Going Native

All Covered Up in Cairo

Dear Imaginary World Travelers,

If you are a woman and you want to enter a public mosque, your arms, legs, body, and head must all be covered, but your shoes must be off.
I guess Allah only likes clean feet. Shoes stay outside.
The Muslims are extremely modest and covered up, not just in the mosques, but also on the street. I am OK with modesty, however...

Muslim women are required to pray upstairs out of view in the mosque, lest their presence distract the men.
As far as I know, women are not allowed to be the Iman, nor sing the call to prayer.

As an American feminist, it is vaguely similar to the Catholic Church I grew up in the sixties.
Before we call the Muslims behind the times, let's ask ourselves why women are still not allowed to be Catholic priests in America.
Not much has changed since the days when I was a little girl in America, wearing a veil atop my head and modest clothing to Church every Sunday. 

Considering that American society has loosened up greatly when it comes to gay marriage, women holding office in Congress, acceptance of abortion under certain circumstances, and widespread use of birth control, why are women still not allowed to be Catholic priests, when men are not exactly clamoring to join up?

Traditional religions often discriminate against women, even in this day and age. And it is time it stopped.

Yours very truly,
Patsie

Mission Dolores

Dear Traveling Friends,

Do you know why a neighborhood in San Francisco is named The Mission? It is because a very old mission church, Mission Dolores, is located there. Above is the new cathedral built next door.

Painted ceiling inside the Mission Dolores.

This graveyard was featured in the Hitchcock movie Vertigo.

The nave of Mission Dolores.

The modern day basilica is on the right and the original mission is on the left.

An Indian tepee located in the mission's graveyard, as if to symbolize all the dead Indians who died of  diseases carried by the missionaries, such as smallpox and measles.

A Statue of St. Francis, for whom the Franciscan Order of monks are named.

Mission Dolores, facade.

I have tried to visit as many of the California missions as possible. They are so charming, and full of hand painted decor. As you walk through them, you can almost hear the whispers of a million prayers uttered over the centuries.

Your Imaginary Pilgrim,

Patsie