Oldest Goddess: The Origins of VENUS

Venus encourages ancient orgy (Joachim Anthonisz)

Venus a Vishnu figure, rising from the sea as Aphrodite (mythology)

Our Oldest Gods: The origins of Venus

(Crecganford) Venus (Aphrodite, Inanna, Astarte...[maybe even to Radha, Saraswati, and Vishnu) is one of the oldest and most beloved deities of all time.

Syncretism

From her earliest beginnings arising from the communities of Neolithic farmers to her evolution into the ancient Greek Goddess Aphrodite, to her eventual worship as the Roman Goddess Venus, this video goes on a journey through time and across cultures.

Podcast: ► Spotify: open.spotify.com/show... Social media: ► Twitter: crecganford ► Instagram: crecganford ► Facebook Fan Page: crecganford Patreon: ► crecganford. Contact: ► Send mail to: hello@crecganford.com ► Business enquires: biz@crecganford.com (for business inquiries ONLY).

References

Allegory: Cupid, Mars, Time, Venus (Guernica)

• Black, Jeremy and Green, Anthony. 1992. Gods, Demons, and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia. British Museum Press.
• Puhvel, Jaan. 1989. Comparative Mythology. John Hopkins University Press.

Explore podcast's  84 episodes: Crecganford Podcasts of all the videos

• Crecganford, Feb. 4, 2023:; Pat Macpherson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Sutra: Simile of Elephant's Footprint (MN 28)

 

Sutra Study: Middle Length Discourse, Simile of the Elephant's Footprint (MN 28) with American monk Abbot Bhante Suddhaso (Buddhist Insights @ Empty Cloud) Ven. Suddhaso translates MN 28 from the exclusively Buddhist language Pāli, while explaining the meaning of the discourse.

• READ: MN 28: Mahā Hatthipadopama Sutta—translated by American scholar-monk Bhikkhu Bodhi (suttacentral.net)

Buddhist Goddess of Wisdom: Prajna

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Sabrina, GoddessaDay.com

Prajna Paramita, the feminine embodiment of the Dharma, literally the "Perfection of Wisdom" (a gift to Aranya Anandabodhi's Hermitage/AwakeningTruth.org)

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Perfect Wisdom personified

There is a "Buddhist Goddess," a Sophia of the East, the embodiment and personification of perfect wisdom: Prajna-Paramita.

There are ten "perfections" (paramis or paramitas) a bodhisattva ("being striving for perfect enlightenment") cultivates if s/he wishes to forgo a disciple's enlightenment for the supreme enlightenment of a non-teaching (pacceka) buddha or enlightenment with the ability to effectively teach and establish the true wheel of the Dharma in a world that has lost its way, a samma-sam-buddha.

The culmination of transcendental knowledge -- liberating insight that has transcended ego, suffering, and impermanence -- Prajna Paramita is the feminine “Perfection of Wisdom,” who gives birth to all buddhas.

Interestingly, the Goddess of Compassion, Kwan Yin (Guanyin), is much more famous. Both are essential elements of a supremely enlightened teacher's attainment.

Serene face of knowing-and-seeing

Her face is serene, having attained the freedom of awakening.

Like Kwan Yin, she is sometimes depicted as having the many arms of an omnipotent Hindu goddess (devi), which is likely the largest influence on the rise of "goddesses" as prominent subjects of Buddhist reverence.

For the Vedic religion and subsequent Hinduism promote mono- and polytheism as ways of talking about ineffable subjects directly. There is just one GOD, Brahman, the Ultimate Reality behind the illusion of maya, which finds expression in many gods and goddesses.

So the root of all buddhas, in this way of thinking, is no ordinary deva but a superlative one: impersonal wisdom. The strange back story of the tantric Taras suggests that "goddess" is more an honorific -- a divine-human hybrid appealing to warrior nobles like Prince Siddhartha and his fellow Scythians/Shakyians -- than specific to any distinction in knowledge-and-vision worthy of the noble ones.

These goddess-figures are usually shown holding symbols illustrating their role. Prajna Paramita is a teacher, so she is often depicted holding meditation beads (emblematic of the eternal cycles of time), a rope or magic lasso (like Wonder Woman's, to retrieve those who have strayed from the Path), fruit (for prosperity or path-and-fruition), a lotus (purity), a vase (abundance) and, most importantly, a book (knowledge or wisdom).

Uppalavanna (frank.itlab.us)

Free hands are held in a hand-yoga gesture (mudra) signifying "teaching." The Perfection of Wisdom (prajnaparamita) literature is a collection of later sacred texts that declare the path to liberating-insight or transcendent-wisdom (bodhi, vipassana, nyana/ñana).

In the Heart Sutra, the possessor of such wisdom is Avalokiteshvara, "the one looks down upon [and hears the cries of] the world."

He is taken to be or to have later been transformed into the merciful Kwan Yin (Mother Goddess, Mother Mary figure, a new Saraswati or Lakshmi), but the wisdom itself is Prajna (paññá).

What came first, the sacred texts or the goddess embodying them?

Other "goddesses"

Khema, foremost in wisdom (iwilliam/flickr)

Sadly, for all this talk of Prajna Paramita and Avalokita (Kwan Yin), we are deprived of knowledge of the Buddha's real-life "wisdom goddesses," as embodied in his rarely discussed two chief female disciples -- KHEMA and UPPALAVANNA.

And little is said about the Buddha's two mothers, Maha Pajapati (Prajābatī, who became the first Buddhist nun in history) and his birth-mother Queen Maha Maya Devi.

Why are they rarely discussed? Likely due to sexism and neglect, the ancient Order of Nun (Bhikkhuni Sangha) the Buddha began as an essential element of his mission became defunct. And with that loss so went knowledge of discourses (sutras) delivered to nuns:

One never sees, "O, bhikkhunis!" as the opening of any sutra, yet it is certain the Buddha must have started many discourses this way. And there must have been other now lost discourse delivered by these two nuns to the female monastic community. For they were as important as the wonderful and well-known chief male disciples, Sariputra and Maha Moggallana, we read about all the time.

• Sex and the Rape of a Buddhist nun
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• Meet the Buddha's SISTER (Ven. Sundari Nanda) and other enlightened relatives
• VIDEO: Extra rules to subordinate women? (Ayya Tathaaloka)

Nuns: an afterthought forced on the Buddha?

I raised Prince Siddhartha, my sister's son.

Female monastics forced on the Buddha is what we have all been taught as the history (his story) of the Nun's Sangha. But what did the Buddha actually say about women? In the "Great Final-Nirvana Sutra" (Maha-parinibbana Sutta, DN 16), Mara Namuci quotes the Buddha, who agrees he accomplished his goal:

"For the Blessed One, O venerable sir, spoke these words to me: 'I shall not come to my final passing away, Namuci, until my bhikkhus and bhikkhunis [monks and nuns or male and female wandering ascetics], as well as laymen and laywomen, have come to be true disciples -- wise, well disciplined, apt and learned, preservers of the Dharma, living according to the Dharma, abiding by the appropriate conduct, and having learned the Teacher's word, are able to expound it, preach it, proclaim it, establish it, reveal it, explain it in detail, and make it clear; until, when adverse opinions arise, they shall be able to refute them thoroughly and well, and to preach this convincing and liberating Dharma'" (Verse 7).

• ñána: "Knowledge, comprehension, intelligence, insight" is a synonym for paññá (Sanskrit prajna); see also vipassaná.
• ñána-dassana-visuddhi: "Purification of knowledge and vision" [knowing-and-seeing] is the last of the seven purifications and a name for path-knowledge (magga-ñána), i.e., the penetrating realization of the path of Stream-winning, Once-returning, Non-returning, and Arhatship [full enlightenment]. The Path of Purification (XXII) furnishes a detailed explanation of it; (see visuddhi, VII).

The great nun Uppalavanna

Eugene Watson Burlingame (BPS.lk, Wheel 354), edited by Dhr. Seven, Wisdom Quarterly

After gaining great concentration, purifying absorption (jhana), I gained liberating insight.

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The Nun Uppalavaṇṇā Theri

The luminous golden calyx of the blue lotus

"AS SWEET AS HONEY" THINKS THE FOOL… This was said by the Teacher (the Buddha) while he was residing in Jetavana in reference to his chief disciple nun Uppalavaṇṇā (foremost in magical powers).

We are told that Ven. Uppalavaṇṇā made an earnest wish at the feet of a previous buddha, Padumuttara, and that after performing works of merit for 100,000 cycles of time. As she passed from rebirth to rebirth among devas and humans, she passed away from the deva-world in the dispensation of the historical Buddha Gautama.

She was reborn in Sāvatthī as the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The color of her skin was the hue of the [golden] calyx of the blue lotus. Therefore, she was given the name Uppalavaṇṇā. When she reached a marriageable age, all the princes and merchants in the land, without a single exception, sent gifts to her merchant father, asking him to give them his daughter in marriage.

Thereupon the merchant thought to himself, “I shall not be able to satisfy the wishes of all, but I shall find some way out of the difficulty.” So he summoned his daughter and said to her, “You might become a nun.” Now she was in her final rebirth prior to attaining nirvana (nibbāna), so his words fell on her head like fragrant oil 100 times refined.

So she replied, “Dear father, I'll become a nun.” So he prepared rich gifts in her honor, and walking with her to the Order of Nuns, he had her go forth (gain ordination). Not long after she had gone forth, her turn came to unlock the uposatha (lunar observance) hall. After she had lighted a lamp and swept the hall, her attention was attracted to the flame of the lamp.

Standing there, she looked repeatedly at the flame. And concentrating her attention on the element of fire, she entered into a state of deep concentration (jhana). Consummating the deep concentration, she attained arhatship together with the analytical knowledges.

Some time later she went on a pilgrimage for alms in the country, and on her return entered the Dark Forest. At that time nuns were not forbidden to reside in a forest. There they built for her a hut, set up a bed, and hung curtains. From the forest she went to Sāvatthī for alms and then returned to her hut.

No! - But, baby, I love you! - I said no. I'm a nun! - C'mon, I'm your cousin. Just once.

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Now a cousin of hers, a young Brahmin named Ānanda [not the famous one], had been in love with her ever since she lived the household life prior to becoming a nun. So when he heard where she was living, he went to the forest ahead of her, broke into her hut, and hid under the bed.

On her return in the bright sunlight, she entered her dark hut, closed the door, and sat down on the bed waiting for her eyes to adjust. As soon as she sat down, the youth crawled out from under the bed and climbed on top of her. The nun cried out, “Fool, do not ruin me! Fool, do not ruin me!” But the youth overcame her resistance, did what he wanted, and went his way.

As if unable to endure his grave karmic offense, the great Earth burst open, swallowed him, and he was reborn in the most horrible hell Avīci ("the Waveless Deep").

Ven. Uppalavanna told the other nuns what had happened, and the nuns told the monks, and the monks told the Blessed One. Having heard this the Teacher addressed the monks, “Monks, the fool, whoever it may be -- whether monk or nun, male or female lay disciple -- who commits an unskillful act, acts with as much joy and happiness, with as much pleasure and delight, as if he were eating honey or sugar or some other sweet-tasting food.”

And joining the connection and instructing them in the Dharma, he pronounced the following stanza:

69. “As sweet as honey” thinks the fool

So long as an evil has not ripened,

But when that evil deed ripens,

Then to the fool comes suffering.

Some time later a throng assembled in the Dharma hall and began to discuss the incident: “Even those that have rid themselves of taints [become enlightened] like the pleasures of love and gratify their passions. Why should they not? They are not kolapa trees or ant-hills. They are living creatures with bodies of moist flesh. Therefore, they also like the pleasures of love and gratify their passions.”

The Teacher drew near and asked them, “Monks, what are you talking about?” They told him. Then he said, “Monks, those who have rid themselves of the taints neither like the pleasures of love nor gratify their passions. For even as a drop of water which has fallen on a lotus petal does not cling to it but rolls off, even as a mustard seed does not cling to the point of an awl but rolls off, precisely so -- sensual love does not cling to the heart of one who has rid himself of the taints nor does it remain there.”

And making the connection, he instructed them in the Dharma by pronouncing the following stanza (found in the Dhammapada chapter on Brahmins, Brāhmaṇa Vagga).

401. Who, like water drops on a lotus petal,

Or mustard seed on a needle point,

Clings not to sensual pleasures —

That one I call a Brahmin.

Now the Teacher summoned King Pasenadi Kosala and said to him, “Your majesty, in this Doctrine and Discipline young women of good family, as well as young men of good family, renounce many kinsfolk and much wealth, go forth, and take up residence in the forest [as wandering ascetics].

"In case women reside in the forest, it is possible that evil-minded men, inflamed by lust, may conduct themselves towards them with disrespect and arrogance, do them violence, and bring their celibate life to naught.

"Therefore, a place of residence for the Order of Nuns should be erected within the city.” The king agreed and had an abbey (a place of residence for the Order of Nuns) erected on one side of the city. From that time on the nuns resided only in the city.

If we had GODDESSES to worship

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Ashley Wells, Crystal Quintero (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly Wiki edit

Buddhist Goddess Prajnaparamita

The world needs goddesses (devis) to worship if it is going to honor "gods" (devas) like we used to have in the Jewish and early Christian traditions, which were taken away by Rome when they converted these ideas into an imperial Psy-Op to conquer the world, and females were relegated to an afterthought with the triumph of beloved Western icon Mother Mary (like the East's Kwan Yin). Later Buddhism was not immune to the worldwide sexist rampage that took away our sacred feminine figures keeping a more androgynous.

Originally, females were honored as chief disciples (Khema, Uppalavanna), enlightened matriarchs (Maha Pajapati Gotami, Rahulamata Bhaddhakaccana a.k.a. Yasodhara or Princess Bimba, Kisa Gotami, Maha Maya Devi often portrayed as a salabhanjika), and exemplary nuns (bhiksunis, anis, theris, sayalays) and supporters (Ambapali, Queen Mallika). A feminine revival largely forgot them but set up other Buddhist "goddesses" such as Prajnaparamita, the 21 Tārās like Green Tara, the apsaras, dakinis, tantrikas, yakshinis, and of course the universally beloved Kwan Yin Bodhisattva. Even the Jewish-Christian God YHWH (Yahweh, Jehovah) once had a consort or wife named Asherah, and Rabbi Jesus (Issa, Y'shua) had Mary Magdalene.

WHEN GOD WAS A WOMAN: Archaeologically documented is the story of the religion of the Goddess. Under Her, women's roles were far more prominent than in patriarchal Abrahamic (Jewish, Christian, Muslim) cultures. Author Merlin Stone describes this ancient system and, with its disintegration, the worldwide decline in women's status. Index, maps, and illustrations. More

Crappy JAP Survivor's Shallow, Parvati

Parvati (Sanskrit पार्वती) or Uma (as in Thurman) is the Hindu goddess of fertility, love, and devotion, as well as of divine strength and power.

Known by many other names, she is the gentle and nurturing aspect of the Hindu goddess Shakti and one of the central deities of the Goddess-oriented Shakta sect.

Goddess Saraswati

She is the Mother Goddess in Hinduism and has many attributes and aspects. Each of her aspects is expressed with a different name -- giving her over 100 names in regional Hindu stories of India.

Along with Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity) and Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and learning), she forms the Trinity of Goddesses (Tri-devi).

Wall carvings in Ellora Caves: Kalyanasundara wedding scene of Shiva/Parvati (wiki)

  

Deva Shiva and Devi Parvati like Greek gods

Parvati is the consort or wife of the Hindu god Shiva -- the protector, the destroyer (of evil), and regenerator of universe and all life, according to the Shaiva sect.

She is the daughter of the mountain King Himavan and Queen Mena. Parvati is also the mother of Hindu deities Ganesha and Kartikeya.

Shiva, Parvati (British Museum)

The Puranas also reference her as the sister of the preserver god Vishnu [who gets equated with the Buddha and other for being peaceful] and river goddess Ganga.

Along with Shiva, Parvati is a central deity in the Shaiva sect. In Hindu belief, she is the recreative energy and power of Shiva, and she is the cause of a bond that connects all beings and [not] a means of their spiritual release.

Uma Karuna Thurman among some pigs

In Hindu temples dedicated to her and Shiva, she is symbolically represented as the argha or yoni (womb, vulva, vagina, abode, uterus linked to the Shiva lingam).

She is found extensively in ancient Indian literature, and her statues and iconography grace Hindu temples all over South Asia and Southeast Asia. More

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Young Sadhvi once put her foot in her mouth in defense of Hindutva nationalism. And in an instant, there vanished our peaceful super heroine.

Buddhist Women's History Month (live)

Ananda M. (DMI), Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Molly Murphy MacGregor (nwhp.org)

The first picket line, College Day, Feb. 1917 (WHM/Library of Congress/loc.gov)

 

Billie Holiday, Downbeat, NY, 1947

To close out another wonderful Women's History Month, the Dharma Meditation Initiative will discuss Buddhist women by asking, "What happened to the Buddha's wife, mother, sister, and nuns?"

The Buddha had two chief female disciples, the enlightened nuns Khema and Uppalavanna. But we next to never hear about them or how they helped females gain enlightenment.

Siddhartha and Yasodhara break up one night.

At every key point in the story of the Buddha's life, there's a female. He became enlightened thanks to Sujata. He launched the Order of Nuns with Pajapati Gotami. Bimba ordained and became the most famous nun and disputant in the land. Bimba Devi is Princess Yasodhara (Rahula's mother) is Ven. Bhaddhakaccana Theri.

But all we hear is the legend, nonsense, a misleading allegorical tale about how "Siddhartha left his wife." What really happened? Why do women love Buddhism? Who are the Buddhist Tara goddesses, Kwan Yin, and Prajnaparamita Devi? Why was it originally so friendly and attractive to all genders?

• Pasadena Buddhist Meditation @ Sequoyah School
• FREE  6:00-8:00 PM, Thursday, March 29, 2018
• 301 Orange Grove Bl. (near Colorado), Pasadena 91103
• Read all about it: What about the Buddha's wife?

DMI - PasaDharma - DisclosureProject.org - Dharma Punx - MARC UCLA

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Why is March "National Women's Month"?

Exec. Director and Co-founder of Nat'l Women’s History Project Molly Murphy MacGregor

As recently as the 1970s, women’s history was virtually an unknown topic in American K-12 schools and the general public consciousness.

To address this situation the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a “Women’s History Week” celebration for 1978.

International Women’s Day, March 8th, was chosen as the focal point of the observance.

What did the Buddha's wife do?

Local Women’s History Week activities met with enthusiastic response, and dozens of schools planned special programs.

Over 100 women participated by doing special presentations in classrooms throughout the country. And an annual “Real Woman” essay contest drew hundreds of entries.

The finale for the week was a celebratory parade and program held in the center of downtown Santa Rosa, California. More

Hail Mary full of grace: Goddess of Mercy

Crystal Quintero, Pfc. Sandoval, Dhr. Seven and CC Liu (trans.), Wisdom Quarterly; BuddhaNet.net; Femen.org/en; Los Angeles Times; ElPueblo.lacity.org/SightsSounds

The Holy Mother giving birth to a tulku in Palestine with Three Wise Men, Tibetan Vajrayana monks in search of the incarnation of their great rinpoche, arriving after following signs.

Avalokiteshvara ("the one looks down from on high") as Kwan Yin like the Virg Yin Mary, Mother Goddess, Goddess of Mercy, Bodhisattva of Compassion (Billcoo/flickr.com)

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Goddess of Mercy

The Moon Goddess (see crescent) "Mary" (TB)

It is said that the personification of perfect compassion is Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva -- the "one who looks down from on high" and hears the cries of the world.

This Brahminical deity was transformed into a Chinese goddess, Kwan Yin Bodhisattva, a great being who aspires to help all sentient beings become free of suffering before entering the peace and bliss of deathless nirvana.

In the beginning of his/her career as a bodhisattva helping all sentient beings -- by spreading compassion, wisdom, and helping cultivate concentration (dhyana, ch'an, zen, jhana, samma-samadhi, or "meditative absorption").

Perfection of heart/compassion (karuna)

The great being vowed that, "Should I ever become disheartened in saving sentient beings, may my body shatter into a thousand pieces." This might sound extreme, but it is symbolic of an overwhelmingly great compassion and determination.

One day, while helping beings in a higher celestial or dimensional realm, Avalokita looked down into the hell planes (niraya), which he had emptied through the teaching of the Dharma, and realized to his dismay that countless beings were still flooding into them. That is the course of samsara, the flood dragging beings through cycles of rebirth over aeons.
 

Kwan Yin, Vietnam (Petr Melnikov/flickr.com)

In a moment of exasperation, he became so disheartened that true to his previous vow, his body shattered in great agitation and despair. Despite this, he did not just give up. His consciousness stream beseeched the buddhas elsewhere in the cosmos for help.

Of the buddhas who are said to have come to give aid [in accordance with Brahminical, Vedic, Hindu ideas that served as the basis for Mahayana Buddhism, a bhakti/devotional school like other Hindu schools that co-opted early Buddhist iconoclastic doctrines], it is said one was Amitabha, who became his guru or personal teacher.

With Amitabha's miraculous powers, Avalokita attained a new form -- one with a thousand helping arms and hands of compassion coupled with the eyes of wisdom in each palm. Armed in this way he renewed his vow to save not just a limited number of sentient beings, but ALL sentient beings.

Women helping women, feminist topless protesters: FEMEN's new page on Facebook. Femen means the end of patriarchy. Watch the new video: "Girls Against Gods" (12-12-14).

 
What kind of "Buddhism" is this?

Serpent (naga, dragon) at my feet (UD)

This might seem like a Buddhist fairy tale or mythical Hindu teaching. Did it happen at all? Does it really matter? All tales, fiction or not, can be skillful or expedient means (upaya) to teach the Dharma, as long as they are aligned with virtue.

It is a beautiful "legend" with powerful spiritual metaphors. When anyone sets off on a bodhisattva path of helping other beings, we are bound to become disheartened, due to our as yet unperfected compassion and wisdom (two of the most important paramitas).

This is when we need an inspiring teacher or spiritual friend (kalyana mitta). With a noble friend's or teacher's guidance, our vows are renewed and strengthened.

In walking the bodhisattva path -- rather than cultivating our own calm and insight here and now for the sake of the stages of enlightenment and glimpsing nirvana as was originally taught in Mahayana and as is still taught in Theravada Buddhism -- it inevitably happens that we come face to face with obstacles.

We meet with disappointments now and then, and we either succumb to them and lose our bodhicitta (literally, "enlightenment-mind," the heart of wishing to help all living beings, along with oneself, attain enlightenment) or we overcome them and become stronger, like Avalokita/Avalokiteshvara.
 
There are two choices when we face spiritual obstacles -- to be remain weak and trapped by the obstacles we do not cross, or to cross them and become stronger because of the experience. When we advance, we move toward  a disciple's enlightenment, silent (pacceka) buddhahood, or supreme buddhahood.

When we do not find a way to overcome obstacles, we either backslide or come to a spiritual standstill. As we all suffer from spiritual burnout from time to time, let us then be timely bodhisattvas to one another and always help each other to recover in good time.

Kwan Yin

Virg Yin Mary/Kwan Yin tattoo (Sleigh Bells)

A beautiful Chinese girl, it is said, once wished to help all beings. As such, she came to embody Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, a being bent on enlightenment like the historical Buddha Gautama (Shakyamuni), who often spoke of his long career as the original Bodhisattva (Bodhisatta) of our age. That story, too, is beautiful and links ancient China and the "holy land" India. The deity Avalokita is still sometimes regarded as male and female, androgynous like a deva ("shining one," godling, celestial being, a god/goddess of compassion), as in Japan (Kannon Bosatsu, Lord of Compassion, Goddess of Mercy, who hears the cries of the world) or Kwan Yin (Guanyin) throughout China.

Sextremism: FEMEN is a death for patriarchy! (femen.org/en)

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DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ("Day of the Dead")
Nov. 1 and Sunday, Nov. 2nd

Colorful, ancient pre-Catholic Mexican ceremony in remembrance of departed loved ones (ancestors) with beautifully decorated altars, exhibits, and entertainment. Pre-Columbus Novenario procession and blessings each night beginning Saturday, Oct. 25th through Halloween and ending on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014 10:00 am-6:00 pm.

VIRGEN DE GUADALUPE CELEBRATION 

Dec. 11-Friday, Dec. 12th

Celebrating the Virgen de Guadalupe’s appearance to native Mexican St. Juan Diego in the year 1531. Food, shopping, and family entertainment.

LAS POSADAS
Tuesday, Dec. 16-Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2013 5:30 pm-8:30 pm

This nine night presentation of the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem is portrayed with singing, ballet folklorico entertainment, a candlelight procession on Los Angeles' first main street, Olvera Street, and a children’s piñata breaking each evening.

• Call (213) 485-8372 for more information. TDD (213) 978-3231
• All events are FREE and open to the public

Memo to Pope Francis: Catholic women do more than bear kids

To the Los Angeles Times editor (Opinion): Applause to Candida Moss and Joel Baden for calling out Pope Francis on his depiction of women as valuable only as child bearers. As a nun and justice advocate for almost 50 years, I praise the varied contributions of women religious who have led our world and church in education, healthcare, and social services for those who live on the margins of society. See "Pope Francis' woman problem" (Op-Ed, Dec. 7), Related

• Buddhism and Gender? (SUNY Press)

I hope and pray that Francis will soon acknowledge women "as being intrinsically and equally valuable; regardless of their familial role or fertility." That is a Post-Vatican II mantra that Francis needs to proclaim from St. Peter's chair. - Judy Molosky, Los Angeles. More
 

To the editor: Moss' and Baden's op-ed article was published on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Submit a Letter to the Editor