Voices of Young Women - Jivan Magazine

The results of the flash online survey, “Global Voices of Young Women of Faith”, touch a cord in me as a Jesuit emerging from the deliberations on the 36th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, and reflecting on the analysis of our present situation in the world and the commitment to reconciliation made in the documents of the Congregation. The survey conducted in September 2017, of 173 young women from 22 countries around the world between the ages of 18 and 35, gives a glimpse of the spiritual lives of a section of the Catholic faith community. While not claiming to be representative of all Catholic women, the survey could reflect the frank opinions of at least some of our young women of faith. I must confess that my first reaction is that the views of these young women make sense and yet I don’t quite know what they are talking about! What concretely can or must the Church do to address this apparently critical situation? This, I think, is the paradox facing the Church and the Society of Jesus.

The respondents report that religion is highly important in their lives and they show a high level of awareness of Church teaching, yet almost half report that they have thought at some point in their lives of leaving the Church. “I have all but left the Church. It is irrelevant to me and my friends here.” “I feel like leaving the Church on a regular basis because women are not included and because too many teachings feel hypocritical.” “Sometimes it feels like autocratic rule.” “… the anti-women stances and traditionalism in its worst sense is continually driving me to wonder how far is too far.”

A vast majority of the young women feel that women are not represented sufficiently in the decision-making of the Church. “Jesus valued what the women had to say.” “We need more visibility and more influence.” “We live in a society of equality. We may debate that Jesus only chose men as Apostles, but if Jesus lived in this day and age, he would choose women.” “It is a hard and painful negotiation, especially for women whose voices have been neglected and mistreated for so long.”

Concretely, do we need to give women a voice in the Church? Some of these respondents are emphatic about it: “Include or die! It is inevitable.” “… more decision-making power for lay people, including women.” “Allow women to preach.” “Be more welcoming to divorced women.” And to Pope Francis they plead, “Please, do not postpone changes in the role of women. We’ve been waiting for so long. It should be treated with emergency measures.” “Keep going! You give us great encouragement, but perhaps could you take more concrete steps in relation to women?” “Don’t forget those who seem to be ‘doing fine’. You never know what is behind the façade.” “Jesus allowed a Syro-Phoenician/Canaanite woman to change his mind. Please allow women to change your mind.” “Listen to women, even women who disagree with Church teaching.” These are honest and passionate pleas.

Jesuits in South Asia must begin by acknowledging that our partnership with women and our understanding of what they can bring to this partnership in mission is very fragile and limited. We have been very successful, in the past, in gaining the “collaboration” of women, including women religious, in running our institutions and other activities, always with Jesuits in decision-making positions. However, sharing the decision-making on an equal footing has not been considered too seriously, in the attempt to keep the Jesuit character of the work. The Church has mirrored this position to a large extent (or the other way around). This is what may have given rise to the content of the present “voices” – shocking as they may seem to some. I think we have to start by listening to these voices, perhaps more with the heart than the head.

It is clear that these voices make much sense, given the large contribution women today make in other areas of society. Their empowerment has been a great advantage to the world. As one of the respondents said, “Women and men have unique perspectives on a lot of things which would benefit the Church.” This is intellectually easy enough to accept but attitudes run deep and perhaps at the emotional level we are not yet able to understand and accept. Secular culture is still steeped in attitudes that see the woman as subordinate and even as inferior and weaker. Culture change does take place in society, though slowly. Attitudes and values are the last to change as they are the deepest parts of culture. The Church is a part of larger society and must show leadership in giving women a larger role in leadership and in the formation of policy (including contextual theology). Can the Society of Jesus be in the vanguard of this process? This is a frontier area which is difficult to negotiate, requires intellectual depth and spiritual maturity and which will not bring popularity – maybe not even with all women, since socialization has resulted in women too being convinced of the logic of the status quo. Listening to the global voices of young women of faith could be a great starting point for change in the Church and in the larger society.

Jesuit scholastics in formation would be a good group to take this up. Being young and still open to new types of power relationships and roles, scholastics can negotiate better. God’s Spirit must be relied upon to lead the process of listening with the heart and understanding what women, created equal as God’s creatures, are saying and demanding. Structured experiences which make us aware of the competence and commitment that women bring to the Church will enable attitudes to change. It is clear from the declining numbers of Jesuits across the world, that the mission of the Society of Jesus cannot be accomplished without an increasing partnership with lay people, especially women. Scholastics will need to prepare their minds and hearts for recognising and acknowledging the leadership roles that women can meaningfully contribute to within Jesuit-run institutions and activities. One of the special Eucharistic prayers explicitly calls us to read the signs of the times and to respond generously.

Jesuits in pastoral work, especially in formal Parishes, are aware of the urgency to listen to the voices of young people, especially of women. Women in many cultures are the bearers of faith and devotion. They form the bulk of those who “practice” the faith and frequent religious events. In the crisis of faith experienced all over the world, especially among young people, listening to the voices of young women of faith could bring a revolutionary perspective to Parish life. These voices will point concretely to the “paradigm shift” that Pope Francis has recently spoken of. The Jesuits will do well to lead in this frontier area of changing mindsets, attitudes and values – for a more vibrant and effective Church of the 21st Century. Didn’t the recent General Congregation ask Jesuits to dare the improbable?

For Reference, Visit: https://voicesoffaith.org/initiatives/