Welcome hopping dance

by Jeffrey Miller September 16, 2005

written by Jeffrey Miller September 16, 2005

Interesting article in Catholic Insight on the Women’s “Ordination” Worldwide Conferences by a woman who has attended the conferences since 2001. Though she was only covering them and has no agreements with their agenda. Here is what she had to say about the Dublin Conference.

The event was held at University of Dublin, and the sight of a Crucifix, holy picture or statue that would usually identify a conference held in the Catholic tradition, was missing; instead there were four dominant altars to the elements of nature: earth, water, fire, and air. There was also a large linen-covered table with a display of loaves of bread, sheaves of wheat and grapes.

Approximately 300 people attended the conference, most of whom were older women. The largest group came from North America, many from the U.K. and Western Europe. The handful of men who attended were ex-priests, plus a few husbands of delegates. Sadly, there were also two priests in good standing with the diocese who took an active part in the liturgy and events of the conference. We were identifiable as orthodox Catholics, wearing small gold papal keys and pro-life lapel pins. This resulted in angry challenges from some participants, and media interest.

Opening ceremony

The conference was opened with a welcome hopping dance. The participants linked arms and danced in a chain around the hall chanting, “Earth my body, water my blood, fire my spirit….” This went on for some time before the talks began. During the two days of the conference, we sat through one speaker after another seriously distorting the teachings and doctrine of the Church and her history, and expressing anger and sometimes hatred toward the Pope and cardinals, especially Cardinal Ratzinger. We did not engage in their discussions however – until one of the speakers, John Wijngaards, a former priest and “theologian” from the Netherlands, and a frequent contributor to the London Tablet, stated that the Pope was a dictator worse than Hitler because Hitler only killed the body. When a statement of that nature is made against the Holy Father, silence on our part would have implied consent. When asked to retract his statement, he reluctantly did so, and that retraction was recorded on the conference tapes that were distributed.

The conference liturgy was dominated by New Age and occult practices; many of the delegates wore purple stoles, and some were dressed in full priests’ vestments. The most disturbing liturgical practice took place on the Sunday before the conference closed. It was listed as a “eucharist”. Our group left the area and returned just as they were finishing this celebration. The room was filled with incense, drums were beating, and each of the participants held an earthenware chalice and paten with the bread that had been displayed on the table, and the grape juice that had been used in the ritual. The two dissident priests from the diocese had taken part in the ceremony.

I would love to see video of a welcome hopping dance, though seeing all of these silly dissidents might make me hopping mad. The main thing about these events is that they show they are not made up of women who mostly accept the Catholic faith, but just disagree on this one topic. They are made up of women who have a deep rooted misunderstanding of what the Church is and their ecclesiology is taken more from Ms. Magazine than the Gospels.

I recommend reading the rest of the article as it describes the last conference in Ottawa and then ends with a summation and answers to common objections pertaining to the ability of the Church to ordain women.

Jeffrey Miller

H20 Catholicism

18 comments

mymalifexx December 31, 1969 - 7:00 pm

Franklin Jennings September 16, 2005 - 7:08 pm

“Earth my body, water my blood, fire my spirit…”

“Air my head.”

Why didn’t they finish the song?

Donna September 16, 2005 - 9:35 pm

I’ve wondered for a while now why all these moonbats don’t just head on over to the nearest Episcopalian church, where they could perform hopping dances and worship the elements to their hearts’ content. When I read your post, the reason occurred to me: they wouldn’t stand out there. They would no longer be able to congratulate themselves on their great nobility and daring.

It’s the same reason why most of those NPR listeners who swore up, down, and sideways last Nov. 3 that they were going to leave this “fascist” country for the paradise of Canada or Europe stayed put (unfortunately; I was rather looking forward to the Great Leftist Exodus). They really don’t want to go someplace where they would blend right in. They couldn’t feel superior to the dumb Jesus-freaks next door if they moved to Amsterdam.

Bill Whittaker September 16, 2005 - 10:34 pm

Air heads seems about right.My favourite piece of silliness is this claim that the so called ordinations were held in international waters in the Thousand Islands. There are no international waters there. Wherever you are, you are either in the U.S or Canada.Or, more to the point in this case, in Kingston or Ogdensburg diocese. Strangely none of our alert ,fact checking, media seemed to notice this nonsence.

Ellsworth September 16, 2005 - 10:48 pm

I’m having trouble printing this out to share. the article’s margins are set up too wide. Can this be changed somehow?

John Hetman September 16, 2005 - 11:51 pm

While this reminds me of nothing more than the normal human propensity for assinity in its many manifestations, it is a shame that reporting like this on the International Crackpot Conference and the esteemed crackpot, Professor Reuther, doesn’t get more general coverage. One doesn’t know if an exorcist, psychiatrist or stand-up comedian (or all three) is needed here.

Unfortunately, there is support for these nuts among some of our (mostly older) religious from well known orders. My Passionists have their share of nut cases. It makes me wonder if some sort of possession seized a great many people. How else does one explain a hopping dance among old ladies?

Papaefidelis September 17, 2005 - 10:26 am

And these women want to be taken seriously? Please! Day after day they show their true colors.

Lucy September 17, 2005 - 11:42 am

The woman reporting this stated that the conference was attended by mostly older women. That’s because the younger women of today can see them for the crack pots they are and want nothing to do with them. Even our youth can see these women have been brain washed (taken over to the Dark Side) The “old one’s” are of a dying and hopefully fading “cult” that has taken grasp of the Catholic Church and has been trying to shake, force, shame, lie, and manuver themselves into the mainstream of Catholicism. I pray they head off into the sunset. Never to return and that they take Joan Chittister with them……

Christ-Haunted September 17, 2005 - 1:50 pm

“Earth My Body, Water My Blood, Fire My Spirit …

Women’s ordination. Sure, its heresy, but when the proponents are so darned amusing, it’s tempting to just chuckle and leave them to their bunny hops and earthenware.

Veronica September 17, 2005 - 3:02 pm

I wanted to read the rest of the article, but unfortunately, the source of it (catholic insight) is down for maintenance since yesterday. If somebody could post the entire article, I’d be really grateful! Thanks.

Seminariata September 17, 2005 - 3:40 pm

The “welcome hopping dance” calls to mind the prophets of Ba’al “limping around the altar” in 1 Kings 18:26. We all know what happened to them!

John Hetman September 17, 2005 - 9:02 pm

More recent than the prophets of Baal, King Mswati III of Swaziland just reviewed the annual Reed Dance of 50,000 topless teenage virgins, hoping (and hopping) to be wife number 13. The king reviewed these young nubiles along with his mother, formally known as the Great She-Elephant. If female ordination fails for these ladies, there is still hope (though embarrasingly slim give that most are old enough to be his grandmother) for them in Swaziland at the next annual Reed Dance. But their Hopping Dance could make up for what they lack in other departments. And a name like Great She-Elephant seems right up their collective wiccanly alleys.

Ellyn September 18, 2005 - 11:12 am

About those grapes….I can only imagine how sour they were.

Jack Dwyer September 19, 2005 - 7:30 am

“Air my head”… I like that!!!

This sounds like that spoof in the British sci-fi series RED DWARF, where some religious group got a version of the Bible with a misprint that told them of the importance of Faith, Hop and Love… So they kept hopping…

Sadly, this report is NOT a parody, but a fact.

Ugh!

Maureen September 19, 2005 - 10:05 am

They were right about being thorns in the side. Of the Body.

mymalifexx March 28, 2008 - 12:00 pm

mymalifexx March 28, 2008 - 12:01 pm

mymalifexx March 29, 2008 - 10:41 pm

Great,
I think that my wife unfaithful to me. My e-mail is davidxleon1964@yahoo.co.uk.
I have a wonderful plan for disclosure of her deceit.
WBR,
David
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