Daughter of Argentinian Priest Speaks Out: "When Carlos Gamboa and the Church He Represents Talk About 'Yes to Life,'" What Do They Mean by That?

The following is the testimony of Agustina Maria Gamboa Arias, a young woman who was fathered by — but never supported or acknowledged publicly by — an Argentinian priest, Carolos Gamboa, who recently went on Argentinian television to speak out against a bill to legalize abortion, stating, "Every life is worthy," and that all children who are alive deserve support:

Argentina Protests Violence Against Women, Pope Francis Pushes Gender Complementarity: Need for New Catholic Witness re: Gender, Sexual Orientation, and Violence vs. Women and Children

How one tweet about femcide sparked a movement in Argentina: http://t.co/jfMao6oqWf #NiUnaMenos pic.twitter.com/7oO8FZw5mH

— The Cut (@TheCut) June 16, 2015

In a comment here yesterday, Rachel pointed to the importance of the huge campaign now underway in Argentina to protest violence against women. As she pointed out, this campign is especially important since violence threatens not only women but men and children as well — and "as a social problem, can lead to exposure of patterns of domination as criminal acts."

Pope Francis and His Shadow: Milt Priggee Cartoon

The cartoon: Milt Priggee of Cagle Cartoons, by way of Truthdig.

Pope Francis and Gay Marriage: More Valuable Commentary

And, to complement what I just posted vis-a-vis recent commentary about Pope Francis and the dirty war, here's a selection of recent statements on his response to the Argentinian government's implementation of marriage equality: 

Pope Francis and the Dirty War: Valuable New Commentary

Good commentary on the new pope continues to pour forth. Here are several articles that strike me as particularly valuable--all dealing with questions about the dirty war in Argentina and how the new pope may (or should?) choose to address these questions.

Weekend News: Discussion of Pope Francis and Dirty War a Top Story Worldwide

As the weekend arrives, the story that won't go away remains front and center in news everywhere: what happened in the Argentinian dirty war, and how does that history connect to the promise of reform the new pope Francis is supposed to represent? Lizzie Davies sums up the story for English readers in The Guardian yesterday, noting that the papal press spokesperson Fr. Lombardi is blaming "anti-clerical, leftwing" critics of the pope for circulating the story.

Pope Francis: More Testimony to Be Considered

And yet more commentary--this by way of corroboration of the primary testimony of the three key pieces of testimony to which I just pointed readers, which have caused me to stop and listen (and keep praying and hoping, even as I refuse to shut down my mind and to silence the voice of my conscience):

Commentary on New Pope: Three Voices That Stand Out for Me

Amidst the torrent of commentary that has appeared in the last two days about the new pope, several pieces have stuck out for me. I'd like to point readers to them today, with some notes about why they've caught my attention--and, in contrast to much I've been reading about these matters, have caused me to keep thinking and asking questions that, in my view, I need to ask, if I'm faithful to my calling as a Christian and a theologian.

The Symbolic Imperative of the Papacy Under Pope Francis: Kenotic Atonement

As often happens, I’m feeling considerably out of step with much that’s being said following the election of Cardinal Bergoglio as pope yesterday. As a result, I hesitate to write about this topic today. What if I’m entirely wrong-headed, and misleading people who read what I write here? (But, then, if they had any sense, they surely wouldn’t be taking my flounderings at understanding and finding any path at all in the wilderness as gospel, would they?)

John Allen on Background of Pope Francis

John Allen's write-up on Cardinal Bergoglio at NCR: according to Allen,