Sister Teresa Forcades: "Attentive to the fear of differences"

Geraldine Schwarz interview published on Repubblica of 9 February 2016

Here is the text of the article in which the journalist Free Lance Geraldine Schwarz told his meeting with Sister Teresa Forcades, the Benedictine theologian who has been able to reread human love in the light of the love that unites the people of the Trinity.

«If you are against civil unions because they allow the union between people of the same sex, it seems to me that this is basically only fear of differences. The fundamental value of marriage is that it represents a commitment forever. I believe it is important to underline this in a society that tends to the superficiality and exploitation of people: I'm with you because I need me, or you are useful to me, or give me pleasure, or have fun or what it is. I am against this attitude clearly and the civil union can be serious as a religious, it depends on the degree of commitment that is put on it ».

To speak is Sister Teresa Forcades, a blessed nun of the cloister who for a year has left the monastery of Sant Benet in Barcelona (with a Vatican pantry) to deal with politics and support the independence of Catalonia with the political movement that founded Conves Constituent.

"Revolutionary and peaceful" as she herself defines herself, Sister Teresa, 49 years old, graduated in medicine and theology, in Barcelona and Harvard, is frank, mild, speaks and smiles despite the criticisms that often reach her. He fights pharmaceutical multinationals, has fallen into politics and speaks of hot themes from a "theological" point of view also for the most libertarian Spain. Often he is censored but then, in some way, his voice manages to feel. Because he says: "Prayer gives me strength."

What do you think of civil unions and homosex marriages, can they be considered as a sacrament, can they work in the eyes of God and society?

A sacrament is the manifestation of God's love in space and time. Love is always the sacrament of God if he respects the freedom of the other. On the contrary, possessive love, even if she is between a man and a woman, may not be sacramental in the profound meaning of the term ".

Children "adopted" by a homosex family, with two fathers or with two mothers, do you think they can grow in a healthy way?

Yes, absolutely. What children need is of an adult love, mature and responsible for parents who put their needs to their own needs and who know at the same time to put them the right limits and help them grow. The fact of growing with two women or two men represents no problem. In the Middle Ages many children grew in the monastery only with women or only with men and many of them became saints.

What do you think of surrogate motherhood?

The gradual accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few is the scandal of our century. Surrogate motherhood is an abuse of power in an economically unbalanced world like the current one in which we live. He puts poor women more and more often in the condition to choose whether to market and sell their motherhood or condemn themselves and their children to misery. It is extremely cruel, as it is also when women have to emigrate and abandon the family to earn a minimum salary to survive or end up in the prostitution network for the same reason.

According to the latest report of the Confederation of study by Oaxfam International, 1% of the world population has more wealth than the remaining 99%. Apart from the economic exploitation, refusal surrogate motherhood for ethical reasons: a person's psyche begins during pregnancy through the perception of the voice and the effects of maternal hormones that circulate in fetal tissues and that agree to the voice and mood of the mother. Therefore, separation from the biological mother is always traumatic for the child and must avoid as much as possible.

What do you think of the Vatican position on the issues of civil rights and bioethic themes?

The doctrine of the Church defends the dignity of the person and rejects its exploitation, however, in some cases as in abortion, or for euthanasia, the principle of self -determination of the person who is a principle recognized and defended by the Church, clashes with the defense of life and with the recognition of life as a gift of God. I believe that the Church must continue to defend life as a gift of which it cannot be arranged.

But I believe that the best way to do it is not to promote laws that criminalize women who interrupt pregnancy. The life of the fetus cannot be saved without accusing the rights of the mother. Then it is necessary to ask yourself if we want a state a woman to choose for the child. In this case, only in this case, I offer for the mother. I believe that people cannot be exploited: a mother's tool cannot be made for the child's life but at the same time, and this applies to the practice of subrogation, you cannot even make the child an instrument of desire.

Do you feel revolutionary and feminist how do they call it some? In what sense?

I feel like a peaceful revolutionary. I feel feminist because I want to recognize the work of the first women, a pioneer of feminism who were called as they fought for the right to enter the university, to vote, to be rulers in society or to hold the highest positions in the Church or in religion. I am against violence and I do not consider it useful to change society, however, I am revolutionary because I believe that our society should not be reformed but must really change radically. For example, I defend the right to property but do not agree when it wants to be an absolute value. In this they are against the capitalist principles.

He has undertaken many battles, is there anyone who tried to make it remain silent? What are the criticisms that are addressed to you and if you have suffered resistance, on the part of which environments?

They censored me, erased conferences both in the medical and political and religious fields. For medicine, for my criticisms against pharmaceutical industries. For politics, for my criticisms of Israeli government's policy towards the Palestinian population. In the religious field, because I defend homosexual unions and for my feminism. The last episode when I had to go to Israel for a conference and did not let me in the country, they postponed me back.

How does this double role of civil commitment and prayer live?

I keep studying and writing and I remain in solitude, prayer gives me strength and allows me to fight without acretine with the open heart. At the monastery, where sometimes I return for a few days, the official time is five hours of prayer and six work. Outside the monastery the activity is much more intense and I am lucky if I can reach an hour of prayer a day.

What are the obstacles on the path of women in the Church today?

The major obstacle is the internalization of a consciousness that says that women must play a secondary role compared to that of men and that God wishes.

Have you ever met Pope Francis?

No, but I'd like to.

How did you decide to become cloistered nun?

I went to the monastery as a guest. I was looking for a place to study and I heard an inner call. After two years I entered.

In June he will expire this first year of pause, has he decided if he will continue to be "out" or will he return "inside" in cloister?

It depends if it will still be necessary to have any kind of commitment with politics. Until I do political activity and for a maximum of three years I will live outside the monastery but it can also be that in a few months I will return to live inside. This depends on how the political situation will develop in Catalonia where I beat for independence.

Do you have a spiritual father?

More than one and even more than a mother. The accompaniment in spiritual life seems very important to me. However, it is also essential to know how to accept the ultimate responsibility of your path.