The homily is supposed to be given by the priest. Women in our church who feel the need to speak are given time before mass or at various retreats, committees, Bible studies, seminars and the like.
The shortage of sisters stems from a lack of vocations for several decades. A married woman can be a Catholic missionary, and many are. Sisters are a different category, and the idea of a married nun is simply inconceivable to me. What vows would she take? Would her husband take vows, too? What about if she were sent somewhere and the husband had to quit his job? The idea of a married sister seems ridiculous to me.
Long ago when I was young and foolish and not a Catholic, I was all up in arms about the Church's ruling on birth control. Pope Paul VI said that it would lead to adultery, divorce, abortion, sexual promiscuity, and the devaluation of women.
Guess what? Thirty-five years later, here we are and all of those things have come to pass.
I listen to Pope Benedict. The Church stands for Eternal Truth, not the whims of societal opinion.
“Women in our church who feel the need to speak” - that said a lot.
Well said, Miss Marple.