BVM Statement to the Synod in Rome
As women of the Church we are inspired and motivated by the vision and courage of Mary,
the Mother of God, and of Mary Frances Clarke.
BVM Constitutions, 1
Often, individually and together, we BVM sisters and associates have looked to Mary of Nazareth and BVM Foundress Mary Frances Clarke for wisdom in responding to situations of justice. Because our identity is so intimately linked with Church, it is much more challenging to act for justice in the church than for justice in the world. Yet, our integrity requires that we do exactly that, and the example of our two Marys shows us the way.
Proclaimed by Jesus—in banquet tables open to all—with intentional invitations to the marginalized, justice is an ongoing feast of inclusion. This is the vision that compelled Mary of Nazareth to speak truth to power in the person of her son, assuring an abundant flow of wine, and making it possible for the wedding feast of communion to continue. This is the vision that compelled Mary Frances Clarke to speak truth to power in the person of Bishop Hennessey, assuring the approval of our BVM Constitutions, and making it possible for the feast of God’s freeing love to reach beyond diocesan boundaries to the ends of earth.
This is the vision of justice that compelled BVM sisters and associates to speak truth to power in the person of bishops in the United States and around the world. In October 2021, Pope Francis called the Church to begin preparation for the 2023 Synod of Bishops. He invited the Church to reflect on how to best live communion, achieve participation, and be open to mission. We BVM sisters and associates responded to that call by meeting in person and by Zoom to share our experiences of church, the joys they bring, the wounds they reveal. Our responses were formed into a narrative sent to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Synod Office in Rome, and the International Union of Superiors General.
Here is an excerpt from our congregational statement: We affirm a church that prioritizes the expansion of mission over the preservation of power. The church we affirm honors Eucharistic moments where God is encountered in acts of justice and in relationships with all beings, not a church of rigid and formulaic rituals. In formal ministry and at every level of decision making, it reflects the wide diversity of the people of God in gender and age, sexual identity and ethnicity, economic and social status. Believing that the gifts of the Spirit are lavished on women and men alike, this church welcomes women to all roles of service including ministry as deacons, priests, and bishops. The church we affirm removes barriers created by strong statements on sexuality and a narrow one-issue pro-life view; and addresses racism, homophobia, care of earth, human trafficking, immigration, and the death penalty. The church we affirm is a community where all have a voice, a church shaped by the generosity of the Spirit alive in all of us.*
In this Cana moment, inspired and motivated by the vision and courage of Mary of Nazareth and Mary Frances Clarke, we BVM sisters and associates speak for a miracle.
* Read the complete Synodal Statement in English or in Spanish
About the Author: Mary Ann (Clement Mary) Zollmann, BVM serves on the Clarke University Board of Trustees, in Dubuque, Iowa.
Related:
“Answering the Call to Synodality: Key Questions and Responses from BVMs and Associates,”
by Marilyn K. Wilson, BVM
“Response to Synodal Processes”
by Mary Ann Zollmann, BVM