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Lettre
du 23 mars 2001
Having
worked closely with Maura O'Donohue and Robert
Vitillo over many years I have been full aware of
the information which has now finally come into
the public domain through the NCR's publication of
their reports, including internal memoranda.
Indeed, I have worked with them and men and women
religious, including those in leadership positions
in the UK, on the implications of HIV/AIDS for
seminary and religious life candidates, both here
and overseas. Many of the experiences alluded to
in the NCR articles were recounted confidentially
in training workshops for clergy and religious,
facilitated by Sr Maura and Father Vitillo in
various parts of the Southern hemisphere,
including Africa.
When
a pattern began to emerge from this accumulated
anecdotal evidence, even though it was difficult
to corroborate in many situations, it was felt
that action in response to this issue was beyond
the remit of development and relief agencies.
Hence the decision to take the information
to competent authorities, particularly the
Vatican's Congregation for Religious. There was
some agonising over this, since both those
providing the information, as well as Sr. Maura
and Father Vitillo, were concerned that this
should not be used to scapegoat either African
Churches or religious living and working in those
countries and thus be counterproductive. I
understand that a number of African religious
women who first shared this information have been
angered that the reports have appeared in a North
American publication and used in what they
perceive to be sensationalist and accusative ways.
Many of them do not feel that this has helped them
in the longer term processes upon which they had
embarked in attempts to deal with these problems
at their local, levels.
Sadly
some of the responses to the recent publication
appear to have done just this. I hope that any
response from IMWAC will try to get behind the
immediate detail of events and circumstances and
seek to understand what these signify in terms of
causes and symptoms of much more fundamental
issues in the life of the Church: structural
pathologies which promote dysfunction rather than
integration; abuse and misuse of power and
authority; issues of gender inequality; lack of
openness, fear and mistrust. (Cf. Editorial
comment in The Independent, London, 22 March)
Statements calling for punishment, vengeance, etc.,
might well echo the anger and rage we all feel,
but our prophetic words and action need to go
beyond this, even, dare I say, seeking to
understand, but certainly not excuse, the
constructed reality within which both abused and
abusers function.
Finally,
I hope those of us in Churches of the Northern
hemisphere will not twist these issues in favour
of our own very particular agendas.
Martin
Pendergast
Lettre
du 26 mars
[…] I believe we have to be very careful
if we use this as a simple example of the failure of
celibacy in the African context. An editorial in the
current edition of The Tablet, published in
London, states:«Celibacy is not accepted in African
culture as having sign value. Young priests, often
without more senior mentors or spiritual directors,
have to try to cope in a society which has become
promiscuous as the old clan and tribal structures
have broken down and people have flooded from the
land into the towns.»
I
submitted a letter to The Tablet in response
to the above which was rejected and my comments
described by the Editor as 'outrageous'. Part of
what I was saying on the IMWAC list and here too, is
that we must not view these situations solely from a
Euro/North American-centric perspective. Knowing
Maura O'Donohue and Bob Vitillo I know that they do
not view the situation in this way. The issue is
complex. I would challenge the view that celibacy,
per se, has no sign value in Africa. To the contrary
in a number of tribal and community contexts,
whether in 'shaman' type roles or in other ritual
functions, celibacy has its own indigenous cultural
meaning. Where it contrasts with the prevailing
Euro-centric Christian patterns of celibacy is in
its association with community leadership positions.
Insofar as an ordained person continues to be seen
in a leadership rather than servant role in ministry,
then in many African contexts such authority will
not be «received» unless evidenced by successful
marriage. The marks of such success are often
counted by one or more suitable presentable and
competent wives, along with demonstrable sexual
potency in the form of many children.
I
have heard «off the record» comments by senior
church figures when challenged over continuing
appointments of foreign missionaries to key
episcopal or other positions, sometimes in Rome
itself, to the effect «well what can we do there's
no one local who doesn't have a wife or children!»
Sometimes even indigenous clergy themselves have
said, when offered a foreign appointment, sabbatical,
or advanced study: «I would love to but who will
look after my woman and children while I'm away?»
To
link diverse understandings and non acceptance of
Western models of celibacy to alleged increased
promiscuity is a slur upon African communities. The
definition of promiscuity is open to as many
cultural constructions and meanings as celibacy.
While multiple partner sexual activity, often linked
to patterns of migrant labour from East to West
African coasts and from South to North, may indeed
be a major vehicle of HIV transmission, this cannot
be justified by comments such as those in The
Tablet's editorial.
As
I've already mentioned, one of the reasons why the
source information for the recent reports was not
released earlier into the public domain, and it goes
back 7 or 8 years, was the risk of further
HIV-related stigmatisation and scapegoating of
African and African religious and clergy. Sadly, a
number of reactions to these reports, in the press
and other Catholic networks carry these tones,
albeit unwittingly, and are prompting the kind of
denial and judgemental response most feared by those
who first uncovered all of this.
I
hope this helps put my comments in an even clearer
context since I have not been comfortable with some
of the views I have read or received personally from
the IMWAC lists.
Every
best wish,
Martin
Pendergast
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