While researching a piece about dominant culture and voices, I came across old writings and references to the ‘Holy Spirit’–specifically, that it was originally known as the feminine aspect of God.

Being of Spanish and Italian descent, where Catholicism is deeply embedded in the culture, and someone who attended Catholic schools from kindergarten all the way to 12th grade, I don’t recall any priest, administrator, teacher, or nun ever mentioning this. Maybe they just didn’t know.

When I look back now at the institution that is the Catholic church– with the horrific abuses, human violations, not to mention the wars it fueled and led, any reasonable person has to wonder where the Holy Spirit was in all that– and the answer is that it was “not there”–yet– in other words, it was not allowed to emerge or be visible then.