Rev. AndreaGrace shares:
Soon after our awesome Roman tour guide, Georgea (of Go Rome Tour), picked us up, she said to me:
“But, AndreaGrace, I don’t understand. You told me you want to see the places that show women were presiding. I went back to my book. The picture looks like women. Then, I read the description and it says it’s men.”
“Yes! It’s another example of how women have been written out of his-story.” However, this time, it’s more difficult to overwrite the frescoes.
St. Priscilla’s Catacomb in Rome
Our first stop was at St. Priscilla’s catacomb in Rome. There are three important frescoes here.
In one, we see a woman robed in something akin to a chasuble, the “poncho” a priest wears. Her arms are raised as we pray during mass or a blessing. On either side of her are two smaller frescoes from “important milestones in her life.” Is it her marriage to her husband or her ordination with the bishop?
In another part of the catacombs, we see what appear to be women – with hair swooped up, sloped shoulders and breasts – at an Eucharist table. This is the image that Georgea was questioning.
It’s amazing to me how the Institutional Church has rewritten what appears to be obvious (like these women) in order to maintain the lie that women should not be ordained. When there is proof! Like these frescoes. Like what we read in Romans 16. Like other documents in the Vatican library. Also, in these Catacombs, it's possible to see one of the earliest images of Mother Mary nursing Baby Jesus.
As an aside, when we went to buy the tickets to the catacombs from a nun, Georgea noticed that they had a discount for “religious” people. Goergea looked at me with a raised eyebrow! I told the nun we were women priests. She looked at me curiously and gave us the discount! Kinda fun!
St. Praxedes’ Church
From St. Priscilla’s, we went to St. Praxedes’ Church. There is a mosaic that shows St. Praxedes and St. Theodora. The inscription in the mosaic says: Episcopa Theodora - Episcopa meaning bishop! Have you heard of either of these women? So, the Institutional Church says that "Episcopa" not only meant bishops but their wives! Interesting.... or possibly not true!
We stopped for a gelato at Giolitti – Georgea assured us that it was the best ice cream in Rome!
Sta. Maria Maggiore
Then, we walked over to the Church of St. Maria Maggiore (St. Mary the Major or Most Important). Mass was finishing – with a cardinal and several bishops – all men in the procession – followed by some dignitaries, which did include a couple of women. The church building itself is magnificent. The ceiling is covered in gold. Under the altar is a crypt with a large metal treasure-like box that contains what is believed to be part of Baby Jesus’ manger.
Turns out, when it became apparent that Cardinal Law of Boston knew about sex abuse and did not stop it, he was “demoted” to this Church. It’s ironic – in its beauty, in its “treasuring” of a baby, that this priest would be sent here. God, have mercy! God, please remake this Church with Your justice. Heal us who have been wounded – directly and indirectly.
What I'm thinking...
Over the past decade or so, there has been such an effort in the United States to rewrite his-story, to have a more accurate account of what happened with The Pilgrims, Christopher Columbus and the First Nations people. We need to do the same in the Institutional Catholic Church. We as the faith-ful need to learn and question and then to share what we learn. One bit, one life, at a time!
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