fbpx
Wikipedia

Madeleva Manifesto

December 07, 2023


The Madeleva Manifesto, subtitled A Message of Hope and Courage, is a critique of the patriarchal structure of the Catholic Church. Named in honor of Holy Cross sister Madeleva Wolff, the Manifesto was first proclaimed (in English and Spanish) at St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana on April 29, 2000, as part of a weekend event entitled "Convergence 2000" scheduled in conjunction with the Roman Catholic Church's Jubilee Year and with the college's annual Madeleva lecture series. It then appeared on the college's website and in print in the National Catholic Reporter. It was written by a group of sixteen women theologians, scholars, and writers who had delivered prior Madeleva lectures and who were invited back to campus for the purpose of drafting a "Charter for Women of Faith in the New Millennium"; they came up with the Manifesto instead.

Manifesto edit

The Manifesto is fewer than 500 words, divided into eight paragraphs.

The opening paragraph establishes that its authors were invited to speak a message of hope and courage to the women in the church, and that they do so both from their particular perspective and "in a universal vision faithful to our catholic tradition."

The second paragraph is addressed to women in ministry and theological studies. "Re-imagine what it means to be the whole body of Christ. The way things are now is not the design of God."

The third paragraph is an invitation to young women looking for models of prophetic leadership to join them in following the way of Jesus Christ. It also reports that the Spirit calls them to a "gospel feminism that respects the human dignity of all" and keeps them in the "struggle to overcome oppression of all kinds."

The fourth paragraph is addressed to women in danger of despair or indifference. "Re-imagine what it means to be a full human being made in the image of God, and to live and speak this truth in our daily lives."

The fifth paragraph expresses solidarity with "women who suffer the cost of discipleship" and expresses gratitude for the "richness of Catholic thought and spirituality" and for those who have mentored them.

The sixth paragraph pledges their willingness to stand with young women in the Church to carry forward gospel feminism, sharing what they have learned. It also requests a "commitment to far-reaching transformation of church and society in non-violent ways."

The seventh paragraph deplores anything, in any setting, that treats "women or men as less than fully human" and pledges instead to support "the heritage of biblical justice that mandates that all persons share in right relationship with each other, with the cosmos and with the Creator."

In the final paragraph, the authors resolve to "look for the holy in unexpected places and persons," and to "continue an energetic dialogue," and they extend an invitation to others "of all traditions to join us in imagining the great shalom of God."

Background edit

The Madeleva Manifesto was developed in April of 2000 when fifteen of the women who had delivered the first sixteen Madeleva Lectures for the Center for Spirituality at St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana, accepted the invitation to return to campus to draft a "Charter for Women of Faith in the New Millennium."[1][2] The Madeleva Manifesto, like the Madeleva Lecture series, is named after Holy Cross sister Madeleva Wolff, who served as the third president of St. Mary's College and who founded its School of Sacred Theology, the first institution to admit women to graduate studies in theology. The lecture series was created in 1985 both to honor her contributions to the education of women and to create a forum for women's concerns in the church.[1] The lectures are subsequently published by the Paulist Press.[3][4]

The weekend retreat (April 27–30, 2000) was entitled "Convergence 2000" and was timed to coincide with the Roman Catholic Church's Jubilee Year.[1] In addition to four private sessions for the lecturers to develop the requested document, It included several public events: the 2000 Madeleva Lecture, With Oil in Their Lamps: Faith, Feminism and the Future, delivered on the night of April 28 by Sandra M. Schneiders, I.H.M.; a Mass; and a concluding panel discussion of the document they were to deliver.[1][5] Instead of a charter, these women produced The Madeleva Manifesto: A Message of Hope and Courage, which was proclaimed in English by Benedictine sister Joan Chittister and in Spanish by Jeanette Rodriguez at the concluding public session on April 29, the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, a laywoman who became a Doctor of the Church.[6] Its signatories espoused "the conviction that 'feminism' and 'Gospel' be tightly linked, i.e. feminism is a constitutive dimension of Gospel living,"[5] and saw St. Catherine of Siena as a fitting model. The editors of America distinguished between this Gospel feminism and the caricature of "radical feminism" that they saw many using to decry any expectation that the church would fully incorporate the voice and experience of women.[2]

Elizabeth Dreyer described the process of developing the Manifesto at some length in an article in America magazine. She notes that the group began from a conviction that "advocacy for the full humanity of women within a Christian context is a Gospel value," a point elaborated upon that weekend by Sandra Schneiders in her 2000 Madeleva Lecture. Dreyer outlines the other concerns of the group as they drafted the requested document and that "'charter' became an 'invitation' (long discussion), which became a 'manifesto' (in a flash of recognition)".[5]

Dreyer reported that many who attended the retreat identified with Schneiders' description of Gospel feminism, which she defined as viewing Christ "as the model of one who gave his life for others without losing himself, who belonged to yet transcended his Jewish tradition, who mediated the particularity of his life and situation and the universality of his concern and who lived the tension between a radical subversion of the social, political and religious status quo and absolute refusal of violence as a means to its demise."[5]

Signatories edit

Although the original text of the Manifesto specified "15 Madeleva lecturers," there were actually sixteen signatories. Sr. Mary Catherine Hilkert of the University of Notre Dame participated in the weekend, signed the Manifesto, and would later deliver the 2001 Madeleva Lecture. The signatories were described in the National Catholic Reporter as "widely recognized as among the country's most distinguished theologians" and as holding "chairs at many of the top theological schools in the country and are past or current presidents of the major national theological societies and associations," and listed with identifying details about each one.[6] America magazine observed that the caliber of the signatories should inspire readers to listen to them.[2] U.S. Catholic described them as "a veritable who's who of Catholic feminist theology".[4] The pdf of the Manifesto available on St. Mary's College website now specifies "16 Madeleva lecturers" from "1985 - 2001".[7]

Response edit

It was well received by the audience at the public session in which it was presented.[5] The editors of America described it as "by any standard a prophetic document, at once hopeful and challenging, measured and bold" and endorsed the Manifesto's request to reimagine the role of women in order to "empower all Catholics for fuller service and discipleship."[2] Some in attendance took it back to their local area to disseminate its message.[8] Schneiders also stated that if transmitted successfully to the next generation, this feminist vision would influence the future because it emphasized "full humanity for all persons and right relations among all creatures".[5] It was cited by a pastoral associate, reflecting as a Catholic female Generation Xer, as confirmation that women "must be respected as leaders and given public roles in the church."[9] One later commentator contested the Manifesto's association with Catherine of Sienna, writing for Crisis Magazine to offer a contrasting vision of St. Catherine and to criticize the Manifesto by criticizing several of the signatories for views expressed elsewhere.[10]

Legacy edit

The Manifesto has been described as "a milestone in the Gospel feminist movement."[11] At the Center for Spirituality, the Manifesto "birthed, in part, the New Voices seminar and continues to inspire it,"[12] the New Voices Seminar being a gathering of young women scholars to share conversation, to learn from more senior scholars, and to create a supportive community.[13] The interfaith scholars behind Exodus Conversations cite two paragraphs from the Manifesto as a related Christian text useful in prompting a Jewish/Christian/Muslim dialogue about how these faiths recognize women.[14]

Works cited edit

  • Carbine, Rosemary P.; Dolphin, Kathleen (2012). Women, Wisdom, and Witness: Engaging Contexts in Conversation. Liturgical Press. ISBN 978-0-8146-8064-3.
  • Marrin, Patrick (May 12, 2000). "'Coloring outside the patriarchal lines': Women theologians claim, without apology, a feminist vision". National Catholic Reporter. Vol. 36, no. 28. p. 6. ISSN 0027-8939.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Marrin (2000), p. 6.
  2. ^ a b c d "A Church of Women". America Magazine. 2000-06-17. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  3. ^ "The South Bend Tribune 27 Apr 2000, page 24". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  4. ^ a b Schlumpf, Heidi (2000). "Pull together now". U.S. Catholic. 65 (8): 41.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Dreyer, Elizabeth A. (June 17, 2000). "In the Tradition of Sister Madeleva". America. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  6. ^ a b Marrin (2000), p. 7.
  7. ^ "The Madeleva Manifesto: A Message of Hope and Courage" (PDF). Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  8. ^ Penikis, Maija (January 20, 2001). "'Gospel feminists' seek change within the Catholic Church". The Post-Crescent (Appleton, Wisconsin). p. 24.
  9. ^ "Renee M. LaReau". America Magazine. 2001-12-24. Retrieved 2023-06-26.
  10. ^ "The First Catholic Feminist?". Crisis Magazine. 2013-04-25. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  11. ^ Reali, Luciana. "Women in Catholic Social Thought: The Creation of a New Social Reality". Journal of Catholic Legal Studies. 44, 2005 (2): 461–478 – via Catholic Studies Commons.
  12. ^ Carbine and Dolphin (2012), p. ix.
  13. ^ Carbine and Dolphin (2012), pp. ix-x.
  14. ^ "Related Texts". Exodus Conversations. 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2023.

External links edit

  • The Madeleva Manifesto: A Message of Hope and Courage
  • The Madeleva Manifesto (with identifying details about each signatory)
  • PDF of the Manifesto available on St. Mary's College website

December 07, 2023
madeleva, manifesto, subtitled, message, hope, courage, critique, patriarchal, structure, catholic, church, named, honor, holy, cross, sister, madeleva, wolff, manifesto, first, proclaimed, english, spanish, mary, college, notre, dame, indiana, april, 2000, pa. The Madeleva Manifesto subtitled A Message of Hope and Courage is a critique of the patriarchal structure of the Catholic Church Named in honor of Holy Cross sister Madeleva Wolff the Manifesto was first proclaimed in English and Spanish at St Mary s College in Notre Dame Indiana on April 29 2000 as part of a weekend event entitled Convergence 2000 scheduled in conjunction with the Roman Catholic Church s Jubilee Year and with the college s annual Madeleva lecture series It then appeared on the college s website and in print in the National Catholic Reporter It was written by a group of sixteen women theologians scholars and writers who had delivered prior Madeleva lectures and who were invited back to campus for the purpose of drafting a Charter for Women of Faith in the New Millennium they came up with the Manifesto instead Contents 1 Manifesto 2 Background 3 Signatories 4 Response 5 Legacy 6 Works cited 7 References 8 External linksManifesto editThe Manifesto is fewer than 500 words divided into eight paragraphs The opening paragraph establishes that its authors were invited to speak a message of hope and courage to the women in the church and that they do so both from their particular perspective and in a universal vision faithful to our catholic tradition The second paragraph is addressed to women in ministry and theological studies Re imagine what it means to be the whole body of Christ The way things are now is not the design of God The third paragraph is an invitation to young women looking for models of prophetic leadership to join them in following the way of Jesus Christ It also reports that the Spirit calls them to a gospel feminism that respects the human dignity of all and keeps them in the struggle to overcome oppression of all kinds The fourth paragraph is addressed to women in danger of despair or indifference Re imagine what it means to be a full human being made in the image of God and to live and speak this truth in our daily lives The fifth paragraph expresses solidarity with women who suffer the cost of discipleship and expresses gratitude for the richness of Catholic thought and spirituality and for those who have mentored them The sixth paragraph pledges their willingness to stand with young women in the Church to carry forward gospel feminism sharing what they have learned It also requests a commitment to far reaching transformation of church and society in non violent ways The seventh paragraph deplores anything in any setting that treats women or men as less than fully human and pledges instead to support the heritage of biblical justice that mandates that all persons share in right relationship with each other with the cosmos and with the Creator In the final paragraph the authors resolve to look for the holy in unexpected places and persons and to continue an energetic dialogue and they extend an invitation to others of all traditions to join us in imagining the great shalom of God Background editThe Madeleva Manifesto was developed in April of 2000 when fifteen of the women who had delivered the first sixteen Madeleva Lectures for the Center for Spirituality at St Mary s College in Notre Dame Indiana accepted the invitation to return to campus to draft a Charter for Women of Faith in the New Millennium 1 2 The Madeleva Manifesto like the Madeleva Lecture series is named after Holy Cross sister Madeleva Wolff who served as the third president of St Mary s College and who founded its School of Sacred Theology the first institution to admit women to graduate studies in theology The lecture series was created in 1985 both to honor her contributions to the education of women and to create a forum for women s concerns in the church 1 The lectures are subsequently published by the Paulist Press 3 4 The weekend retreat April 27 30 2000 was entitled Convergence 2000 and was timed to coincide with the Roman Catholic Church s Jubilee Year 1 In addition to four private sessions for the lecturers to develop the requested document It included several public events the 2000 Madeleva Lecture With Oil in Their Lamps Faith Feminism and the Future delivered on the night of April 28 by Sandra M Schneiders I H M a Mass and a concluding panel discussion of the document they were to deliver 1 5 Instead of a charter these women produced The Madeleva Manifesto A Message of Hope and Courage which was proclaimed in English by Benedictine sister Joan Chittister and in Spanish by Jeanette Rodriguez at the concluding public session on April 29 the feast of St Catherine of Siena a laywoman who became a Doctor of the Church 6 Its signatories espoused the conviction that feminism and Gospel be tightly linked i e feminism is a constitutive dimension of Gospel living 5 and saw St Catherine of Siena as a fitting model The editors of America distinguished between this Gospel feminism and the caricature of radical feminism that they saw many using to decry any expectation that the church would fully incorporate the voice and experience of women 2 Elizabeth Dreyer described the process of developing the Manifesto at some length in an article in America magazine She notes that the group began from a conviction that advocacy for the full humanity of women within a Christian context is a Gospel value a point elaborated upon that weekend by Sandra Schneiders in her 2000 Madeleva Lecture Dreyer outlines the other concerns of the group as they drafted the requested document and that charter became an invitation long discussion which became a manifesto in a flash of recognition 5 Dreyer reported that many who attended the retreat identified with Schneiders description of Gospel feminism which she defined as viewing Christ as the model of one who gave his life for others without losing himself who belonged to yet transcended his Jewish tradition who mediated the particularity of his life and situation and the universality of his concern and who lived the tension between a radical subversion of the social political and religious status quo and absolute refusal of violence as a means to its demise 5 Signatories editAlthough the original text of the Manifesto specified 15 Madeleva lecturers there were actually sixteen signatories Sr Mary Catherine Hilkert of the University of Notre Dame participated in the weekend signed the Manifesto and would later deliver the 2001 Madeleva Lecture The signatories were described in the National Catholic Reporter as widely recognized as among the country s most distinguished theologians and as holding chairs at many of the top theological schools in the country and are past or current presidents of the major national theological societies and associations and listed with identifying details about each one 6 America magazine observed that the caliber of the signatories should inspire readers to listen to them 2 U S Catholic described them as a veritable who s who of Catholic feminist theology 4 The pdf of the Manifesto available on St Mary s College website now specifies 16 Madeleva lecturers from 1985 2001 7 Mary C Boys SNJM Lisa Sowle Cahill Denise Lardner Carmody Joan Chittister OSB Mary Collins OSB Elizabeth Dreyer Maria Harris Diana L Hayes Monika K Hellwig Mary Catherine Hilkert OP Elizabeth A Johnson CSJ Dolores R Leckey Gail Porter Mandell Kathleen Norris Jeanette Rodriguez Sandra M Schneiders IHMResponse editIt was well received by the audience at the public session in which it was presented 5 The editors of America described it as by any standard a prophetic document at once hopeful and challenging measured and bold and endorsed the Manifesto s request to reimagine the role of women in order to empower all Catholics for fuller service and discipleship 2 Some in attendance took it back to their local area to disseminate its message 8 Schneiders also stated that if transmitted successfully to the next generation this feminist vision would influence the future because it emphasized full humanity for all persons and right relations among all creatures 5 It was cited by a pastoral associate reflecting as a Catholic female Generation Xer as confirmation that women must be respected as leaders and given public roles in the church 9 One later commentator contested the Manifesto s association with Catherine of Sienna writing for Crisis Magazine to offer a contrasting vision of St Catherine and to criticize the Manifesto by criticizing several of the signatories for views expressed elsewhere 10 Legacy editThe Manifesto has been described as a milestone in the Gospel feminist movement 11 At the Center for Spirituality the Manifesto birthed in part the New Voices seminar and continues to inspire it 12 the New Voices Seminar being a gathering of young women scholars to share conversation to learn from more senior scholars and to create a supportive community 13 The interfaith scholars behind Exodus Conversations cite two paragraphs from the Manifesto as a related Christian text useful in prompting a Jewish Christian Muslim dialogue about how these faiths recognize women 14 Works cited editCarbine Rosemary P Dolphin Kathleen 2012 Women Wisdom and Witness Engaging Contexts in Conversation Liturgical Press ISBN 978 0 8146 8064 3 Marrin Patrick May 12 2000 Coloring outside the patriarchal lines Women theologians claim without apology a feminist vision National Catholic Reporter Vol 36 no 28 p 6 ISSN 0027 8939 References edit a b c d Marrin 2000 p 6 a b c d A Church of Women America Magazine 2000 06 17 Retrieved 2023 10 19 The South Bend Tribune 27 Apr 2000 page 24 Newspapers com Retrieved 2023 06 26 a b Schlumpf Heidi 2000 Pull together now U S Catholic 65 8 41 a b c d e f Dreyer Elizabeth A June 17 2000 In the Tradition of Sister Madeleva America Retrieved October 19 2023 a b Marrin 2000 p 7 The Madeleva Manifesto A Message of Hope and Courage PDF Retrieved October 13 2023 Penikis Maija January 20 2001 Gospel feminists seek change within the Catholic Church The Post Crescent Appleton Wisconsin p 24 Renee M LaReau America Magazine 2001 12 24 Retrieved 2023 06 26 The First Catholic Feminist Crisis Magazine 2013 04 25 Retrieved 2023 02 16 Reali Luciana Women in Catholic Social Thought The Creation of a New Social Reality Journal of Catholic Legal Studies 44 2005 2 461 478 via Catholic Studies Commons Carbine and Dolphin 2012 p ix Carbine and Dolphin 2012 pp ix x Related Texts Exodus Conversations 2013 Retrieved October 25 2023 External links editThe Madeleva Manifesto A Message of Hope and Courage The Madeleva Manifesto with identifying details about each signatory PDF of the Manifesto available on St Mary s College website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Madeleva Manifesto amp oldid 1186108274, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.