The Shadow Knows…

Posted by Censor Librorum on Mar 23, 2007 | Categories: Lesbian in a Catholic Sort of Way

A week ago “Sandy South”, one of the members of CCL’s Forum, posted a letter to Pope Benedict XVI about an upcoming World Day of Prayer for Women’s Ordination. It was signed by quite a few progressive Roman Catholic organizations. Shortly after the letter was posted on the Forum, I noticed a rise in traffic to the site coming from http://threshinggrain.blogspot.com. I investigated. It is presided over by “Catherine of Siena” located in a “Red State” in the Southeast, US.

A March 22 post on her blog begins: “And let’s not forget the movement that is determined to silence opposition..the truth! They monitor us as we monitor..” “They” in this case is 365gay.com. I scrolled down to read through her weekly posts. Every day at least one post has to do with gay and lesbian issues. It is usually bracketed by Hail Marys and petitions to Our Lady of Mercy. News of victories and defeats for lesbian and gay people, plus Catholic dissenters, are her major focus. She does not comment on her own life or experience, so I cannot tell if she is married or has a boyfriend. Most conservative Catholic women bloggers make a point to say they are married with children. Catherine of Siena is silent here.

Her March 15 link to the CCL site read: “Please pray before reading..disturbing info..Forum – Catholic lesbians – Sponsored by New Ways Ministry where I found the letter/information…” She went on to suggest, “Maybe since New Ways got a “No Way” from Archbishop Flynn..maybe we could alert each Bishop where each event is planned..? And send/forward the background info on to the Vatican? What if we divided the list and everyone took a part of the country/diocese where they have planned an event? WE could do this!” She end by saying “These groups will not take my joy or will they take my charity! Pray that they will be stopped..” I did comment on her post linked to CCL.

I had mixed emotions when I clicked off her site. What could make someone so mean and so obsessed? Red State Catherine probably has a lot more charity when it comes to liberating Iraqis for democracy than she does for her own Catholic kin. Her fixation on homosexuality merits some thought.

Her fight against homosexuality and eagerness to persecute dissenters made me think of “The Shadow.” This pulp-era character knew “what evil lurks in the hearts of men” because he fought against the evil in his own heart. Another kind of Shadow had an important role in Jungian psychology. It was the thing inside we most fear and despise in ourselves. We often try every way possible to suppress it. The Shadow haunts our every step unless we confront, and finally integrate into our being.

I can hear my old spiritual director saying “Catherine of Siena” needs to do a little “shadow work.” She also needs our prayers, because I suspect she is in a great deal of turmoil.

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2 Responses to “The Shadow Knows…”

  1. Anonymous Says:

    How mean-spirited or just plain sad that this “Catherine of Siena” is running on such scared energy. Just the name alone of Catherine of Siena (a great woman saint) in itself tells me there is a hidden shadow and she is reaching out (probably subconsiously) to those strong women – such as those of us on the Forum. Before I came out to myself, I was very homophobic (as many of us probably were). Thank God I got later support. I pray this woman gets some too. (And quickly – for her sake and for others). Mary

  2. Anonymous Says:

    Amen!

    E-

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