Don’t touch our women

 “priest rapping native women” generally directs towards information regarding either a 

“rapping priest” who spreads the gospel through rap music, or the historical and ongoing issue of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy against Native American women, often within the context of institutions like residential schools. 

Priests and Rap Music

Several Catholic priests have gained attention for using rap music as an unconventional way to preach the gospel:

  • Father Paul Ogalo (“Sweet Paul”): A popular Kenyan priest who was suspended by the Catholic Church for one year in 2018 because the use of rap music in preaching was not permitted in his diocese.
  • Father Stan Fortuna: A founding member of the Community of Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in the Bronx, New York, who is an internationally known musician and “rapping priest”. 

Clergy Abuse and Native American Women

The query also intersects with the severe and historical issue of sexual abuse committed by clergy within Native American communities:

  • Historical Context: The systemic rape and sexual abuse of Native women was an integral strategy of conquest during European colonization and continued in church-run institutions like the US and Canadian Indian residential schools.
  • Trauma and Investigation: Documentaries and news reports have highlighted cases where Indigenous children, particularly girls, were subjected to routine physical and sexual abuse at these schools, leading to generational trauma.
  • Ongoing Issues: The high rates of violence against Native American women today are linked to these historical colonial roots and the ongoing impunity often enjoyed by perpetrators. Scholars and advocates continue to confront this issue, with the U.S. Catholic bishops recently approving new guidelines for ministering to Indigenous Catholics and acknowledging the negative history. 

Due to the sensitivity of the topic, resources are available for victims of abuse:

  • The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition (NABS) provides data and resources for those affected by residential school trauma on their website.
  • Resources for general information and support regarding clergy sexual abuse can be found on sites like the USCCB website or by contacting local law enforcement. 

The phrase “priest rapping native women” generally points to two separate topics highlighted in news and social discourse:

  • Rape and sexual abuse of Native women by priests: This refers to the historical and ongoing pattern of abuse within Catholic Indian boarding schools in North America and in Indigenous communities globally.
  • A “rapping priest” and Native women in hip-hop:This refers to Catholic priests who use rap music to preach or Indigenous women who are involved in the rap music scene. 

Sexual Abuse in Indigenous Communities

Multiple reports and sources document extensive sexual abuse of Native American and First Nations women and children by Catholic priests and other clergy, particularly within the residential or boarding school systems in the US and Canada. 

  • Historical Context: During colonization, the sexual abuse of Native women was a systemic issue, used as a strategy of conquest and control. Christian ministers contributed to the stereotyping of Native women that normalized violence against them.
  • Boarding Schools: Survivors and documentaries have shed light on the physical and sexual abuse that Indigenous children routinely faced in these institutions, run by church and government alliances.
  • Ongoing Trauma: The historical trauma continues to impact Native communities and is considered a factor in the ongoing high rates of violence against Indigenous women, as well as the impunity for their attackers.
  • Church Response: The Catholic Church and the Pope have issued apologies for the abuses committed in these schools, but victims’ advocates often describe the actions taken as insufficient to fully address the scale of the harm. 

Rapping Priests and Native Women Rappers

The phrase also brings up references to music:

  • Rapping Priests: Certain Catholic priests have gained media attention for using rap music as a method of evangelism.
    • Father Paul Ogalo, known as “Sweet Paul,” was a popular priest in Kenya suspended by the Catholic Church for using rap music during sermons.
    • Father Stan Fortuna is an American “rapping priest” and musician from the Bronx, known for using a “rhythm and rhyme” style in his ministry.
  • Native Women in Hip-Hop: There are Indigenous artists who use hip-hop to express their experiences and address issues facing their communities, such as missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW). These artists often blend traditional music with contemporary rap. 

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