International Woman's Day

Today is International Woman's Day.

The Gospel in yesterday's liturgy (John 2: 13 - 25) was the famous story of Jesus driving the money changers and merchants out of the Temple.

We see how angry he was with those who were abusing the Temple, abusing religion.

It seems to be part of the DNA of religions to attract all sorts of additions and malpractices. Religions also seem to attract large numbers of fragile people, as does priesthood.

Last week Ireland heard of the story of the late Joseph Marmion, a Jesuit priest, who spent his life abusing children. He abused them emotionally, physically and sexually while teaching in the three Jesuit schools, Belvedere, Clongowes Wood and Crescent College. Where else did he abuse?

Most likely every male religious congregation and every diocese in Ireland has/had their Marmions. Most likely more than one.

And then all the cover ups.

The damage that these people have caused, the damage too that they have done within religious communities. The seeds they have sown. These men held many positions, including teaching, school deans, 'superiors', vocation directors, missionaries, Vatican representatives.

Had women been in leadership roles in any of these organisations is it possible it would be such a nightmare?

Is it not absurd for any organisation to exclude women from its leadership team? Of course it is.

What happens in parishes where parish priests behave as tyrants? Usually it's women who come to the rescue and save the day.

Of course tyranny is not exclusive to the male population but nature screams out at us that an exclusively male organisation is in some way deficient.

And at a State level, it was an item of news on RTE news today that for every euro a man earns, a woman earns 86 cent.