find fulfillment in our Catholic faith and the teachings of Jesus  we want to see positive change, so that the new evangelization can take hold, grow and bear great fruit.
NJA

When Will The Madness Stop?-Two U.S. Mass Shootings In Less Than 24 Hours

Our elected officials are elected to protect the citizens of our country. They are not doing a good job of it. It appears that no one is safe anywhere anymore and little is being done to stop the insanity. Action is needed to stop this craziness. A 24-year-old filled with hate drove to El Paso, Texas to kill people shopping in Walmart- an act of domestic terrorism.  Twenty dead and 26 injured. A baby is in a hospital with broken bones and without a mother,  because his mother who died in the shooting, threw herself over the baby's stroller to protect the baby from being shot.  This is madness.
In Downtown Dayton, Ohio a man in his 20s killed his sister and 8 others last night.
What are the elected officials in our country doing to stop this? I believe in the power of prayer and I pray everyday, but more than prayer is needed.
Sometime ago I read that college guidance counselors were overwhelmed and shocked with the amount of problems that college freshmen were entering college with. They were working overtime and it seemed many young people entering college were exhibiting troubling behaviors and anxiety.
The two mass shooters in the last 24 hours in our country were in their 20s. They've grown up on violent TV shows, violent movies and violent video games and having the internet and cell phones at their disposal. Computers and the internet are necessary, but sites that promote hate should be better monitored and taken down for public safety reasons.
I love the USA. I'm very grateful for all the opportunity that my family has been given because we live in this great country. But we are better than this. This is an embarrassment. There's a feeling of lawlessness, when you watch the news.
I pray elected officials do more, that positive change comes and this horrific weekend of mass shootings never happens again.
NJA