Sacrifice, then and now. Women, ministry and the Catholic Church

The Church has to find a way forward so women can feel more a part of the Church’s liturgy.

Fiona Dyball warns of a potential fracture, Dyball says “If the Church does not engage people in the liturgy people will end up doing it for themselves”.

Dyball says the Church, women and society are very different to even a few years back when women had a strong focus on the Church”.

“It’s good that women are not as involved. That’s then, this is now”.

Women have different things they want to put their lives into and she is glad people do not spend "every waking moment at the buildings".

Dyball emphasised the proper role of sacrifice, and that today it is primarily measured in time.

People on the edges are what the Church sacrifices most today Elizabeth Young RSM told the conversation on Flashes of Insight.

She describes them as 'lost opportunities'.

"Sacraments add just so much to ministry", she said.

Young says she loves the fact the Catholic Church is a sacrament-based church but wonders what might be when something so valuable to those on the margins is not available to them.

“Our church is perhaps sacrificing the ability to be there with people Jesus would have been with”, she said.

Kate Bell describes women’s ministry, as at times, “doing the role with our hand behind our backs and a gag in our mouths.”

Bell says it is the Church that is making the sacrifice; the sacrifice and cost to the Church is the loss of potential not being brought into actuality.

Joe Ayers wonders what would happen if women went on strike!