How does Catholicism fail girls/women?

[Spidermama]

I'm particularly interested in the views of Catholics and lapsed Catholics here.

Sounds like a pretty good interpretation to me! Tbh, I don't know of 2 people that have exactly the same view of who God is. For me, Jesus comes from God and so does the Holy Spirit. I also find the Holy Spirit a really difficult concept to understand and explain but I know I have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit. I see it as almost the breathe of God and it's often described as a "helper" which I can relate to as well.

Aw thanks ses.
I haven't even begun on the Holy Spirit. My 3 year old whispered to me in liturgy the other day, 'Who's the Holy Spirit' and I really didn't know what to say.

I think that's what makes a lot of people think - when the DCs start asking questions! Why do they always sound such easy questions but are so hard to answer???!!

Evening all. It's my first proper post on mumsnet so please don't shoot me down, I normally just read the boards and think about posting.

Much to my own surprise (and fear), having been a 'liberal' Catholic all my life, I've changed my mind about all the teachings I saw as 'too strict'. There's so much in the world that fails girls and women... including denying us the right to live our sex lives in a faithful, loving, shag-tastic marriage in which we don't have to change our bodies with contraception or suffer if we get pregnant without 'planning' it.

Marriage is a sacrament. Same as the Eucharist, same as Baptism. I don't live up to that or anywhere near it , but please God with His help I hope I will one day.

mareiagoretti - well done on your first proper post! Thanks for sharing. I have to say that I agree with you about marriage - it is a very precious sacrament and I am so glad I waited to marry my DH rather than rushing into a marriage with one of my previous boyfriends. I know I frequently let God and my DH down but the fantastic thing is that they both still show their love for me. How lucky am I!!?

I'm lapsed - for too many reasons, but St Paul didn't help.

treacletart - can you explain a bit more about why St Paul didn't help???....

Well guess this isn't just a Catholic problem but misogynistic letters from St Paul about women obeying their husbands as the Lord - read with no recontextualising or apologetic sermon, alienated me when I was younger and pretty much sounded the death knell for the faith I'd been raised with - I still have a faith of sorts but it's pretty abstract nowadays. My brothers still have strong faiths - one is even a special minister - and find it easy to ignore the anachronistic political anomolies. I find it much harder and I'm sure my gender has a lot to do with it.

I understand - especially when the following homily doesn't supply the context. It is hard but I guess it was difficult enough that gentiles were being accepted back in St Paul's day - nevermind women too. That certainly doesn't make it right though. I just try not to think about myself as a Catholic woman so much as a Catholic christian and am happy with the place/role I have in my parish. I don't think that would be any different if I was a Catholic man.

Mariagoretti welcome to MN posting.

I've always been proud of my marriage. We've been married 18 years now and stuck at it through some tough patches because I've always known I'm in it for the long game and if you can get through the tough times your union will be stronger. I love the fact it's a sacrament but am mildly offended that the Catholic church do9esn't recognised my marriage (by the Chuirch of Scotland) and says I need to have it blessed in a Catholic church for it to be valid.

It's valied in my eyes and those of my husband's and I believe in the eyes of God.

Would this be the same the other way round I wonder?

It does not fail women or girls, IMO.