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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-05-16, Page 13THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 16, 2013. PAGE 13. School supports St. André By Rev. Gary Clark Blyth United Church This is not the article that I had intended to write but things in this world sometimes change quickly and some things don’t. Last week most people in our community and country were preparing for Mother’s Day and so we should! Nobody gets into this world without one so it is the one person we can take time to thank for our very lives. Then two things happened. First I attended a wonderful event held to raise money for the Huron Women’s Shelter. The singer songwriter writer Maria Dunn headlined the evening. As well we heard an excerpt from The Vagina Monologues presented by Danielle DeBlock. Understandably there were a few songs and stories that highlighted the violence against women by men which gives rise to need for women’s shelters in the first place. Two days later on the shelter’s blog a person who attended the event stated that they were upset because they felt men were being blamed for violence against women and that made them feel uncomfortable. The blogger said, “you could have an event to raise money for a good cause without bringing up feminist issues.” Secondly the news story broke of three women in Cleveland who were kidnapped, raped and kept against their will for 10 years. Try as I might, I found it difficult to reconcile the honouring of women as mothers and the reminders of how violence against women by men have made the lives of so many women (many of them mothers) a living hell. As I was writing this article I heard another news story about the numbers of women in the army being raped by their male comrades. How is it possible that society continues to raise up so many men who can be so violent against women and at the same time acknowledge and honour women? Oh yes and let’s remember to talk about it in such a way as to not make anybody uncomfortable. I know that society has told women that rape and assault is their fault. The victims of violence, have been told that they have done something to provoke men into hurting them. So we have cautioned women to dress more conservatively, be careful that nobody slips something into your drink and for heaven’s sake don’t raise your voice to a man or talk back lest you give a man a reason to hit you. Not surprisingly this strategy hasn’t worked, because it has focused on victims changing and not those who rape and assault women. The sad fact is that those who rape and abuse don’t accidently do it. Somewhere along the road of life they have learned that they have the right to do it or can get away with it. So as uncomfortable as this might be we men have to start saying rape and abuse is never okay, is never an accident and is never, ever provoked. Wrong is wrong no matter who is doing it and for whatever reason. Yes there are women who abuse, but they are so significantly outnumbered by male abusers that we have to say it is not a female issue but a male problem that society has to deal with and blaming the victims just gives the abusers an excuse. So men, for Mother’s Day and every other day, let’s give the gift of safety to our mothers, daughters and sisters. Let’s promise them that when we see other men hurting a women we’ll pretend that it’s you our mother or daughter they are hurting and do something about it. Let’s promise them that if we see someone slipping something in a woman’s drink we’ll speak up. Let’s promise them that we will teach our sons by word and example to respect women. Let’s promise them that we will take responsibility for our actions and not try to blame others and hold our brothers accountable as well. Maybe if we men were already doing that, then those three Cleveland women would not have spent 10 years chained up in a house of horrors. We have to start talking about our responsibilities as men and living differently if we want these things to change. This year don’t bring mom flowers, bring her a promise. By Rachel Robinson This week at St. Anne’s is OSAID week. On Monday students were asked to write a message to raise awareness against texting and driving. The senior girls and boys rugby team also travelled to Stratford Northwestern to participate in season matches. The senior girls and boys soccer team travelled to Listowel to compete in season games. On Tuesday the track and field team travelled to Goderich to compete in the Huron-Perth championships. On Wednesday, THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. Kinda Like The Friends You’ll Meet at Huron Chapel (but without the slobber) huronchapel.org You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743 www.blythcrc.ca MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, MAY 19 Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available 519-887-9017 10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship - Sunday School Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m. CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS MINISTER Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. All Welcome MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224 MAY 19 ~ Signs on the Road MAY 26 ~ Your Feet. Your Journey. Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, May 19 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 11 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 getlivingwater.org Living Water Christian Fellowship 10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School Wingham Bible Study - Tuesdays 7:30 pm Youth Group - Tuesdays 7:30 pm (at CRC) Women At The Well - 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 May 19: Acts 2:1-18 Hemorrhaging Faith: When Sons & Daughters WON’T Prophesy? Evangelical Missionary Church Pentecost Sunday 250 Princess St., Brussels 519-887-6388 www.bmfchurch.com Pastor Jim Whitehead Guests Welcome Jesus Is Lord! Brussels Mennonite Fellowship Worship Service 10:00 am Sunday School 11:15 am BRUSSELS Sandra Cable, Pastor Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00 am Sunday School Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship United Church From the Minister’s StudyGive change for Mother’s Day says Clark Continued on page 19