Can you be a feminist and a Catholic? A theologian argues it’s harder than ever.

[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nnVATICAN CITY (RNS) — Women are leaving the Catholic Church at an alarming rate, many citing “irreconcilable differences.” In a world waking up to the reality of sexism and sex abuse at every level of seemingly every institution, the church’s slowness to adapt and engage with feminist demands has weakened its hold, with some women leaving the faith altogether.In her latest book, “Can You Be a Catholic and a Feminist?”, theologian Julie Hanlon Rubio argues that while many Catholic feminists in the 1970s had outlined a way for their two identities to coexist, it is much harder today.
“Beginning in 2017, the #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements came together to raise profound questions. Not for the first time, Catholic women confronted the sins of the priests, bishops, and the Vatican, as well as the flaws of the hierarchical structure that enabled abuse. Some stopped going to Mass or putting money in the collection basket,” Rubio writes in her book.
“Suddenly the possibility of not being Catholic seemed all the more real. Previously satisfactory answers to the question, ‘Why stay?’ no longer felt sufficient in the face of such egregious failures,” she wrote.
“Can You Be a Catholic and a Feminist?” by Julie Hanlon Rubio. (Courtesy image)
Each one of the nine chapters of the book addresses a topic: human dignity, sex, work, marriage, life, gender, power, prayer and belonging. Each topic is analyzed from both a Catholic and a feminist perspective, seeking points of tension as well as opportu …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]