Following a feminist path
Maureen Smithe
Senior Staff Writer
My four years at Notre Dame have taught me more than I could ever squeeze into a final column. From the immigrant experience of the Irish to the philosophies of ancient Chinese scholars, I've gained a worldly experience worth more than the hefty tuition. With the best friends of my life and the boyfriend of my dreams, I know I'll never be alone thanks to Notre Dame. I am so grateful for these four years.
The most important thing I learned at Notre Dame, however, is that I am a feminist and I never even knew it. One professor in particular, Heidi Ardizzone, encouraged me to recognize who I am and what my capabilities are. To me, being a feminist means that I have the right and obligation to create a life's path in whatever direction my spirit moves me. I shouldn't have to feel trapped.
I remember when I was little — no older than five or six — and my dad was watching the nightly news. Playing with my Barbies or my kitchen set, I was oblivious to the forces changing the world that night. Looking back, I assume a story about women in the priesthood came on. All I remember, however, is my dad asking me if I thought women should be allowed to be priests. And I said no.
My young mind at the time had never even thought of having a woman as a priest; I had never been exposed to that idea. Our weekly trips to church consisted of my sisters and I trying our best to behave ourselves while some man talked for an hour or so.
As soon as I told my dad that I didn't think women should be priests, he questioned why. Stuck in my 5-year-old Barbie haze, I don't think I gave him a satisfactory answer. But the fact that I still remember that brief exchange today means that he really got me thinking.
Once I arrived at Notre Dame, I revisited my dad's question time and time again. Why can't women be priests? What about our "nature" makes us unsuitable for the job? What about a man's character makes him the only potential candidate? Even though Notre Dame is a strictly Catholic campus, I still found the opportunity to rigorously question the doctrine of my faith. In such questioning I found the solace I never knew I longed for.
I hope that someday women like me will feel fully welcome in the Catholic Church. Yes, I do believe that general differences between the sexes exist, but that doesn't mean one is better suited for the task than the other. All people should find appropriate and fair representation and leadership in the Church. By welcoming women into the priesthood, many wandering feminists such as myself could find resolution to their questions.
When I have daughters of my own someday, I'll be sure to ask them the same question my dad asked me when I was little. I want them to question the norms and fight for what they know is right.
And I want them to come to Notre Dame.
Maureen Smithe is a graduating senior and a former Associate News Editor. She will work as a buyer for Abercrombie & Fitch after graduation.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
All Viewpoint Stories for Friday, May 17, 2002
