Cover
story Lilith has special depth for young Catholics
By JOHN L. ALLEN JR.
NCR Staff
For young adult Catholics, the Lilith Fair stirs especially deep
waters, according to 39-year-old Mark Anderson.
I guarantee you, there are thousands of young Catholics,
especially young female Catholics, who are being touched by this, said
Anderson. He recently took part in gatherings of young adult Catholics
sponsored by Call to Action and the Womens Ordination Conference, where
he argued that reform groups should take heed of whats happening at the
Lilith Fair.
There is definitely a sense in this of the power and the
possibility of women, Anderson said. It touches on what a lot of
young female Catholics are struggling with, which is, Is there a place
for me within this tradition?
Beyond the emphasis on female artistry is a very clear sense
of a spiritual element, Anderson said. The very name points to
that, it grounds the Fair in the Judeo-Christian tradition and at the same time
implicitly critiques it.
In ancient Jewish legend, Lilith was Adams first wife. She
was expelled from the Garden of Eden and in later tradition was regarded as a
demon. In some feminist rereadings of the tradition, Lilith has emerged as a
symbol for suppressed femininity.
Its a very potent metaphor, Anderson said.
For Catholics, it raises anew the question Are women going to be
given justice in this church?
Sarah McLachlan and the other women of the Lilith Fair
didnt feel they were getting justice within their structures, so they
went out and created their own thing, he said. Thats both
heartening and worrisome for those in institutions struggling with the same
issues.
It takes us back to the bottom line, which is, Will
the institution open itself to the gifts of this huge portion of the
population, or will it drive them away?
If we as a church cant find it within ourselves to
reach out to those folks, well lose them. Theres every reason for
our institution to embrace something like the Lilith Fair.
National Catholic Reporter, October 9,
1998
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