July | August Ritual 2012: “Wisdom Cries Out”

/in /by

By Diann L. Neu

This ritual was created for the Catholic Feminist Movement Building Gathering sponsored by WATER and Call To Action in July 2012 at the Retreat and Conference Center of Bon Secours in Marriottsville, MD.

Chime bell three times
Wisdom cries out in the street;
In the squares she raises her voice.
At the busiest corner she cries out;
At the entrance of the city gates she speaks: (Proverbs 1:20-21)

Chime bell once
“Once again, we watch dumbfounded as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith directs a ‘doctrinal assessment of’ or a ‘calling attention to’ or the ‘punishment of’ those who, according to the CDF, break away from the proper observance of Catholic doctrine.”
–Ivone Gebara, feminist theologian from Brazil
Pause

Chime bell once
“Our rituals threaten the social cohesion of patriarchal society.”
–Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz, mujerista theologian born in Cuba
Pause

Chime bell once
“Truth suffers, but never dies.”
–Theresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church from Spain
Pause

Chime bell once
“Although silence explains much by the emphasis of leaving all unexplained, because it is a negative thing, one must name the silence, so that what it signifies may be understood. Failing that, silence will say nothing, for that is its proper function: to say nothing.”
–Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, feminist scholar and poet from Mexico
Pause

Chime bell once
“Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.”
–Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church from Italy
Pause

Chime bell once
“Love abounds in all things…”
–Hildegard of Bingen, Rhineland mystic from Germany
Pause

Chime bell once
“If my sister or brother is not at the table, we are not the flesh of Christ. If my sister’s mark of sexuality must be obscured, if my brother’s mark of race must be disguised, if my sister’s mark of culture must be repressed, then we are not the flesh of Christ. For, it is through and in Christ’s own flesh that the ‘other’ is my sister, is my brother; indeed, the ‘other’ is me…”
–Shawn Copeland, womanist theologian in the United States

Chime bell three times

© WATER: The Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual, water@hers.com