Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Article on Blog about women priests and feminism

http://spirituallemons.blogspot.com/2009/12/religious-feminism.html

"However, it seems that the Spirit is calling women anyway. World-wide there are over 100 Roman Catholic (RC) women ordained under the auspices of RCWP (Roman Catholic Women Priests) and more in the process.They are forming communities; they are ordained from both canonical and non-canonical communities; their bishops are pastoral not administrative; they utilize a consensus model of decision-making and democratic processes. "Our goal is a new model of ordained ministry in a renewing Roman Catholic Church," according to Bridget Mary Meehan, Bishop of Southern Region, RCWP, former Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister. "

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Article by Author James Carroll on Church's rightward turn

Does God Hate the Kennedys
by James Carroll
November 28, 2009

"How reactionary has the Catholic hierarchy become? Let me count the ways:
• Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence “respectfully” tells Congressman Patrick Kennedy to refrain from receiving communion, a harbinger of what every pro-choice or pro-gay-marriage Catholic politician faces.
• Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington threatens to cancel Catholic provision of services to the homeless and poor if the D.C. City Council passes a law giving equal rights to gays. .."

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-28/the-vatican-goes-rogue/

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Homily for the First Sunday of Advent-Cycle C by Roberta M. Meehan, rcwp

Homily for the First Sunday of Advent
– Cycle C –
29 November 2009
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14
1 Thessalonians 3:12 – 4:2
Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

It is often said that the key to the central theme of the readings can be found in the Psalm. This is usually true. Sometimes, however, this key is a bit hidden. That is what we are faced with today – an almost hidden theme, hidden right in plain sight! Let us start by looking at the first line of the Psalm. “Your ways, O God, make known to me….” Now, that seems like a rather straight-forward verse. And, on the surface it is. We need to keep it in mind, however, as we go through the readings and try to discern what our theme is for this First Sunday of Advent. Advent should be a happy time because we already know the story. We may be waiting for Jesus – but he is already here! We have cause to rejoice. Advent is for rejoicing! Indeed, this upbeat idea fits right into today’s readings! And, this idea is in that first line of the Psalm too. “Your ways, O God, make known to me.” What are these ways and are they really joyful? Let us examine each of the readings and see. The readings are all about our learning and knowing the ways of the Lord, which is the plea of the Psalm. And each reading is up lifting and happy. In the reading from Jeremiah, God says, “The days are coming when I will fulfill the promise I made to the House of Israel and Judah….In those days Judah shall be safe and Jerusalem shall dwell secure.” God also promises a leader who will do all that is right and just. Those sound like rather exciting promises! Imagine the land safe and secure. Imagine not having to worry about anything that is not right or just and leaders who practice these virtues in all things. This definitely fits the plea of the Psalm. This is certainly very positive. The second reading, from the First Letter to the Thessalonians, is a direct answer to the cry of the Psalm. “May God make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all…to be blameless in holiness before our God….(We) ask and exhort you…(that)…you should conduct yourselves to please God….” These are the same directives – the same ways o fGod – that are found throughout Scripture, particularly the New Testament. Definitely positive. The Gospel from Luke also answers the query about the ways of God and specifically mentions right behavior so that we are not caught by surprise. In this reading, however, the emphasis is on end times and the writing itself is almost apocalyptic in nature as it talks about signs in the skies and disruptions among nations and roaring waves and the coming of the Son of Man. Even so, we are prepared so again we have a positive and exciting message. So, if we look at a succinct overview of what we have here, we see that we are looking for the way of God. We see the promise and what will happen when God reigns in Jeremiah; we see the directives of Jesus (albeit through Paul) in Thessalonians; and we see the warnings of the end times and the coming of the Chosen One in Luke. This seems to be very much of an answer to the plea to be shown the way – right through history, from the prophets, through Jesus, to the end. And it is all there for our happiness, for our benefit. What about this first Sunday of Advent though? How does this fit – both with the theme and with the statement earlier that Advent is a time of rejoicing? Advent should be a time of excitement, of exhilaration! We know the end of the story! We know Jesus has already come! This is not a time for being morose. We are getting ready for a birthday party! Everyone know how exciting it is to prepare for a birthday party! People are happy. They are singing. They are wrapping gifts. They are decorating. Why does the church think advent must be so somber? What is wrong with Christmas Carols during Advent? Nothing, I say! We’re getting ready for a wonderful birthday party. We know the story of Advent. We know about waiting for the Messiah. Well, here in our readings today we have the whole story! We have the initial promise, the basic rules for doing what pleases God, and the final coming. What more could we ask for? Why are we glum during Advent? I have never understood that. And I am excited that this year I have heard a number of people wishing each other a “Happy Advent!” Indeed, it should be a Happy Advent!! We know the whole story! We know how the story will end for each of us individually and we know how it will end for the world. Our individual ends are in sight; the end of the world is probably several million years in the future. Regardless, we must still be prepared. And, we do have those directions. So we should rejoice. At least that old stand by “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” has the word “rejoice” in it – even if too many people do sing it like a funeral dirge! So, what is Advent really about? Advent is a reenactment of the wait for the Messiah. The Messiah is already here; Advent is a reminder, a reenactment. It is also a time for planning a birthday party. Let us rejoice that Jesus has come as promised. Let us rejoice that we know the story. Let us rejoice that we are each invited to take part in his birthday celebration. The actual wait was over 2000 years ago. Let us reenact the wait but let us do so with a sense of jubilation because he did come and he is still here among us. Oh, and have a very Happy Advent!!
Roberta M. Meehan, rcwp

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Mary, Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community worships at St. Andrew UCC in Sarasota, Dec.-April

http://www.marymotherofjesus.org/

Mary, Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community You are invited to celebrate inclusive Catholic Liturgy with us on Sat. evenings at 6:00pm from Dec.- April at St. Andrew UCC 6908 Beneva Rd. Sarasota, Florida 34238 We are a community of equals where all are welcome to come and celebrate God's extravagant love in our midst We are passionate about loving God living Jesus' call to Gospel equality and justice.
For more information,
email Bridget Mary at sofiabmm@aol.com
email Mike Ridgon at mikerigdon.verizon.net

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Ireland /Dublin Archdiocese Covered up child sexual abuse/Catholic Church laws facilitated cover-up by hierarchy

Dublin Archdiocese Commission Report- Links and Conclusion

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1126/Partone.pdf

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1126/Parttwo.pdf

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1126/appendices.pdf

Conclusion

"1.113 The Commission has no doubt that clerical child sexual abuse was covered up by the Archdiocese of Dublin and other Church authorities over much of the period covered by the Commission‟s remit. The structures and rules of the Catholic Church facilitated that cover-up. The State authorities facilitated the cover up by not fulfilling their responsibilities to ensure that the law was applied equally to all and allowing the Church institutions to be beyond the reach of the normal law enforcement processes. The welfare of children, which should have been the first priority, was not even a factor to be considered in the early stages. Instead the focus was on the avoidance of scandal and the preservation of the good name, status and assets of the institution and of what the institution regarded as its most important members – the priests. In the mid 1990s, a light began to be shone on the scandal and the cover up. Gradually, the story has unfolded. It is the responsibility of the State to ensure that no similar institutional immunity is ever allowed to occur again. This can be ensured only if all institutions are open to scrutiny and not accorded an exempted status by any organs of the State."

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: "Continous Communion" Reflection by Ed Hays in NCR

Continuous Communion

by Ed Hays on Nov. 25, 2009
"Life is perpetual communion. First, you are constantly in communion with your feelings, thoughts, and yourself. Further, you are endlessly in communion with others in conscious and unconscious ways...Holy Communion is more than simply another religious ritual; it is the model for and the definition of all life. So ask yourself, “Am I self-excommunicated?”"

http://ncronline.org/blogs/spiritual-reflections/continuous-communion

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Roman Catholic Canon Law Favors Abusive Priests/Vatican Stonewalls / Irish Times Editorial and Other links/Murphy Report

"Canon law, which favors abusers over abused, has contributed in a malign way. In future, there can be no ambiguity concerning criminal acts and church cover-ups that pervert the course of justice. These offences are equally unacceptable.Archbishop Diarmuid Martin is to be commended for making diocesan files available to the commission against the wishes of his predecessor. But a studied silence by Vatican authorities and by the Apostolic Nuncio to recent requests from the Murphy commission for any additional information they might hold concerning child sexual abuse in Dublin will feed suspicion that the church remains fixated on protecting its tattered image."

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/1127/1224259545409.html

Read the complete Editorial in today's Irish Times regarding the latest report
on abuse by priests in Ireland. The Murphy report itself contains grim evidence of
an appalling legacy of abuse. If you want to read the Murphy Report, you'll find the
link on the RHS of the home page http://www.justice.ie/

Bishops covered up priests child abuse
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_IRELAND_CATHOLIC_ABUSE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-11-26-18-12-53

November 26, 2009

Experts: Bishops covered up priests' child abuse

By SHAWN POGATCHNIK
Associated Press Writer

EXCERPT:

"Roman Catholic Church leaders in Dublin spent decades sheltering child-abusing priests from the law and most fellow clerics turned a blind eye, an investigation ordered by Ireland's government concluded Thursday. ... investigators found, successive archbishops and their senior deputies - among them qualified lawyers - already had compiled confidential files on more than 100 parish priests who had sexually abused children since 1940. Those files had remained locked in the Dublin archbishop's private vault."

My Comment:
When will the Catholic family, the people of God, say "enough is enough"? This is our church! When will the people refuse to allow church leaders to cover up criminal activity of their clergy? When will the Irish state stop treating the Catholic church with deference?
We, the people of God, are the church. All of us are equals by our baptism.
It is our beloved family that has been torn apart by these clergy crimes and by the bishops' cover-ups.I hope the anger generated by this appalling cover-up by the Dublin hierarchy, will lead people of Ireland to a tipping point- a call to action.

What can be done?

We must change the clerical culture and empower the people of God in local communities with oversight review and decision-making power in the Roman Catholic Church. Christ calls all of us to be disciples to live the Gospel. Therefore, we are all co-responsible for the welfare of the Catholic family. In my view, it is also time to reclaim our ancient Celtic tradition of women priests and married priests in a more open, transparent, inclusive Catholic church, where all are welcome and all are accountable. Let us look to the partnership model set by St. Brigit and Bishop Conleth who co-administered the large Kildare monastic community.
Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp
sofiabmm@aol.com
www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Roman Catholic Womenpriests Support Patrick Kennedy and all Legislators Who Are Being Banned from Communion

For Immediate Release
Roman Catholic WomenPriests Support Patrick Kennedy and all Legislators Who Are Being Banned from Communion

Contact: Eileen DiFranco, East Region Administrator
267-258-6966
emdifranco@aol.com

Roman Catholic Women Priests stand on the side of all of their Roman Catholic sisters and brothers who are being denied the Eucharist by their local bishops. The Eucharist is not a weapon that should be used by anyone to punish our sisters and brothers in Christ. To deny people the Eucharist is to deny them spiritual sustenance and food for their journey. It also denigrates the Body and Blood of Christ.

Jesus directed those who would follow him to forgive seventy times seven. As he wrote the sins of the righteous in the sand, Jesus stated unequivocally, “Let the person who is without sin cast the first sin.” Jesus, the One who lived among us as our Emmanuel, does not require protection from frail human beings, all of whom have fallen short of the glory of God. It is the Word of God and not the words of the bishops that we acknowledge at Mass.

RWCP requests that the American bishops cease and desist from fatally wounding the Body of Christ. We ask all people of good will to understand that best Christian practices do not include exclusion but rather love and forgiveness.

RCWP welcomes all people to the altar of God in their respective communities. You will be welcomed with hospitality and good will. Please check our website www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org for a community near you.

Roman Catholic Womenpriest s: "Women Religious NOT complying with Vatican Study" National Catholic Reporter News

Women religious not complying with Vatican study
"There's been almost universal resistance. We are saying 'enough!' "
http://ncronline.org/news/women/women-religious-not-complying-vatican-study

Article by Tom Fox, Nov. 24, 2009
"There's been almost universal resistance," said one women religious familiar with the responses compiled by the congregation leaders. "We are saying 'enough!' In my 40 years in religious life I have never seen such unanimity."
"Some of the women interviewed by NCR cite an irony involved in the investigation. One said that it is "unlikely the Vatican wanted us to come out of this being more confident of our identity as self-defining religious agents, but that is exactly what has happened."


Bridget Mary's Comment:
The women religious stand on the prophetic edge as gutsy women, unafraid of speaking truth to power- this time to the oppressive power of the Vatican. Women religious are using their gifts to build a more just, peaceful world rooted in Gospel values-- whether or not the Vatican likes it. The people in the pews are with you! Thank you.
Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Ordination of Deacon Theresa Novak Chabot from New Hampshire on Nov. 21, 2009

In this photo, newly ordained deacon, Theresa Novak Chabot sets the table for the Eucharistic banquet.

Bishop Andrea Johnson presents new Deacon Theresa Novak Chabot to Assembly






In her homily, Bishop Andrea Johnson reflected on this historical ordination:
"This is a pivotal crossroads in Theresa’s life, and in the life of the Roman Catholic Church in New Hampshire. Theresa has come here to state publicly her submission to God’s call to ordination, and to offer her life in service to God’s people as an ordained minister, called forth from the community."

Roman Catholic Womenpriests :Homily by Bishop Andrea Johnson at Ordination of Theresa Novak Chabot as Deacon

Homily For Diaconal Ordination of Theresa Novak Chabot
Saturday, November 21, 2009

Andrea M. Johnson

Today is a day of great joy for all of us as we gather to witness the ordination to the order of deacon of Theresa Novak Chabot. For Theresa, it is a day of fulfillment and of affirmation of a call she has been discerning over many years of listening to the voice of God in the many experiences and people she has encountered on her journey. It is equally a day of great promise for her ministry yet to come!

This is a pivotal crossroads in Theresa’s life, and in the life of the Roman Catholic Church in New Hampshire. Theresa has come here to state publicly her submission to God’s call to ordination, and to offer her life in service to God’s people as an ordained minister, called forth from the community.

Theresa has carefully chosen readings from the scriptures for today’s celebration of her yes to God. Her choice of Isaiah 61 confirms for us her clear understanding of her call to serve all God’s people, especially those who are marginalized or suffering. Theresa is clear about God’s abiding presence in all of the circumstances in her own life, and she is mindful that everything that has gone before has been for a purpose – preparing her for this day – and for moving forward in service. She is grateful that she has been blessed with many gifts to share. She feels particularly blessed to be called to serve the people of New Hampshire who, as God’s people everywhere, need to be welcomed into an inclusive and nurturing Catholic community. The meaning of anointing as described in Isaiah 61 is not lost on Theresa. She affirms it as nothing less than being chosen to effect the lifting up and empowerment of people. What a blessing her ordination offers to the Catholic community in New Hampshire!

I must tell you that we in Roman Catholic Womenpriests rejoice in Theresa’s ordination as much as you do. The empowerment of God’s people, particularly the most marginalized, is what our work within the Roman Catholic Church is all about. It is our heartsong! Roman Catholic Womenpriests is about singing a new song to our God – about singing a new church into being. For many years now, many in the Roman Catholic Church have recognized that the ordained ministry in our church has lacked integrity. Many wonderful women and men have prepared themselves, and have offered their gifts of pastoral ministry. But, they have had to “color within the lines” (i.e., accept the roles pre-determined for them by a patriarchal structure that, quite frankly, has been willing to use the gifts of women without offering them a share in the full sacramental and decision-making roles that rightly belong to pastoring). Pastoral ministers in the Roman Catholic Church – women and men – have been required to fulfill their calls within the structures mandated by decision-makers who represent only the viewpoint of ordained men. The initiative called Roman Catholic Womenpriests has intervened to challenge that process! In that light, I take particular delight in Theresa’s choice of gospel reading for today’s liturgy. This stunning passage about the woman with the flow of blood is all about challenging the ground rules! Throughout the gospels, typically a story of healing by Jesus involves Jesus laying hands on people who need healing. This alone was shocking to many, especially when women were involved. But this (quote/unquote unclean) woman took the initiative. She had the audacity to touch Jesus! Note that she also took responsibility for her action! Theresa chose this gospel reading because she clearly understands that she is taking the initiative in the face of stone-walling by the Roman Catholic authorities. She is taking the initiative to say yes to God’s call. Theresa clearly understands what she is undertaking by being ordained into Roman Catholic Womenpriests. She knows that in joining RCWP, she is moving from strategy into prophetic action – from waiting for God to make her path smooth and comfortable to accepting the pilgrim’s walk on the bumpy road, with all its attendant consequences.

Like Isaiah, Theresa understands her prophetic role as empowerer of God’s people. She leads by example! Like the hemorrhaging woman, Theresa is a bold and prophetic and faith-filled initiator of God’s reign of justice and peace. As Roman Catholic Womenpriests-USA, it is our joy to welcome her as a sister pilgrim on the way.

Let me close with Theresa’s own words in praise of our faithful and loving God, who never asks more of us than we can give:

Let me take the chance to climb the mountain,
beginning at the base.
I look up and cannot see the summit,
but know it is there,
For I have been called by God.

*********************

For the Spirit of God is upon me,
and I state boldly, “Here I am.”
Whatever else could I say?
I have been called by God.

Amen.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests :Fr. Roy Bourgeois, supporter of women priests, nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

(Left to Right, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Bishop Dana Reynolds, Janice Sevre-Duszynska
on Aug. 9, 2008 at Janice's priestly ordination)
Father Roy Bourgeois and SOA Watch Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize
Father Roy Bourgeois, MM, and School of the Americas Watch (SOA Watch) have been nominated for one of the most prestigious awards in the world - the Nobel Peace Prize - for their sustained faithful nonviolent witness against the disappearances, torture, and murder of hundreds of thousands of civilians (peasants, community and union organizers, clerics, missionaries, educators, and health workers) by foreign military personnel trained by the U.S. military at U.S. taxpayer expense at the School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Georgia.

The candidacy of Father Roy and SOA Watch for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize has been officially submitted to the Nobel Committee in Oslo, Norway by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. The official announcement was made by AFSC representative John Meyer on Sunday, November 22 at 9am at the gates of Fort Benning (home of the School of the Americas) during the annual November vigil to close the SOA.

"We are deeply honored, and deeply humbled, to be nominated for this prize for peace," commented Bourgeois, a Vietnam veteran, Purple Heart recipient and a Catholic priest, who helped found SOA Watch. "This nomination is a recognition of the work of the thousands struggling against militarism across the Americas."

SOA Watch is a nonviolent grassroots movement that works through creative protest and resistance, legislative and grassroots media work to stand in solidarity with the people of Latin America, to close the School of the Americas (renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation) and to change oppressive U.S. foreign policy that institutions like the SOA/ WHINSEC represent.

This weekend, SOA Watch is gathering by the thousands at the gates of Ft. Benning to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the killings of 14-year-old Celia Ramos, her mother Elba Ramos, and the six Jesuit priests she worked with at the Central American University in San Salvador in November 1989. Human rights defenders from Colombia and Bertha Oliva, founder of human rights organization COFADEH, Committee of Family Members of the Detained and Disappeared in Honduras, which has been actively resisting the SOA graduate-led coup as part of the resistance front.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams Confronts Pope Benedict-Would Jesus Confront Pope Benedict on women priests?

"The Vatican says its invitation came in response to pleas from Anglicans unhappy about the imminent consecration of women bishops.

Speaking after meeting the Pope, Dr Williams told Vatican Radio: 'I wanted to express some of my concerns about the way in which the announcement of the Constitution had been handled and received because clearly many Anglicans, myself included, felt thatit put us in an awkward position."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1229923/Rowan-Williams-confronts-Pope-poaching-clergy.html#ixzz0XYr7WTV8

Bridget Mary's Comment:
Pope Benedict should have apologized to Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams for the Vatican's lack of openness, dialogue and consultation. How would Pope Benedict feel if the Anglican Archbishop had swooped in and announced the conversion of Roman Catholics to the Anglican Church?
Pope Benedict should also apologize to the world's women for the Roman Catholic Church's ongoing discrimination against women priests and women bishops. I do not understand how a church, rooted in the Gospel, can act in a manner so out of sync with Jesus' example. The Risen Christ appeared first to Mary of Magdala and called her to proclaim the Good News to the male apostles. Therefore, Mary of Magdala was chosen by Christ to be the apostle to the apostles. Why doesn' the Vatican get it?
If Jesus treated women and men as equals, how can Pope Benedict justify the Roman Catholic Church's discrimination against women priest and bishops?
He can't. The good news is that mainstream Catholics are embracing Roman Catholic Womenpriests as their pastors. Why? They want a church that follows Jesus' example.
Ask yourself, would Jesus confront Pope Benedict for discriminating against women priests and bishops? It's a no-brainer! Read the Gospels. Study the tradition. For twelve hundred years, women were ordained deacons, priests and bishops. The real question is why is it taking the Roman Catholic Church so long to catch up with Jesus and its own tradition?
Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp
sofiabmm@aol.com

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Anglican Archbishop tells Pope: there will be no turning back on women priests"

Archbishop tells Pope: there will be no turning back on women priests
Ruth Gledhill and Richard Owen in Rome

"The Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday made his most outspoken challenge to the Roman Catholic Church since the Pope invited disaffected Anglicans to switch to Rome.
Speaking before he meets Benedict XVI tomorrow, Dr Rowan Williams told a conference in Rome that the Catholic Church’s refusal to ordain women was a bar to Christian unity."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6923807.ece

Bridget Mary Meehan's comment:
Three cheers for Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams' challenge to Pope Benedict: -women priests are here to stay! So are Roman Catholic Womenpriests here to stay! Roman Catholic Womenpriests are growing in numbers and on the move in the Roman Catholic Church. See map below indicating growth in the United States. We love our church and are working to renew it in grassroots inclusive communities where all are welcome at the table. Now wouldn't it be wonderful if more of our bishops, like Bishop Tom Gumbleton of the United States and Bishop Willie Walsh of Ireland, would advocate for women's ordination in the Roman Catholic Church. Let's pray that many bishops worldwide will take a page out of their books, and speak up as prophets for justice and equality for women in the Roman Catholic Church. After all, women are half of the population!

Article on Roman Catholic Bishops:
Bishops Try to Reassert Control of a Restive Flock
by DAVID GIBSON
BALTIMORE -- The leader of the Catholic hierarchy in the United States on Monday launched a new effort to rein in Catholic debates and dissidents and to remind the flock that the bishops will be the arbiters of what it means to be a Catholic.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/11/17/bishops-try-to-reassert-control-of-a-restive-flock/

Bridget Mary Meehan's Comment:
No amount of power and control tactics will stop the Holy Spirit, Bishops! Let go and let God move among the Catholic family. Ask yourselves, what would Jesus do? His harshest criticism was against the religious leaders of the time who tried to control the people of God! Our Roman Catholic Womenpriests were in Baltimore where the USCCB met this week. Some of you were fortunate enough to receive prayer cards for vocations to a renewed priestly ministry. (See story below about Suzanne Thiel, rcwp sharing Prayer for Vocations with U.S. Bishops)
All Roman Catholics are equal members of the church by their baptism. The hierarchy does not own the "franchise" or the name, "Roman Catholic". Let us pray for a deeper awareness of teachings of Vatican 11 --that the people of God are the church. The hierarchy's role is not to dominate or control the movement of the Holy Spirit within the community, but to serve as Jesus did.
We are beloved sisters and brothers. It is time for the whole Catholic family to own our identity and live our tradition. Let us be open and work together to heal the wounds of divisiveness. May we be united in prayer and loving service to God's people and follow the example of Jesus in our work for justice and equality in our world.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Map - Red dots represent locations of womenpriests in the U. S.

Left to right: Andrea Johnson, rcwp (bishop of Eastern region), Zemaya Jones, (representative of Living Water Inclusive Catholic Community , Catonsville, MD. woman on right, name unknown)
Roman Catholic Womenpriests and CORPUS (association of married priests) witnessed on our behalf at the recent USCCB meeting on Wednesday of this week. The red dots on the map represent all of our ordained women.
Click on photo to enlarge.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests Share Our Prayer for Vocations and Map where RCWP Serve With U.S. Catholic Bishops at Meeting in Baltimore

Suzanne Thiel, rcwp, with new banner showcasing
our loving service to God's people. Click on picture to enlarge.

Left to right:Fred Ruof, a married priest, Andrea Johnson, rcwp, bishop of eastern region,
and Zemaya Jones, representing Living Waters Inclusive Catholic Community
in Catonsville, near Baltimore, MD. (co-pastors Gloria Carpeneto, rcwp and
Andrea Johnson, rcwp)
If you click on the map above, you will see red dots that indicate where there are womenpriests-led communities in the United States.


Left to right; Bill Manseau, married priest and president of
The Federation of Christian Ministries and prominent
leader in CORPUS, a married priest advocacy community,
Suzanne Thiel, rcwp, Andrea Johnson rcwp, and Zemaya Jones, ( Living Waters Inclusive Catholic Community)
Unidentified man

On Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 Suzanne Thiel,a Roman Catholic Womanpriest from our Western Region, distributed our Year of the Priest- Prayer for Vocations to some of the bishops who were attending the United States Catholic Bishops' meeting in Baltimore.

Suzanne was able to share the prayer cards with the bishops during their lunch break.Only one bishop responded negatively. He yelled, " wait a minute!" This did not slow down Suzanne. She continued to move from table to table, smiling graciously at each bishop as she placed the vocation prayer in his hands.

Then, on Wednesday, Nov. 18th, several representatives of Catholic renewal organizations gathered together outside the hotel including Bill Manseau, a married priest who is president of the Federation of Christian Ministries, Fred Ruof, a prominent elder and leader of justice and peace causes in the Baltimore area, Zemaya Jones, a representative from Living Waters Inclusive Catholic Community in Catonsville, Andrea Johnson, Roman Catholic Womanbishop of the Eastern region and (co-pastor with Gloria Carpeneto, rcwp of Living Waters Inclusive Catholic Comunity) and Suzanne Thiel, rcwp. They held up banners including a map with red dots indicating the states where Roman Catholic Womenpriests serve the Catholic family in the United States.
(Click on the map with red dots, to enlarge the photo and see the places in the United States where Roman Catholic Womenpriests serve)
Then at lunch time, our womenpriests, accompanied by their companions, came into the hotel, took off their coats and sat at a table near the bishops. According to one report, the male bishops practiced custody of the eyes when the women took off their coats and their clerical collars became visible!
Just in case, any bishop missed out on receiving a copy of our rcwp prayer the day before, Suzanne took one final stroll through the dining area where the bishops were seated. She was even able to catch the bishops as they left the hotel on their way to the airport! Unforgettable encounters!

I hope our bishops will join us in the prayer for vocations and "practice the equality that Jesus modeled to embrace all women and men whom you have gifted for sacramental ministry."
On one side of our vocation prayer is the text below. On the other side of our vocation prayer is a colorful collage of pictures depicting Roman Catholic Womenpriests serving the people of God (similar to banner above) that is entitled:

Ordained Women are serving the People of God.

If you want this prayer for your local parish, diocese, or community, contact Suzanne Thiel at suzthiel@yahoo.com,

Year of the Priest
Roman Catholic Womenpriests' Prayer for Vocations to the Priesthood

Ever present God; open the hearts and minds of all people,
and inspire us to use the unique gifts you have given us for loving service to each other.
We pray especially now, for those women whose gifts are best suited to serve your Church as ordained priests.
Empower them with the courage as they answer your call and strengthen them for humble service, great compassion, and insightful wisdom.
Support them through their ministries and enlighten the leadership of your Church to practice the equality that Jesus modeled to embrace all women and men whom you have gifted for sacramental service.
Strengthen your Holy Spirit within those you have chosen for priestly ministry.
May they answer your call and follow with generous hearts.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, who called Mary Magdalene and Phoebe- as well as Peter and Paul- to be ministers in the early Christian communities. Amen.

www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "RCWP: A Renewed Model of Ordained Ministry in a Renewed Church" by Dr. Patricia Fresen

Bishop Patricia Fresen was one of the women bishops ordained by
a male Roman Catholic bishop with apostolic succession. He told Patricia
that he ordained her to promote justice for women in the church.

RCWP: A RENEWED MODEL OF ORDAINED MINISTRY

IN A RENEWED CHURCH

(Patricia Fresen)

This renewed model of ordained ministry is part of the great post-modern paradigm-shift in which the earth, the world and the church are involved.

As the church changes, we need a model of ministry that fits into the model towards which the church is being led. The people of God are moving ahead of the official church in this regard, towards a church of the people rather than a clerical church. Therefore we in RCWP try to avoid clericalism. We do not want to join the “clerical caste” with the negative implications of this. So we cherish a community-based, inclusive model of servant-leadership. This implies simplicity in vestments and liturgical vessels, and also in our attitudes and behaviour. We are called to be women and men of prayer, building into our lives regular times of prayer, reflection and contemplation as well as times of retreat, individual and communal.

Principles:

1. A reflective, contemplative lifestyle which seeks to follow, in prophetic

obedience, where the Spirit leads. We do this individually and together.

2. Servant leadership: empowerment, rather than domination & control

(both within RCWP and in pastoral ministry and relationships).

3. Communitarian rather than hierarchical structures. Leadership elected

by community and constitution written by community.

4. No mandatory celibacy.

5. Inclusiveness: re gender, sexual orientation, other church traditions.

(We try to be consciously ecumenically inclusive at ordinations and

whenever possible. We also include within our RCWP regions, people who are supportive even if they have no intention of ever being ordained, or are already priests.)

6. Separation of administrative and sacramental leadership. Both elected

by community. (Regions are administered by administrator, not bishop.)

7. Accountability of all elected leaders to community (according to agreed

mandate). Financial accountability and transparency.

8. Unity in diversity, rather than uniformity. 

(This applies to our RCWP Regions, which differ from one another, but also to different countries in

 their RCWP “styles” and liturgical expression, e.g. Germany is very different from the

Netherlands and these are both different from Canada,

in the way the Regions function and in the liturgy.) 

9. Justice and human dignity.

10.We are worker-priests, in the sense of being self-supporting & financially independent of hierarchy. (Hopefully, once we are ordained and serving a community, the community will contribute something towards the priest’s income. This is arranged locally.)

11. Understanding chaos as having creative potential: interplay between

chaos and self- organization is part of organic growth.

12. Non-violence & interdependence: earth, human community, churches.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Reflections of a quiet revolutionary: Ida Raming recalls the 'first days' of the movement" Interview by Lorraine Nagy

from left to right, Bishops: Christine
Mayr-Lumetzberger, Patricia Fresen,
Ida Raming at
historic U.S. ordinations of bishops)


Reflections of a quiet revolutionary : Ida Raming recalls the ‘first days’ on the occasion of the ordination of four American bishops: Santa Barbara, California April 20, 2009

Interview and recollections by Lorraine Lynch Nagy

In Santa Barbara, California an historic gathering of the Roman Catholic Womenpriests took place this year on April 19, in a quiet, rustic setting and a small chapel. Within this sacred space the first episcopal ordination within the United States, and the second in history was conducted amid joyous singing and prayer. With full liturgical splendor four women humbly accepted the signs of their calling: a Book of Gospels, ring and cross. Dana Reynolds, Womenpriests’ first American bishop, sent her blessing but was not able to preside. She and her sister bishops in the United States: Bridget Mary Meehan, Joan Houck, Andrea Johnson and Maria Regina Nicolosi have now entered a new stage in the movement, with regional representation and responsibilities for the growing cadre of candidates for the priesthood. I wonder what must have been going through the minds of the presiding bishops during this ceremony. They had come a very long way in a remarkably short time span. Christine Mayr Lumetzberger, Ida Raming and Patrician Fresen stood together at the entrance to the chapel, in readiness for what all realized to be something bigger than themselves or any of the faithful in the pews. These bishops (including Gisela Forster who remained in Germany) were the first to (in the words of the Civil Rights Spiritual) ‘wade in the waters’ of this deeply challenging issue and by doing so to ‘trouble’ the institutional church’s intransigence over who in the world may ‘image Christ’ in the sacrament of Holy Orders. From the ordination of the Danube Seven in 2002 to this ordination of four American womenpriests – now womenbishops-an epic battle has been waged, quietly and with the full weight of the magisterium pitted against the determination of revolutionaries who are equally set to remain with the Catholic Church even as they struggle by example to bring it in line with the inclusive spirit of church of Holy Scriptures. . As they lay prostate before their bishops on that warm spring afternoon in California, these four women, priests since 2005-2006 and veterans each one of them of the struggle to reform ‘from within’ one could feel the energy of a powerful transformation in the making. With this passing down of apostolic succession, a rallying cry for justice, and all of the books , meetings and lectures that prepared for this moment, were quietly transforming them, from prophets to disciples of this vision of a church in the world. . As each was called to give witness to her intention to be consecrated as bishop, the story of 2002-2003 played out in continuity for the movement and its prayerful, spirit filled protest against an unjust exclusion from the priesthood. How did this happen and why now? To answer this question one must follow the journey of those answering this call, and especially those called first. This ceremony was the culmination of thirty years of hard work, painful conflicts and profound personal sacrifices suffered in making this vision of an inclusive priesthood a reality for this generation.

What were these leaders thinking when they set off to take on the Roman Catholic Church on this issue? The many documents written in support of this reform, to include women in sacramental ministry, and the few published historical accounts beg more questions about the motivation of these leaders. In light of the impressive growth of the movement it is obvious that the Womenpriests have touched a deep chord in the religious sensibilities of the faithful. As I followed the intricate liturgy of this episcopal ordination ceremony, I was struck by what I didn’t know about ‘in the beginning’ A brief conversation with Ida Raming at the reception following the service inspired me to learn more. Ida tried to explain more details about the earliest days of their reform efforts, but we were interrupted and could not continue. Quakers use the term, “a leaning” to define moments when the Holy Spirit guides the person to say or act upon an inspiration from within the heart. I had such a ‘leaning’ the next day when I called the house where Ida was staying, and asked to speak with her. She graciously agreed to meet with me for one hour, to finish our conversation of the day before. Fortunately for me, I had the privilege of speaking at length that day with Dagmar Celeste whose experience as one of the ‘Danube Seven’ and comprehensive history of the movement steered me on the right path to getting the answers I sought. There were practical questions to raise in the privacy of guest quarters’ living room, such as how did it come about that Christine, Gisela and Ida (priests from the 2002 Danube ordination and the first to be excommunicated) were within one year approached by three male Roman Catholic bishops in full Apostolic Succession, to enter into ‘full ordination’ as bishops? Whose decision was it to take the their ordination to the next level?

Ida revealed a statement by the ordaining bishop in 2003 that may shed light on his motivation. He told her that these ordinations were part of a larger goal, not about them and their personal calling, but something more. Perhaps in the spirit of a ‘leaning’ for him, he told her, “You must have full ordination, to be able to ordain priests in apostolic succession”. By coming forward to assume this role, she was told, she would be accepting a very difficult mission, to ‘save the Church ‘which in practical terms meant returning to the practices and values of the founders. In ordaining Christine and Gisela, he passed on full power and authority (potestas) to ordain priests, establish communities of faith and nourish those living out this heart wrenching mission. In accordance with canon law, three bishops were needed to perpetuate the movement through the ordination of more womenpriests. It was simply too dangerous for him to continue to do so . Ida was approached to join the rank of bishop at this time but due to reasons of health was unable to do so. Later that same year, 2003, Patricia Fresen accepted ordination and left her Dominican order to work with Gisela in preparing the theological foundation of Womenpriests. & nbsp; Patricia was also told that this ordination was “not about you but for the Church” as she accepted the call to become the third bishop of Womenpriests. The movement then embarked on the next phase, a revolution for women by women and for the ‘good of all the church’.

For Ida, the personal connections worked hand in hand with her academic preparation to mold her image of a Roman Catholic priesthood without the barrier of gender. She understood that the roots of this idea are found in the seminal20documents of Vatican II. In addition to her dissertation, “The Priesthood of Women- God’s Gift to a Renewed Church” her concept was developed under the guidance of leading theologians ( Iris Muller among them) historians (including Dorothy Irwin) who helped her find her way from research to activism.=2 0 What, I asked, what moved you, Ida, to take the actions needed to finally ordain women as priests? Doing so would mean great losses, both personal and career, not to mention the separation from tradition, at the heart of Catholicism? The answer was surprising, as it is a story that is sometimes overlooked in the recounting of what happened between 1975 and the Danube ordination of 2002. In 1994 John Paul II decreed that women were to be permanently barred from the priesthood in that they “did not image Christ”. The irony of this statement struck Ida who knew well of the ordination of women ‘behind the wall’ in Czechoslovakia and in more modern times, the ordination of women within the Anglican Communion. She and others were convinced that women in fact and in history do ‘image Christ’ in sacrament and ministry. This inclusion of women in full sacramental priesthood was for her at the core of church tradition. Starting with the earliest disciples, many of them women, in house churches, living their faith in service to others. In the years leading up to the ordination on the Danube much was being done, to lay the foundation stones, in keeping with earliest church practices. But it was frustrating work, with many disappointments. As in the reformation of the 16 ^th century, the spark that ignited the fires of this revolution came from an academic exercise which put scholars in a direct path of opposition to a top-down clergy dominated ‘imperial’ church. For Ida, Christine and the priest candidates who would follow them, they had all had enough of “no” Once they had exhausted all channels of appeal she perceived that it was their duty to act.

As the story of her own election as bishop unfolded, Ida first reminded me of the importance to her of the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC), starting with their first convocation in Detroit, Michigan, 1975. She recalled that WOC helped her understand that defiance of an unjust law was a divine calling. Some laws need to be broken to allow the Church to be true to its mission, given by Christ, to take people at the margins into full communion in the ‘kingdom of God’. This understating of Scripture and tradition would lead her group, known now as Roman Catholic Womenpriest s, to take the final step of ordaining women to the priesthood. The curriculum of formation, prepared by Christine, would be used to guide the first class, Ida among them. She was joined by students from the US, Canada and Europe. The Danube Seven were on their way….

Three years later, on Pentecost Monday, June 5 , 2006 Ida was ordained bishop in a private ceremony within her apartment in Stuttgart. As Christine, Gisela and Patricia followed the ancient rite that day, it was for the first time in written church history that women alone called forth a sister bishop, ‘in full apostolic succession’. Ironically, what might seem to future historians as a “Hegelian moment” was not central to Ida’s thinking or her decision to accept episcopal ordination during this Pentecost weekend. She had to think through the question, “Did you realize that you were the first bishop ‘of woman born’? When I translated the American (Irish) turn of phrase, she responded that yes, this is historically correct. For her, the ordination to priesthood, this breakthrough was the defining moment, and her willingness to serve as bishop had most to do with the needs of the growing movement for a theologian. She was qualified to do so and now healthy enough to take on this role, so she agreed. Whit Sunday morning was also a practical choice, for these women who needed to travel at some distance, and to begin the work week the next day. This poignant reflection helps me realize how silently, and sometimes more practically than not, momentous changes take place. Looking back we are able to understand the meaning, but to those in the vortex of this change, the flow of events is often perceived quite differently. Someday, the faithful may barely recall that there were no women bishops before 2003 or that Ida was the first to be ordained by women, but the revolution that made this happen, she insists, was the result of careful planning. Following this ordination, she insisted, a new w definition of ‘called to serve’ took shape. Ida reminded me that Womenpriests is not only about ordaining women priests and bishops, but about what her ordaining bishop exhorted her to remember, the reformation of the priesthood, and a model of service and full inclusion of the people of God in the work of transformative Christian principles.

In watching each bishop lay hands upon the American priests, joining with the congregation in asking the blessing of the Holy Spirit to guide their ministry, I understand Ida’s injunction, to think about this movement as a means to recapture the divine spark of the early church and its close knit communities of faith and service. The real revolution is a quiet one, as womenpriests and bishops leave the sacred space to create communities and to lead by example, a new church, and a church in desperate need of them.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Booth Displays Information about RCWP at Call to Action Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin/Nov. 2009

Left to right: Ron Hindelang, Jean Marchant *
(Jean,rcwp and Ron, a married couple, are both priests who
serve Spirit of Life, A community of Justice and Joy
in Framingham, Massachusetts)
Juanita Cordero, rcwp, serves a community in the Los Gatos, California,
Suzanne Thiel, rcwp ministers in a nursing home and prison in Portland, Oregon


Deacon Mary Kay Kusner, rcwp
Iowa City, Iowa

The Roman Catholic Womenpriest Movement was well- represented at Call to Action Conference ( approximately 2000 attendees) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Nov. 5-7, 2009. RCWP had a booth in the exhibit hall. Here our members gave out our prayer for vocations and shared information about our growing movement. The response was heart-warming! Many Catholic leaders in the reform movement expressed support for our vision of a renewed priestly ministry.
www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp
sofiabmm@aol.com

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Sisters, lead us , as we leap over the walls of discrimination in our church!

The apostolic orders of women religious in the U.S. are facing a strong backward pull by the Vatican investigation. Their agenda appears to be: put the Sisters back in their convents, under obedience to religious superiors and, of course, dressed in habits. (Read the Stonehill Symposium reported in the National Catholic Reporter, link below) In a recent conversation on this topic one person compared the dramatic change in convent life to " a horse that left the barn over 40 years ago, and is not coming back!"

What Sister Sara Butler and the Vatican inquisitors fail to understand, is that women religious made these changes out of deep commitment to God and to living according to Gospel principles in the contemporary world. These nuns are courageous trailblazers, who have led the way in protests against injustice and abuse, no matter, where it is found, in or out of the church! The Sisters in religious orders have stood shoulder to shoulder with justice and peace seekers to end racial discrimination, war, human rights violations, exploitation of and abuse of women, and the abuse of the Earth. And yes, women religious, like Sr. Theresa Kane and Sister Joan Chittister, and many others have spoken out about injustices including sexism in church and society and have advocated for women's ordination in the church.

Feminism in religious life is not the problem, rather sexism in the church is a sin that needs to be confronted and changed. The church cannot continue to treat women as second class citizens and blame God for it. Women, according to canon law, must be ordained in order to have jurisdiction that is to engage in decision-making in our church in an official capacity. For Jesus women and men were equals. Why doesn't the hierarchy follow Jesus example?

The institutional church should express appreciation to the women religious for their many years of service, and ask forgiveness for all the times they have treated "the good sisters" as second class citizens.

Many women religious are supporters of women's ordination and of the Roman Catholic Womenpriests movement. They believe, as I do, that justice is an issue for all, including women in the church. This should make us all proud, not be a subject for investigation. What is the hierarchy afraid of?

Long live the feminism that speaks truth to power challenging oppression wherever it is found, including in our church.

May religious orders affirm the priestly ministry of their Sisters, and support them in taking the next steps to ordination if this is God's call and the community's discernment. Perhaps, this will mean, embracing a new paradigm of religious life. Perhaps, it time to dream new dreams and pray for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit! Sisters, I applaud your courageous witness to justice as an issue for women in the church, including women religious. Like the story of the nun who leaped over the wall, perhaps, Sisters, we need you to lead us once again, this time- in leaping over the walls of discrimination in our church. Together let us renew our beloved church as a community of believers that Jesus would be proud of- where all are welcome and all are equal- and all are the beloved of God!
Bridget Mary Meehan

http://ncronline.org/news/women/stonehill-symposium-played-role-women-religious-study

National Catholic Reporter

Sister Sara Butler quoted:

"'Because much of the apostolic impulse was expressed through participation in social justice crusades, after religious had finished fighting for civil rights or for an end to the Vietnam War, they turned the tactics and revolutionary fervor toward perceived injustices inside the church,' she said."

" 'Another aspect of the problem, she said, was that church leaders underestimated the strength of radical feminism in the United States. This strain of feminism is no longer a part of the conversation in civil society, but it remains ascendant within religious communities,' she said."

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: "Women priests movement ordains Briton", newstory reported in UK Catholic newpaper, The TABLET

(on left) Morag Liebert , Bridget Mary (on Right)

New Story in the Tablet/UK Catholic newspaper:

"Women priests movement ordains Briton"

2 November 2009
"For the first time a woman in Britain has declared herself a Catholic priest after undergoing an ordination ceremony. Morag Liebert was ordained on 24 October in Edinburgh, as part of the Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP) movement...'I wish to uphold the campaign for equality and justice for women in the Roman Catholic Church,' said Ms Liebert..."

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/latest-news.php?select_date=1257120000&result=Resource+id+%2317&last_week=2009-10-28+14%3A00%3A00

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Our Children No Longer Belong"

Our Children No Longer Belong

Our Children are Spiritual.

They are Good People.

Institutional Church does not speak to them where they are.

Our Children have good values.

They are educated.

They are Leaders

in Universities, in Businesses, in Government,

in the Arts and in the Professions.

Institutional Church does not speak to them where they are.

They demand more of Church than did we or our parents.

They are used to operating in professional environments

that demand Accountability.

Their companies and non-profits

demand Transparency.

They will not offer their time, talent, treasure

to parishes or dioceses

that ignore the notions of

Accountability and Transparency.

Institutional Church does not speak to them where they are.

Our post-Vatican II Children

see no reason why church should operate

on a wholly different plane

than every other significant institution in our society.

Church hierarchy cannot treat our Children as uneducated serfs

in the world’s last major feudal monarchy

and expect them to

Pay, Pray, and Obey.

Though it may have named us,

Institutional Church, as it is now,

can never name our Children.

Thank God.

Love, John Chuchman

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "We are our African Sisters' Keepers"

In my view, William J. Schuch has done us a favor by sharing this powerful argument for the use of condoms to prevent African women's deaths from AIDS.
Pope Benedict's condemnation of condoms contradicts his brother bishops, who are cited in this article. The official Vatican's opposition to condoms for at risk woman ignores medical findings and sound moral principles that are affirmed by the majority of Catholics. Saving women's lives is the duty of a pro-life church. As Roman Catholics, let us stand in solidarity with our African sisters and their children, whose lives are at risk from this immoral Vatican policy. Ask yourself, what would Jesus do in these circumstances? Bridget Mary Meehan

"We are our African Sisters' Keepers"
William J. Schuch

wjschuch@comcast.net

In 2007, in sub-Saharan Africa, which has a Catholic population of over 158 million, 1.7 million Africans were newly-infected with HIV largely as a result of heterosexual relations. Women represent 61% of those suffering from HIV & AIDS. This is more than 150% of the rate of infection among males. And the children they bear are often infected in the womb, during childbirth or breast-feeding. According to the latest UN figures, 30 per cent of pregnant women in South Africa have HIV/Aids. Many families are already fatherless, having lost the main bread-winners because they have walked out or died, while a large number are now becoming motherless as well due to HIV/AIDS leaving millions of AIDS orphans. AIDS orphans now exceed 11.4 million. In 2007, more than 1.6 million, mostly women & children, died from AIDS. This is a Holocaust over the past two decades whose toll in terms of suffering and deaths by far exceeds that experienced by the Jews at the hands of the Nazis. It began during John Paul II’s watch and continues under Benedict XVI. Neither Pontiff has shown real compassion for these victims.

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) cares for one-quarter of all HIV/AIDS victims regardless of their religious affiliation but is powerless to help prevent HIV and the suffering and deaths from AIDS because the Papal sycophants in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have yet to demonstrate the compassion of Christ for these hapless women by directing CRS to provide HIV-positive husbands with condoms and urging their consistent use as a moral imperative if they insist on having sexual relations with their wives. Under its present morally-indefensible policy, CRS is guaranteed an inexhaustible supply of dieing women and children for which to care. This is how the USCCB, which preaches Respect Life, treats these women – callously ignoring their plight and denying them the inherent right of self-defense. This is a perverse scenario.

The needless suffering of these women and children is ultimately the bitter harvest of the Humane Vitae birth control encyclical which was promulgated over the objections of 90% of the cardinals, bishops, theologians, medical experts and married couples who comprised the birth control commission, 72 in all, appointed by Pope Paul VI. Only 7 of those commission members held that artificial birth control was intrinsically evil. It is an encyclical that has never been “received”, i.e. accepted, by most Catholics in developed countries and most Catholics have at times used artificial birth control with a clear conscience.

HIV prevention programs typically promote ABC – (1) Abstinence before marriage. (2) Be Faithful in Marriage and (3) Condoms if A & B are not feasible. The Vatican supports A & B and rejects C when, in fact, using condoms where one partner is HIV-positive is clearly PRO-LIFE. Yet recently, South African Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, who opposes the distribution of condoms, pointed to Uganda as a remarkable success story because it “ has been able to reduce its HIV/AIDS prevalence through a program that includes abstinence, fidelity and condom use only for married couples”.

Unfortunately, African women are victims of their male-dominated cultures. A married woman living in Southern Africa is at higher risk of becoming infected with HIV than an unmarried woman. Extolling abstinence and fidelity, as the Vatican does, will not protect her; in all likelihood she is already monogamous. It is her husband who is likely to have HIV. Yet refusing a husband’s sexual overtures risks ostracism, violence, and destitution for herself and her children.

Sadly, the African national conferences of Catholic bishops have failed to stand up to the Vatican on this life and death issue. So these women, including non-Catholics under the care of CRS, are also the victims of the male-dominated Catholic Church in Africa.

On the other hand, the national conferences of bishops of 7 non-African nations and individual bishops, relying on the established pastoral moral theology principles of double effect, the right to self-defense and lesser evil, have recognized the plight of these women and urged the use of condoms to save lives. Here is what some of these Catholic bishops have publicly stated:

In an interview in May 2006 with a Scottish newspaper, Mario Conti, the Archbishop of Glasgow, pledged his support for the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers' recent decision to conduct and release a study on condom use to fight AIDS and contended that using condoms to stop transmission of the disease from one spouse to another is "common sense. Should we really be saying that it is in the benefit of the couple to refuse one another…and [live] as brother and sister when the whole nature of their marriage pushes them towards sacramentalising their marriage?" (Sadly, nothing has come of that study and since then several million more women have become infected and several million more died.)

Speaking in April 2006 at a meeting of Portuguese bishops Bishop Antonio Moreira, vice president of the Portuguese episcopal conference, said "In a context of marriage where one or both are infected, the use of a condom is a clear case of a lesser evil."

In recognition of a growing AIDS problem in Papua New Guinea, Bishop Gilles Cote, the head of the Daru-Kiunga Diocese in Western Province, conceded in March 2006 that it may be wise for the government to provide condoms. Speaking to the Vatican’s ban on contraception, he argued, “We also have a law—you should not kill…so there is a moral responsibility that those with a partner who is infected are protected.”

Less than a handful of bishops in Africa who have spoken out in favor of condom use, the most outspoken being white South African Bishop Kevin Dowling, who in an interview in the Chicago Tribune in November 2005 said he considers using condoms to be "a pro-life option in the widest sense." "For me, the issue is simply this: How do you preserve and protect life? Under church doctrine, that is "not only allowable, it's a moral imperative," He concluded that he would like to see a "humble attitude" from the Vatican and the recognition that "we have to develop a theology for the HIV-AIDS pandemic that recognizes the poor and the suffering and the marginalized and the vulnerable”

Mexican Bishop Felipe Arizmendi in January 2005 argued that condoms may be appropriate for those who cannot abstain. "They should use whatever is necessary in order not to infect others and not to infect themselves. There is no other alternative."

Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán, a Mexican who heads the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, in February 2005 said he finds the use of condoms acceptable when abstinence is not an option. "If an infected husband wants to have sex with his wife who isn't infected, then she must defend herself by whatever means necessary," he said. This position, Barragán said, is consistent with the tenets of Catholic moral theology, which teaches that acts of self-defense can extend to killing in order to not be killed.

Cardinal Georges Cottier, theologian of the pontifical household, in February 2005 told news agency Apcom that while condoms cannot be condoned as a contraceptive, "The use of condoms in some situations can be considered morally legitimate" to prevent the spread of HIV. Cardinal Cottier explained that because "the virus is transmitted during a sexual act; so at the same time as (bringing) life there is also a risk of transmitting death. And that is where the commandment 'thou shalt not kill' is valid."

Bishop Boniface Lele of Kenya in January 2005 said “Faced with the sad prospect of families being wiped out in circumstances where one infected in the couple infects and/or re-infects the other, and without sanctioning separations of properly constituted matrimonies, the use of condoms to prolong life may seem a useful tool in the long run."

Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán of Mexico in March 2004 stated condoms can be condoned when a woman cannot refuse her HIV-positive husband. He said that since preserving one's own life is paramount, "You can defend yourself with any means."

Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Belgium in January 2004 said that he accepts the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS. "When an HIV-positive person says to his partner, 'I want to have sexual relations,' he must use a condom. Morally, it cannot be judged on the same level as when a condom is used to reduce the number of births."

The German Bishops Conference in 1997 noted “We must make people understand that sexual intercourse has its legitimate place within the space of lasting partnership that is protected by faithfulness and confidence. In the face of the effective life threat that results from HIV/AIDS, everything needs to be done to avoid an infection.”

Following Pope Benedict’s controversial statements regard condoms during this recent visit to Africa, three Portuguese bishops took issue with Pope Benedict’s comments. Military Bishop Januário Torgal Mendes Ferreira said that “to ban condom use was equivalent to consenting to the death of many people,” adding that the Pope’s advisors should give him “more learned advice.” Bishop Manuel José Macário do Nascimento Clemente of Porto said that the use of condoms by persons with AIDS is “not only recommendable” but also “can be ethically obligatory.” Bishop Ilídio Pinto Leandro of Viseu said that those “who cannot avoid having sexual relations are morally obliged to avoid passing on the disease by using a condom.” The latter two bishops were both appointed to their sees by Pope Benedict.

It is a fact that more than 25 Catholic moral theologians have published articles claiming that without undermining church teaching, church leaders do not have to oppose but may support the distribution of prophylactics within an educational program that first underlines church teaching on sexuality. These arguments are made by invoking moral principles like those of “lesser evil,” “cooperation,” “toleration” and “double effect.” By these arguments, moralists around the world now recognize a theological consensus on the legitimacy of various H.I.V. preventive efforts, including condoms.

(I urge you to read HIV/AIDS- The Expanding Ethical Challenge by James Keenan S.J. Chair, Catholic Theological Coalition on HIV/AIDS Prevention since 1997. Father Keenan is an internationally-recognized moral theologian on the faculty of Boston College who has lectured all over the world on HIV/AIDS prevention.)

The USCCB has been shamefully silent on this issue since 1989 when it recanted its approval of providing factual information on prophylactic devices as a potential means of preventing AIDS stating that "The use of prophylactics to prevent the spread of HIV is technically unreliable”. Since then the World Health Organization has published its findings that good quality condoms properly and consistently used are “at least 80%, and possibly more, effective in reducing the transmission of HIV for co-habitating couples”. Nevertheless, to the dismay of the international medical profession, there have periodic attempts by highly-placed Catholic prelates to dismiss these data.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on HIV/AIDS prevention has stated that “fewer than one in five people at greatest risk of infection have access to effective prevention programs such as education, condom distribution, prevention of mother to child HIV transmission and HIV testing. It is estimated that new HIV infections could be cut in half by 2015 if effective prevention programs are expanded and reach those at greatest risk of HIV infection.” Faithful wives with HIV-positive husbands certainly fall into that group!

The Gates Foundation which is spending millions on the development of an effective microbicide, i.e. a gel that a woman can use to protect herself from getting infected, further states that “it is very likely to be more than 10 years before we have one in widespread use”. According to the Foundation, “People who are already infected with HIV need to start using anti-retroviral drugs before their immune systems become weakened, usually within five years of becoming infected. Some 3 million are presently on those drugs which is but a fraction of those presently infected with HIV who are destined for AIDS if not treated with the anti-retrovirals. Given the need to take these drugs indefinitely to ward off the onset of AIDS, there is now question whether there will ever be a sufficient supply of these drugs for all those infected with HIV, now or in the future. Hence the imperative to use condoms to prevent HIV in the first place.”

Melinda Gates, a Catholic deeply committed to the battle against AIDS, has stated “Some have argued that condoms do not protect against HIV, but in fact help spread it. This is a serious obstacle to ending AIDS. In the fight against AIDS, condoms save lives. If you oppose the distribution of condoms, something is more important to you than saving lives.”

Clearly, the Vatican’s hard line on condoms is a significant obstacle to the success of the Gates Foundation, the Clinton Foundation and other NGOs working in the field to contain the pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. And sadly, the USCCB by not urging the Vatican to ease up its hard line on

condoms has not only failed to demonstrate pastoral compassion for these women but is part of the problem facing those NGOs.

USCCB must be goaded into joining the other national conferences of bishops who have had the courage to stand up for the victims of HIV and AIDS notwithstanding the morally-unsupportable position of the Vatican against the use of condoms in the battle against AIDS. Christ in his brief time on earth preached what is now characterized as “the preferential option for the poor” and urged his disciples and those who would follow to emulate his compassion for the poor. What more fundamental preferential option for the poor could there be than saving of the lives of these women?

During the 4 days that the USCCB is in session, more than 10,000 Africans, mostly women, will be newly infected and approximately the same number will die a painful death from AIDS. Will the USCCB chose to continue to ignore this unconscionable travesty or will it act to alleviate it?

The U.S. bishops need to understand that following their cover-up of the clergy sexual abuse of children, their failure to insist that Vatican be guided by the Church’s pastoral principles of moral theology to protect these innocent women makes them complicit together with the Vatican in the horrendous AIDS/HIV pandemic in Africa and once again calls into question their moral capacity to lead their flocks.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Third Local Woman to be Ordained a Roman Catholic Womanpriest" news story in St. Louis Riverfront Times

"Third Local Woman to be Ordained a Roman Catholic Womanpriest" news story in St. Louis Riverfront Times
Kristen Hinman

"Marybeth McBryan, a former member of the St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education and current deacon at Therese of Divine Peace, will be ordained as a Roman Catholic Womanpriest this Sunday."

http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2009/10/third_local_woman_to_be_ordained_roman_catholic_womanpriest.php

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Can we talk about Religion, Please?" by Randy Cohen, New York Times

http://ethicist.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/can-we-talk-about-religion-please/

Can We Talk About Religion, Please?
By Randy Cohen

"Last week the Vatican invited Anglicans who are, as The New York Times put it, “uncomfortable with female priests and openly gay bishops” to reunite with the Roman Catholic Church. If a secular institution, Wal-Mart or Microsoft, for example, made a similar offer — Tired of leadership positions being open to women and gay employees? Join us! — it would be slammed for appealing to bigotry. Some criticism was directed at the church, but it was faint. Are we right to speak softly when discussing a subject as sensitive as religion?"
Randy Cohen hits the nail on the head with this excellent article in the NY Times. Finally, someone is challenging the mainstream media's, timid response to Vatican sexism and homophobia." Right on! Would the media coddle a church that promotes racism? I doubt it.
The Vatican's outrageous, sexist, homophobic position is a scandal. But the good news is that there are women priests in the Roman Catholic Church, and we are working on the margins where we think Christ would feel right at home. Our message is inclusive and welcoming to all. Why not cover our stories?!
Does the media believe that women's equality is a human right? Does religion play a role in promoting justice and equality for all God's people? If not, why not?
Tell the whole story. There is good news. Millions of believers affirm this good news! The progressive, reformist, renewal agenda is not fading away, no matter what the Vatican does, not by a longshot!
Bridget Mary Meehan
sofiabmm@aol.com

Roman Catholic Womenpriests Ordain Morag Liebert- first woman in U.K./Scotland --Clips of Historic Ordination

From left to right: Rev. Frances Forshaw, Morag Liebert, Rev. Louise McClemments and Bridget Mary Meehan at ordination that took place in Augustine United Church in Edinburgh, Scotland on Oct. 24, 2009

Brief Clips of Historic Moments in Ordination of Morag Liebert:

Katherine Salmon, from Sheffield, England, presented Morag for ordination/Examination of Candidate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwGTfIBOoH4
Presentation of Candidate for Priesthood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF86RPEv6uc
Veni Sancte Spiritus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiBR5zlP4WY
Presentation of Candidate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF86RPEv6uc
Litany of Saints
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSsL74n7rmw
Laying on of Hands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtG9VRPIH5M
Vesting of Morag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd3MPLtrhC4
Presentation of Chalice and Patent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZKNAVuBCSE
Eucharistic Prayer Clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34gfBxDLlcg
Eucharistic Prayer/Consecration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvSZgeu4-A4
For more information about this new movement to renew the Roman Catholic Church,
visit www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : First Roman Catholic Woman Ordained in U.K- by Roman Catholic Womenpriests Movement- Historic and Ecumenical

Rev. Louise Mc Clements(in black robes on) an ordained minister from the local area gave testimony to readiness of Morag Liebert for ordination.
Frances Forshaw, an Episcopalian priest in the Scottish Episcopal Church, (on left) Morag Liebert, the first woman to be ordained in UK/Scotland is in the center.
Bridget Mary Meehan is standing next to Rev. Louise.)


On my recent visit to Edinburgh to ordain Morag Liebert, (the first woman in Scotland, indeed in the UK to be ordained by the Roman Catholic Womenpriests Movement) I met Roman Catholics and Anglicans who expressed grave concern about Pope Benedict's decision to welcome Anglican Traditionalists into the Roman Catholic Church.

This historic ordination of Morag Liebert as a Roman Catholic Womenpriest was a great witness to the ecumenical solidarity of women across the denominational lines and a prophetic testimony to the Gospel call for justice and equality that we share as people of faith.
Instead of rejecting women priests and women bishops, the Roman Catholic Church should be ending its patriarchal practice of discrimination against women. Jesus treated women and men as equals, so should all the Christian churches, including the Roman Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Womenpriests Movement welcomes all God's people equally to ministerial leadership. So should the Pope.
www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Morag Liebert Ordained a Priest on Oct. 24th, 2009 in Scotland

Newly ordained priest Morag Liebert on left, Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan on right


Rev. Frances Forshaw, Morag Liebert, Bridget Mary Meehan, Rev. Louise McClements
(left to right)




Morag Liebert and Bridget Mary Meehan after ordination ceremony. Morag's chasuble has images of St. Catherine on the front and St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland on the back.

On Oct.24th, 2009, Morag Liebert was ordained a Roman Catholic Womanpriest in a historic ceremony in the city of Edinburgh. Morag was ordained by Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan/ United States.
The ordination is part of the Roman Catholic Womenpriests movement. This movement is building a renewed model of priesthood for a renewed Church to achieve full equality of women and men.
Morag Liebert has a M.A. in biblical studies and moral philosophy, a post graduate
degree in education and a B.D. with honors in Divinity.
She has been a member of Catholic Women's Ordination for fifteen years and currently leads its Edinburgh group. Morag has worked as a volunteer for the past eight years with an organization which helps abused women. For three years she organized the Lent study groups for Newington Churches Together, an ecumenical asssociation of churches in South Edinburgh.
Rev. Frances Forshaw, an Episcopalian priest in the Scottish Episcopal Church, who is part of the clergy team at St. Ninian's Cathedral in Perth, and Rev. Louise Mc Clements,an ordained minister from the local area participated in the ordination ceremony.
Jennifer Stark from York, England was the minister of music. Katherine Salmon, from Sheffield, England, presented Morag for ordination.
Joanna Hanley, from Edinburgh, was the official photographer.
For more information about liturgies, contact Morag Liebert moragl@connectfree.co.uk
Also see:
www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org
More photos and movies to come!

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Pope Benedict Embraces Anglican Traditionalists, Impact on women priests and women bishops

Ordination of RCWP women bishops in California (historical note: A male Roman Catholic bishop with apostolic succession/in full communion with the pope, ordained Bishops Christine Mayr-Lumetzberger and Patricia Fresen, who in turn ordained our women bishops in Europe and the U.S., making our ordinations valid, but in violation of an unjust canon law that discriminates against women.)

VATICAN CITY — "In an extraordinary bid to lure traditionalist Anglicans en masse, the Vatican on Tuesday announced that it would make it easier for Anglicans who are uncomfortable with their church’s acceptance of women priests and openly gay bishops to join the Roman Catholic Church."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/world/europe/21pope.html?hp

My Comment:
This latest decision by the Vatican appears to set up more "personal ordinariates" in communion with the Roman Catholic Church similar to the Byzantine Rite which retains their own Eastern liturgy, prayers, and practices such as a married priesthood etc.

One positive outcome: This Vatican action sets a precedent that one day can be used for the acceptance of Roman Catholic Womenpriests. (my guess: twenty years or less, see yesterday's post for a creative hopeful view of this total transformation which of course will adopt our RCWP inclusive liturgies!)

Right now, there is no doubt about the hostile attitude of the Vatican toward women priests and openly gay bishops. I don't understand this negative attitude toward gays when so many Roman Catholic priests and bishops are gay. Read Monsignor Cozzens' book, http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_0_13?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=sacred+silence&sprefix=Sacred+silenc

This Vatican outreach to married Anglican priests will certainly expand the married Catholic priesthood, but what about our married Roman Catholic priests? After all, Peter was married. Why does the Vatican insist on this mandatory discipline? Jesus didn't require celibacy of his male or female disciples. There are over 25,000 married Catholic priests in the U.S. alone. This is an injustice to them. Unless, the pope is going to dispense with this rule, and this is his prelude.

Other major questions: what impact will the Vatican's embrace of Anglican Tradtionalists have on relations between the two churches and how will it affect the Anglican-Roman Dialogue? Will it be a major setback or for the Anglicans a solution to a vexing series of problems?

George Pitcher stated in his article in the Telegraph, can this be seen as a positive step: "Pope Benedict has thrown them a timely lifeline. He has also thrown one to Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. The issue of women bishops, approved by the Church of England’s Synod, was running into the sand, with a controversial proposal this month to impose a two-tier structure, with male bishops still having oversight in dioceses over those Anglicans who couldn’t accept women’s episcopacy. Women priests quite rightly resisted the suggestion that they would be second-class bishops."
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/georgepitcher/100014200/pope-throws-a-lifeline-to-the-church-of-england-for-women-bishops/

Indeed, as my 85 year old Irish father, Jack, concluded after watching a news story tonight on the Pope's welcoming of Anglican Traditionalists into the Roman Catholic Church:"This is really blatant discrimination against women priests." Yes, Dad, among other things...!

Perhaps, many more open-minded, progressive Roman Catholics will decide that they want womenpriests now. One in ten Catholcs in the U.S. is a former Catholic. There are many faith communities without priests in the U.S,and this topic is definitely on the table! I am convinced that there are many women called to serve God and their communities as priests. Roman Catholic Womenpriests are ready to serve wherever there is a need. The world is our parish and our numbers are growing.

"The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet.."Adrienne Rich.

Our challenge as women priests and bishops is to continue to follow Jesus' example of Gospel equality, form Christ-centered inclusive communities where all are welcome, and none are turned away from the Sacred Banquet. The story of the Samaritan woman demonstrates that everyone is invited to drink the living water and belong to the community of faith. There are no outsiders. All that is required is that we worship in spirit and truth. It is mind-blowing that Jesus revealed his identity as Messiah and who God is to an outsider, a foreigner, and a woman living with a man who is not her husband. In this encounter Jesus goes beyond the religious taboos of his time. He breaks the rules. In spite of all the negatives of her situation, Jesus chose the Samaritan woman to evangelize her town. This story challenges church leaders to break the bondage of patriarchy and sexism, and to follow Jesus' example by ordaining women as leaders in an inclusive church.

Justice is an issue for all- including women in all religious traditions. May Roman Catholic and Anglican womenpriests and bishops support one another as we make justice a reality for women in the church. I look forward to the ordination of Anglican women bishops. We are companions on a journey breaking our churches' glass ceilings!

Perhaps, we should be grateful to Pope Benedict, for heaping more coals on the fire for justice and equality for women in the church. Indeed, the full equality of women in all areas of life, including religion, is the call of God in our time!
Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp
sofiabmm@aol.com
703-505-0004
www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Catholic News Story:
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0904673.htm

BBC Report
Groups of Anglicans will be able to join the Roman Catholic Church but maintain a distinct religious identity under changes announced by the Pope.

"The measure, known as an Apostolic Constitution, was shown to leaders of the Church of England just two weeks ago.Under its terms announced by the Vatican, groupings of Anglicans would be able to join "personal ordinariates".

This would allow them to enter full communion with the Catholic church, but also preserve elements of the Anglican traditions including the possible use of Anglican prayer books."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8316120.stm

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : The Vatican will accept Womenpriests like it has Archbishop Lefebvre's followers

It has taken the Vatican approximately 20 years to reverse itself on the Society of Pius X. In 2009, the Vatican has reversed itself. Under Pope Benedict XV1, the followers of Archbishop Lefebvre are being warmly welcomed by the Vatican, and their traditionalist agenda is being promoted. (return to the old Latin Mass with priest facing altar, not the people.

"The following day, July 1, 1988, Cardinal Gantin issued a formal decree of excommunication announcing that Lefebvre, Castro Mayer, and the four new bishops had performed a schismatic act and excommunicated themselves in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Canon Law. The following day, July 2, 1988, Pope John Paul II issued an apostolic letter Motu Proprio "Ecclesia Dei" in which he solemnly confirmed both the excommunications and the existence of the schism.

The pattern/strategy of the Vatican was: ignore, condemn, excommunicate, dialogue, "un-excommunicate!", promote agenda of group, incorporate changes into life of universal church!

I believe the hierarchy will follow a similar pattern with Roman Catholic Womenpriests.

In twenty years, or less, imagine the scene in St. Peter's when Roman Catholic Womenpriests are welcomed by the Vatican to celebrate an inclusive liturgy at an international gathering of God's people who have been living the vision of a renewed priestly ministry in a community of equals for years. Perhaps, it will occur as part of Vatican 111 which will be called by the grassroots church!

After lifting our excommunications, and engaging in "dialogue" with Roman Catholic Womenpriests, the Vatican will promote our vision of an egalitarian church as rooted in Jesus' example, and the twelve hundred year church tradition of women in ordained ministry. They will explain the positive contributions that women priests are bringing to a global church. Of course, the institutional leadership, which will not be by this time dominated by clerics, will have come full circle, and equal partnership, justice for all will be its top agenda! The new Roman Missal will adapt our liturgies and new eucharistic prayers for official worship and many will rejoice that finally the liturgy utilizes inclusive language including feminine images of divinity!

What else do you think will happen? How will the church grow?

Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Indian Theologian Calls for New Women Religious Paradigm" National Catholic Reporter Article

Indian theologian calls for new women religious paradigm

http://ncronline.org/news/women-religious/indian-theologian-calls-new-women-religious-paradigm

"She based her egalitarian call on the gospel story of Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman, a piece of scripture that has served at the anchoring text for a nine-day meeting at a conference center 30 miles outside of Bangkok.

Said Chennattu: “Matthew portrays the woman as an active dialogue partner who dares to confront Jesus, the newly found Jewish prophet, with counter theological arguments.”

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Download movies about womenpriests from this popular site

From left to right Priests: Judy Lee, Gloria Carpeneto, Bishop Dana Reynolds, Priest Gabriella Velardi Ward, Bishop Ida Raming in Boston at historic first ordinations of Roman Catholic Womenpriests in Boston

Google Video Alert for: roman catholic womenpriests movies
Ordained In Boston
Roman Catholic Womenpriests Ordained In Boston Upload, share, download and embed your videos. Watch premium and official videos free online ...
vidoemo.com
http://www.vidoemo.com/yvideo.php?i=aUs0Z29zcWuRpdFBQZ1k&roman-catholic-womenpriests-ordained-in-boston=

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : ITeam Report: The Underground Priesthood ABC Chicago.com- Alta Jacko's Ordination as a Roman Catholic Womanpriest

The women's names are from left to right
front row: Juanita Cordero, Joan Houk and Alta Jacko
middle row: Marybeth McBryan, Elsie McGrath, Mary Ellen Robertson and Mary Styne
back row: Clara Thompson Powell, Barbara Zeman, Janine Denomme and Ree Hudson

I-Team Report: The Underground Priesthood
ABC7Chicago.com - Chicago,IL,USA
... A Chicago woman is the latest to be ordained as a Roman Catholic priest. ... Jacko becomes one of about 60 women priests around the world and the second ...
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/iteam&id=7065464

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Enough is Enough"

Enough is enough. Really.
by Janice Kennedy
Ottawa Citizen - Ottawa,Ontario,Canada


http://www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Enough+enough+Really/2091333/story.html

"The Catholic church was not founded on an exclusionary mission of denying women and married people the opportunity to serve as priests. It only began this desiccating process after some early churchmen, presumably wrestling demons of their own, decided somehow that God must have erred in creating human sexuality. In the fourth century, the church gradually began marginalizing women and turning up its nose at married men on the altar."

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Bishop Thomas Gumbleton: Prophet for Peace, Justice and Equality in the Roman Catholic Church"

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton: A Prophet for Peace, Justice and Equality in the Roman Catholic Church

by Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, is a courageous prophet in the Roman Catholic Church who has preached the Gospel of justice and peace for decades. He deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his courageous efforts on behalf of world peace and human rights.
In recent homilies published in the National Catholic Reporter, Bishop Gumbleton wrote on women's ordination as an issue that should be on the table for discussion. This drew the ire of Marquette Bishop Sample who refused to allow Bishop Gumbleton to speak in his diocese. (See article below)
Let us express our support for prophetic leaders like Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, women religious in the U.S. who are under investigation by the Vatican (again, one of the major top reasons is women's ordination), Fr. Roy Bourgeois, a Maryknoll priest who is addressing women's ordination as a justice issue and Roman Catholic Womenpriests, who are serving God's people in grassroots communities now. Roman Catholic Womenpriests are presiding at Eucharist, celebrating the sacraments, ministering to those in hospitals, nursing homes and prisons and the homeless. We are faithful Catholics, following the example of Jesus who called women and men to be disciples and reclaiming our twelve hundred year tradition of women in ordained ministry.

So what should be our response to this latest effort of the hierarchy to oppress Catholics who are working for the full equality of women in our church as a justice issue.

Here are a few ideas: break the silence, speak out, write letters to editors in local/national papers and blogs, and withhold donations, give money to those in need including religious orders in the United States who are being investigated by the Vatican. Contact the Leadership of Women Religious for ways you can help. Join with peace and justice groups who are working for women's rights in the church and world.
Let us join these contemporary prophets and countless other Catholics in the spirit of Jesus who challenged the religious leaders of his time. Jesus did not treat women as second class citizens, neither should the church. Justice is an issue for all, including Roman Catholic women, who are called to ordination. The full equality of women in the Catholic Church is the call of God in our time. We owe members of the hierarchy, like Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, a debt of profound gratitude for his witness to justice and equality in our church and our world.


For more information about Roman Catholic Womenpriests, visit www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org
email: Bridget Mary Meehan at sofiabmm@aol.com

http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/534429.html?nav=5006

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "The Question Never Asked of a Nun"

The Question Never Asked of a Nun

The Question never asked of a Nun

while

Feeding a Homeless Person,

Caring for a Rape Victim,

Visiting a Prisoner,

Nursing a Sick Person,

Teaching a Child,

Consoling a Griever,

Keeping a Parish Alive,

Counseling One Confused,

Driving an Elderly to Shopping,

Clothing a Destitute,

Attending a Special Needs Person,

Helping Heal a Busted Relationship,

Comforting One Dying, and

Being Christ to All,

is

Are you approved by the Vatican?

Love, John Chuchman

(with permission)

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Women Fight To Be Priests in Catholic Church

Women Fight to be priests in Catholic Church
Tampa Bay Deism Examiner
by Bob Johnson

Interview with Bridget Mary Meehan

http://www.examiner.com/x-23325-Tampa-Deism-Examiner~y2009m10d9-Women-fight-to-be-priests-in-Catholic-Church

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Cross Examination: Why is Rome Investigating U.S. Nuns?" Commonweal

Commonweal

"Cross Examination:

Why Is Rome Investigating U.S. Nuns?"

by Sister X

http://www.commonwealmagazine.org/article.php3?id_article=2658


"I thought about cemeteries like this all over the United States, and the many thousands of nuns who faithfully served the church for a lifetime, building up its schools and hospitals. They kept their vows. They didn’t cost the church $2 billion in legal settlements. Their gravestones don’t memorialize ecclesial appointments, ministerial accomplishments, educational degrees, or elected congregational positions."

My response:
I highly recommend this article. Sister X writes a moving testimony to the faithfulness and devotion of women religious in the United States. This outstanding essay raises the question why the Vatican is not investigating the bishops who covered up the pedophile scandal that has cost the church 2 billion dollars?Why is the Vatican harassing the nuns who have given their lives to the service of the people of God? These women do not deserve the Vatican's modern -day inquisition, they deserve the support, both moral, spiritual and financial of every Catholic in our country. In my view, every Catholic should get involved because "we are the church", not just the hierarchy. It is our duty to respond to this grave injustice.

Ask yourself, what can you do to help the Sisters? Here are a few ideas.

1.Write to the Apostolic Nuncio in the United States to express outrage at this injustice. Ask for a list of the names of those who are funding this study.
2. Send letters of support and donations to the Retirement fund for Women religious in the United States.
3. Write to the LCWR. Ask how you can help religious orders in financial need.
4. Adopt a religious order in gratitude. for your education as an attempt to give back to the nuns who have given so much to our church.
5. Offer to support religious orders who decide to go non-canonical and become independent of the hierarchy. This would encourage orders who have women who are called to priesthood. Can you imagine the witness that nuns who have been doing the work of priests for decades? Your community could call them forth publically and support them as your priests!

Your ideas........

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "What is the Vatican, exactly?" by Frances Kissling in salon.com

What is the Vatican, exactly?

The pope's UN rep swats away questions about sexual abuse -- and raises questions about the church's special status

By Frances Kissling

Oct. 7, 2009 | "There’s little doubt that the 2002 sex abuse scandal in the Catholic church brought out the worst in official and some unofficial Catholic circles. Coverups and unconvincing explanations about why pedophile priests were routinely transferred to new parishes where they could continue to abuse children were the order of the day."

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2009/10/07/vatican/

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Dropping Down the Well"

Eileen Knoff

Dropping Down the Well
by Eileen Knoff


The Irish countryside abounds with wells—strange and mysterious spaces that entice me to bend over and explore those darker depths I normally avoid.

The symbol of the well came to me in considering the question I put forth to this group at the end of last month’s sequence: What surprises of this past year am I now harvesting in my life? The primary surprise I encountered while reflecting on my past year was the presence of a strange attractor drawing me downward and inward, as if into a well of strength and grace flowing underneath my daily current events. Despite countless ministerial and social commitments, deadlines, trips, house repairs, visits to doctors and dentists, there was yet a gentle force tugging me toward a deeper flow with its Wisdom of letting go.

The pull first presented itself in January with the death of a pastoral colleague, Kate O’Sullivan. An Episcopal chaplain, Kate was a great believer in a mysterious, graceful presence at work in all circumstances. Kate naturally carried that presence to others, especially her patients at Children’s Hospital. I experienced Kate’s belief expand and intensify just before her learning that she had developed pancreatic cancer.

The cancer claimed her life within a few months. The Episcopal cathedral in Seattle was packed for her funeral with people from all faith traditions. As I read the order of service, I discovered that both Kate and I had been born in 1955. I was struck with the awareness that this could have been me lying there. Instead, I remained here, wondering how to become the kind of presence Kate had been.

Nine months before her death, Kate had noticed my interest in Celtic spirituality and urged me to share its insights with a committee she was chairing on the environment.20While preparing my talk, I heard an interior call to allow the Earth itself to become an Anam Cara. I heeded what I heard and shared that message with the group. They responded eagerly!

Since then, I have tried to live into this relationship by letting Nature reveal to me the beauty of “God’s original gospel,” with its cycles of light and dark, life and death. The more I pay attention to the Wisdom in the Earth the more I am able to drop down into the heart of my life and the challenges within its changing seasons, its daily deaths.

Kate’s death was my first important letting go this year. It was not the last. A dear aunt died, older siblings have struggled with serious illnesses, a daughter moved away, and I have had to make difficult decisions that pleased some and displeased others. The year’s transitions have called me to grow into new stages of trust in my own experiences and generosity with the gifts I still do have to share.

I see now that the grace of Divine Life has been present within each transition and always will be. I need only to risk following the lure of Love, who urges me to bend low and scoop into empty hands the Life-Giving Water that waits patiently in the well of my own soul.

by Eileen Knoff, copyright 2009. Reprinted with permission. First printed as part of Brigid's Circle; see www.spiritualdirections.net to subscribe.

Photo of Eileen Knoff was taken by Barbie Hull, Photography (www.barbiehull.com)

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Port Richey woman calls herself a Catholic priest"

http://www.tampabay.com/news/religion/port-richey-woman-calls-herself-a-catholic-priest/1041146

PORT RICHEY, Florida —" The Rev. Eleonara Marinaro ministers out of duty to — and in defiance of — her church."

Article in St. Petersburg Times by Mindy Rubenstein

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Interview with Fr. Roy Bourgeois and Sr. Louise Akers on "All Sides "on WOSO radio

The issue of women’s ordination in the Catholic priesthood, and the response of the Catholic Church to dissent, with Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati Office of Peace, Justice and Integrity of Creation Coordinator Sister Louise Akers, and School of the Americas Watch founder Father Roy Bourgeois
http://www.wosu.org/allsides/?archive=1&date=10/01/2009
Enjoy this great interview in which two prophetic leaders speak out for justice for women in the Roman Catholic Church.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Third St. Louis are Roman Catholic Womanpriest to be ordained

PRESS RELEASE

Third St. Louis area Roman Catholic Womanpriest

to be ordained

Release Date: October 1, 2009

Contacts:

Rev. Rose Marie Hudson, 636-208-5598

Rev. Elsie Hainz McGrath, 314-477-6089

Deacon Marybeth McBryan, 314-277-3212

Deacon Marybeth McBryan, of St. Louis, will be ordained a priest on November 1, 2009, All Saints Day. The celebration will be in her home community of Therese of Divine Peace, with Bishop Joan Clark Houk officiating.

Marybeth has been heavily involved in parish ministries in the Archdiocese of St. Louis for nearly 30 years. A mother and grandmother, she is a former teacher in both parochial and public schools, and has also served on the Board of Education of the St. Louis Public Schools. Marybeth has a Master’s in education with secondary degrees in administration and counseling, and has accrued 40+ hours in theology, liturgy and religious education. She is currently a part of the music ministry and serves as deacon at Therese of Divine Peace, and will continue on the ministerial staff there following her ordination as priest.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests continue to validly ordain women and marginalized men to the Roman Catholic priesthood in an effort to bring reform and renewal into an unjust hierarchical structure that is increasingly misogynous and misoneist. Rather than looking backward and inward, Roman Catholic Womenpriests continue to look forward and outward in the spirit of Vatican II. We are here. We are ministering. We are growing. We are not going away.

The ordination is at 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2009, with the Therese of Divine Peace Inclusive Community. The Therese community meets at First Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Louis, 5007 Waterman Blvd. The ordination will take place in the sanctuary, and a light reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall.

Therese of Divine Peace Inclusive Community celebrates together every Sunday at 5 p.m. Regular services take place in Hope Chapel, at the rear of the First Unitarian complex. Our liturgy has continued without interruption since December 1, 2007, because we strive to imitate Jesus, who always and everywhere made clear to everyone that ALL ARE WELCOME.

Further information is available at www.thereseofdivinepeace.org.

#30#

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Vatican Asks Catholics to Fund Inquisition-like Investigation against Women Religious"

Call To Action
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2009
Media Contact:
Jim FitzGerald,
Executive Director: 773.404.0004 x262
Nicole Sotelo,
Communications Director:
773.404.0004 x285

Vatican asks Catholics To Fund Inquisition-like Investigation against Women Religious

The Vatican has requested that U.S. Catholics contribute $1.1 million to fund an investigation of women religious in the United States. The Vatican claims this investigation is to evaluate the "quality of the life" of women religious.

This request for funding is deeply problematic. First, many dioceses already suffer from a lack of resources causing many parishes to be closed. Catholic families are struggling to make ends meet during this economic recession. Those same families and parishes are now being asked to donate their money to investigate the very sisters who have faithfully served them for years.

"Surely, during this time of economic struggle the Vatican could use $1.1 million to help meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our society," says Jim FitzGerald, Call To Action Executive Director.

Secondly, Mother Mary Claire Millea, head of this investigation, admitted that those who have already financially contributed to this investigation do not want their names publicized. As a matter of justice, those being investigated have the right to know who is funding such an investigation and the real reasons why this inquiry is being conducted.

"We are also concerned that the Vatican and some bishops may take money that has already been donated for other causes and use it to fund this inquisition-like investigation," says FitzGerald. "The lack of transparency is very disturbing."

Call To Action is calling on its 25,000 members to contact their bishops and request that their dioceses not fund this investigation. We believe financially contributing to this unnecessary inquiry perpetuates the abuse of power that is so prevalent within the Church hierarchy.


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Call To Action (CTA) is a Catholic movement working for equality and justice in the Church and society. An independent national organization of over 25,000 people and 53 local chapters, CTA believes that the Spirit of God is at work in the whole church, not just its appointed leaders. Visit our website at www.cta-usa.org.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : " Ignore the bells and the smells and the lovely Raphaels, the Pope's visit to Britain is nothing to celebrate"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/29/the-pope-visit
"Ignore the bells and the smells and the lovely Raphaels, the Pope's visit to Britain is nothing to celebrate"
by Tanya Gold
The Guardian

"In May 2001 he wrote a confidential letter to Catholic bishops, ordering them not to notify the police – or anyone else – about the allegations, on pain of excommunication. He referred to a previous (confidential) Vatican document that ordered that investigations should be handled "in the most secretive way . . . restrained by a perpetual silence". Excommunication is a joke to me, perhaps to you, but to a Catholic it means exclusion and perhaps hellfire – for trying to protect a child. Well, God is love."

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Mercy Theresa Kane criticizes the Hierarchy"

http://ncronline.org/news/mercy-sister-theresa-kane-criticizes-church-hierarchy

"Mercy Theresa Kane criticizes the Hierarchy

"In the context of resistance she talked about women’s ordination in the Catholic church today." “'The Roman Catholic women priesthood is small, highly criticized, and not going away,” she went on. “No one controls our future but ourselves.'”
Sister Theresa Kane

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Homily by Elsie McGrath RCWP/St. Therese of Divine Peace, St. Louis

Elsie McGrath (left with red stole) at ordination ceremony of Marty Meyer-Gad

9.27.09 Homily

26^th Sunday

Would you say this is kinda outta character for Jesus? Kinda crass? Kinda gross? Whatssup with this trash talk, anyway? And especially after it started off so well: Whoever is for us isn’t against us. Would that everybody would prophesy, as Moses said. Would that everybody would be Spirit-filled and drive out demons and share cool refreshing life-giving water.

But everybody isn’t, and everybody doesn’t, and there is very little heaven on earth. And so, in an about-face such as we are quite unaccustomed to, Jesus preached hellfire and brimstone in order to try to get his point across. And the denseness of his so-called apostles was the trigger for this outburst. They were trying to stop somebody who was doing some fine miracle-working because the healer wasn’t “one of them”? This on the heels, you might recall, of their argument over which of them was the “greatest.” And all this in the context of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem … while he’s telling these clods, over and over again, what is about to happen to him. No wonder Jesus lost it!

Jesus said [quote 1]. Jesus may very well be thinking of the Samaritan woman at the well when he used that example of one giving a drink of water out of what we might call “Christian charity,” even though she did not then know Christ. The clods who were with him that day, who returned to find him engaged in peer theological discussion with this woman, saw nothing except an infraction of the law. But what was really happening? Those same clods have, of course, been touted throughout the centuries as “the” apostles – but the nameless woman really WAS one.

Jesus said [quote 2]. I thought of pedophiles hiding under the guise of holy men of God, and of their enablers, who call them “mere sinners” while women priests are called destroyers of the system. Is everyone current with this week’s news stories about the priest who had been convicted for abusing some 30 children over the years of his “ministry”? He is being released from jail less than 5 years after his incarceration. I love the juxtaposition of words for water in Jesus’ quote – from life-giving drink to death-dealing drink. Two sides of the same coin, so to speak. Like two sides of the same story, in a way. As in, the pedophile may deserve to be released from prison because what he really needs is confinement in a safe place – which won’t happen. But the enabler really needs to be in prison because he is responsible for ruining the lives of at least 30 people – which also won’t happen. Such a thin line between right and wrong, between life and death.

I had strange recurring dreams last night, most of which I cannot remember, but what I woke up thinking each time was, “What did that mean? Who were those people?” And as I mulled over everything that I could recall to mind before I arose this morning, it came to me that nothing and no one was as it seemed. It was like we were “living” Halloween, disguised from the realities of who we were and what we were called to accomplish.

And then I realized that my dreams were metaphor for what really IS going on in our world. And that it has always been so.

I thought of inquisitioners hiding under the guise of seekers of the truth, who dare to question the faith and ministry of those women religious most responsible for walking with the least of these throughout their lifetimes without honor or recompense. On Friday night, Ree & I were with several such women -- Louise Lears, Jeannine Grammick and Donna Quinn among them. And I was once again struck by something that I used to consider a phenomenon – they were all very obviously glowing with love & peace & forgiveness. Such phenomena are becoming less and less rare, sisters and brothers. More and more people are owning up to their apostleship in the face of growing opposition. Like the guy in the cult movie, Network, we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore. These valiant sisters are women who, in earlier times, would have been thrown to the lions or burned at the stake. They have been uprooted and maligned and cut off from their communities. But they remain true to who they are and to what they are to do. They are among today’s apostles.

And perhaps, when the current “visitations” have concluded, perhaps some of their communities will be joining them.

Jesus said [quote 3]. I thought of predators, pimps & pushers. And I thought of fat-cat CEOs, big-money insurance brokers, smooth-talking swindlers, armed warriors & renegades & pirates & terrorists & murderers & burglars. I thought of a whole world collapsing under the weight of greed and graft and self-centered arrogance & misplaced pride. I thought of freak floods & fires & devastating winds, and the systematic destruction of our earthly flora and fauna. And, yeah, thinking of such enemies of the earth and its peoples, I thought hell was a pretty good place for them.

But is Jesus seriously talking hellfire and brimstone for those whose hands grab for the wrong things, whose feet walk on the wrong paths, whose eyes focus on the wrong prize? The all-forgiving Jesus?

The word some like to translate as “hell” is actually Gehenna, and Gehenna was a place of hellfire and brimstone – but not in the guise that has been presented to us over the centuries. (Note that I said “was” a place.) Child sacrifice, which should have been discontinued, recall, with the lesson taught by the Abraham/Isaac story, had rather recently continued in the Hinnom Valley, very near Jerusalem. As a result, and in an effort to atone for such abominations, the people literally turned that area into a trash dump and set the place on fire to keep disease and decay at bay. The fires were stoked, and burned 24/7, and everyone in the surrounding areas knew of Gehenna. Imagine the stench, carried on the winds for miles and miles. If you’re as old as me, you might remember burning ash pits, an acrid smell that I can still remember. It brought tears to my eyes and burned my nostrils. Everyone Jesus spoke to knew of Gehenna. Absolutely, the so-called apostles knew of Gehenna. What better place to dispose of “trash” like lecherous eyes, stampeding feet or grubbing hands?

So let’s be clear on what we hear … and know … and do. Jesus’ condemnation of those who aren’t what they appear to be is NOT a forever-be-damned condemnation. It is a wake-up call. LOOK at what you are doing, what you are feeling, where you are going. LOOK at who you really are … and at who you really are called to be. Get rid of the shams and the shames and the sins that are corrupting your true identity as a child of God. Be an apostle.

Tonight our Jewish sisters and brothers begin their celebration of Yom Kippur. This is the day the people, as a community, atone for everything that fractures their oneness with God. Jews learned that divided they fall centuries ago. It was why they burned Gehenna … a whole nation in mourning, atoning for the sins of the few. This corporate responsibility for the sins of the world is what sets Jews apart from the individualism that we tend to take such false pride in, albeit our penchance for blind obedience to whatever mob mentality is set before us for mindless emulation.

But did anything else come to mind as we heard this gospel being proclaimed? Did we hear any “good” news?

Jesus said [quote 4]. Did you think about yourself … here … in communion with – her … him … them … us …? Did you think of the miracles we’ve shared together … life-giving waters of baptism … healing oils of anointing … holy vows of matrimony … bread blessed & broken & shared & eaten …? Did you think that maybe … just maybe … we are among those whom Jesus is validating …?

Would that it be so, always and in every circumstance, for each of us and all of us. Amen.

1. If anyone gives you a drink of water because you belong to Christ and bear his name, that one will be rewarded.

2. If anyone should cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble and sin, it would be better for that one to be thrown into the sea.

3. If your hand causes you to err, cut it off. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. And if your eye is your downfall, tear it out.

4. No one who works a miracle in my name can soon after speak bad of me.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Homily by Roberta Meehan, RCWP

Roberta Meehan, RCWP

Homily for the 26th Sunday Cycle B – 27 September 2009

Numbers 11:25-29
Psalms 19:8, 10, 12-14
James 5:1-6
Mark 9:38-43, 47-48

Today’s readings have a wonderful sense of unity to them! They also give us a wonderful sense of separation from the frivolous and a sense of total adherence to the essentials of who and what we are as Christians (or even just as God-people or human bei ngs). The frivolous? Yes, watch and see.

In Numbers we hear about the Spirit coming down on some people who were all gathered together. These people received the gift of prophecy and were then prophesying under Moses. But, the Spirit was not limited by the physical location of those gathered and the Spirit also imbued two other people with this gift. They also began prophesying. Joshua began whining to Moses (the Boss), telling Moses to make the others stop! After all, these OTHER prophets had not fulfilled the rubrics of the time.

(Keep in mind that prophesying does not mean “fortune telling” and today prophesying is what we would generally classify as “insightful preaching.”)

Nevertheless, what does this story of Joshua and Moses remind you of? I think it sounds like someone is trying to tell God what to do, don’t you? It always amazes me when people dictate what God can and cannot do. Joshua was essentially saying, “God, you can’t possibly have given your gift to those persons because those persons weren’t in the right place at the right time according to MY rules.” Have you ever heard any modern variations of this script? Of course! We all have! And most of us have probably worked from this very premise on occasion. It is human nature – but we can go one step beyond.

Moses,=2 0being a very wise leader (most of the time), quickly put a stop to Joshua’s complaining by declaring his wish that EVERYONE would be bestowed with the gift of prophecy! Moses definitely did not try to limit God.

Meanwhile, the first line of the Psalm today tells us that the Law of the Lord is perfect. Now we are beginning to see the problem. The Law of the Lord is perfect and some people are prophesying without the permission of the leadership. But, the leadership recognizes the validity of other prophesying – or that the Lord could possibly have given the gift without the leadership’s approval and/or permission.

But, what is the Law of the Lord – the Law that is perfect in every way?

Take a look at that reading from James. James is reprimanding the rich. He is particularly upset with the tendency of certain people to withhold wages from the workers, and to ignore the cries of the harvesters, and to condemn, and to even put to death the righteous one.

At first the reading from James does not seem to fit with the reading from Numbers – or the reading from Mark, which we will look at in just a moment. But, think about it! It does fit! The Psalm tells us the Law of the Lord is perfect. And what is the Law of the Lord? What was their Lord? Not God, that’s for sure! And, what were they telling20God? They were saying (or doing) the same thing as Joshua – only they were using different words. They were telling God that they knew the right answers, that they knew how to do it, that they did not have to listen to the true Law of the Lord – the Law that was/is perfect in every way. Withholding money, ignoring cries, condemning, etc., etc. – all of these things were the right way – even though the Law of the Lord was something different!

And finally we come to Mark. In this passage from Mark we find numerous verses that can be used in or out of context and all of them are extremely powerful. But, let us look instead at a picture of one of the unifying messages of this gospel. The passage begins with, “John said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name, and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us.’"

What does that sound like to you? To me it sounds like a “My god is better than your god” spitting contest!

Now picture Jesus looking with love (and probably a bit of exasperation!) at the disciples and saying, "Do not prevent him. There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, a men, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.”

Do we get so bound up in legalities (our own human legalities) that we forget the one God-legality? Do we forget the Law of the Lord that is perfect in every way?

Are our churches so bound up in the letter of the law that they forget the spirit of the law? Do our churches forget that the Spirit transcended regulations in the time of Moses and Joshua? Do our churches forget that Jesus transcended regulations? Do we become so entwined with the minutiae of the law – the strict letter of the law – that we forget the law that is perfect in every way? In the opening we heard the word “frivolous” and now it is time to ask if our adherence to the letter of the law might be frivolous in the eternal domain.

Jesus tells us right here that everyone might not be following the official rules exactly – but that does not mean that those people are not madly in love with Him and are not working in His name. Read it again! No one can perform a mighty deed in Jesus’ name and still speak ill of Him. No one can give a cup of water in Christ’s name and loose his reward.

Jesus told us what the only law is – the law of Love. And we wonder about the law of Love??? Where does that come in???

Oh, that is the Law of the Lord, the Law that is perfect in every way! That is the Law that says that the Spirit will give gifts at will – and not at our will but at God’s will! That is the Law that says that we must treat others with justice and fairness because that is the ultimate Law. That is the Law that says that it matters not whether the person has duly followed all of the human rituals and regulations. That is the Law that is perfect in every way. Love God above all things and love your neighbor as yourself. In that are fulfilled all of the Law and the Prophets – even the modern prophets!

-- Roberta M Meehan

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Reflections of a Quiet Revolutionary: Ida Raming" by Lorraine Nagy

Ida Raming holds pastoral staff after ordination of U.S. bishops on April 19,2009

Reflections of a quiet revolutionary : Ida Raming recalls the ‘first days’ on the occasion of the ordination of four American bishops: Santa Barbara, California April 20, 2009

Interview and recollections by Lorraine Lynch Nagy

In Santa Barbara, California an historic gathering of the Roman Catholic Womenpriests took place this year on April 19, in a quiet, rustic setting and a small chapel. Within this sacred space the first episcopal ordination within the United States, and the second in history was conducted amid joyous singing and prayer. With full liturgical splendor four women humbly accepted the signs of their calling: a Book of Gospels, ring and cross. Dana Reynolds, Womenpriests’ first American bishop, sent her blessing but was not able to preside. She and her sister bishops in the United States: Bridget Mary Meehan, Joan Houck, Andrea Johnson and Maria Regina Nicolosi have now entered a new stage in the movement, with regional representation and responsibilities for the growing cadre of candidates for the priesthood. I wonder what must have been going through the minds of the presiding bishops during this ceremony. They had come a very long way in a remarkably short time span. Christine Mayr Lumetzberger, Ida Raming and Patrician Fresen stood together at the entrance to the chapel, in readiness for what all realized to be something bigger than themselves or any of the faithful in the pews. These bishops (including Gisela Forster who remained in Germany) were the first to (in the words of the Civil Rights Spiritual) ‘wade in the waters’ of this deeply challenging issue and by doing so to ‘trouble’ the institutional church’s intransigence over who in the world may ‘image Christ’ in the sacrament of Holy Orders. From the ordination of the Danube Seven in 2002 to this ordination of four American womenpriests – now womenbishops-an epic battle has been waged, quietly and with the full weight of the magisterium pitted against the determination of revolutionaries who are equally set to remain with the Catholic Church even as they struggle by example to bring it in line with the inclusive spirit of church of Holy Scriptures. . As they lay prostate before their bishops on that warm spring afternoon in California, these four women, priests since 2005-2006 and veterans each one of them of the struggle to reform ‘from within’ one could feel the energy of a powerful transformation in the making. With this passing down of apostolic succession, a rallying cry for justice, and all of the books , meetings and lectures that prepared for this moment, were quietly transforming them, from prophets to disciples of this vision of a church in the world. . As each was called to give witness to her intention to be consecrated as bishop, the story of 2002-2003 played out in continuity for the movement and its prayerful, spirit filled protest against an unjust exclusion from the priesthood. How did this happen and why now? To answer this question one must follow the journey of those answering this call, and especially those called first. This ceremony was the culmination of thirty years of hard work, painful conflicts and profound personal sacrifices suffered in making this vision of an inclusive priesthood a reality for this generation.

What were these leaders thinking when they set off to take on the Roman Catholic Church on this issue? The many documents written in support of this reform, to include women in sacramental ministry, and the few published historical accounts beg more questions about the motivation of these leaders. In light of the impressive growth of the movement it is obvious that the Womenpriests have touched a deep chord in the religious sensibilities of the faithful. As I followed the intricate liturgy of this episcopal ordination ceremony, I was struck by what I didn’t know about ‘in the beginning’ A brief conversation with Ida Raming at the reception following the service inspired me to learn more. Ida tried to explain more details about the earliest days of their reform efforts, but we were interrupted and could not continue. Quakers use the term, “a leaning” to define moments when the Holy Spirit guides the person to say or act upon an inspiration from within the heart. I had such a ‘leaning’ the next day when I called the house where Ida was staying, and asked to speak with her. She graciously agreed to meet with me for one hour, to finish our conversation of the day before. Fortunately for me, I had the privilege of speaking at length that day with Dagmar Celeste whose experience as one of the ‘Danube Seven’ and comprehensive history of the movement steered me on the right path to getting the answers I sought. There were practical questions to raise in the privacy of guest quarters’ living room, such as how did it come about that Christine, Gisela and Ida (priests from the 2002 Danube ordination and the first to be excommunicated) were within one year approached by three male Roman Catholic bishops in full Apostolic Succession, to enter into ‘full ordination’ as bishops? Whose decision was it to take the their ordination to the next level?

Ida revealed a statement by the ordaining bishop in 2003 that may shed light on his motivation. He told her that these ordinations were part of a larger goal, not about them and their personal calling, but something more. Perhaps in the spirit of a ‘leaning’ for him, he told her, “You must have full ordination, to be able to ordain priests in apostolic succession”. By coming forward to assume this role, she was told, she would be accepting a very difficult mission, to ‘save the Church ‘which in practical terms meant returning to the practices and values of the founders. In ordaining Christine and Gisela, he passed on full power and authority (potestas) to ordain priests, establish communities of faith and nourish those living out this heart wrenching mission. In accordance with canon law, three bishops were needed to perpetuate the movement through the ordination of more womenpriests. It was simply too dangerous for him to continue to do so . Ida was approached to join the rank of bishop at this time but due to reasons of health was unable to do so. Later that same year, 2003, Patricia Fresen accepted ordination and left her Dominican order to work with Gisela in preparing the theological foundation of Womenpriests. & nbsp; Patricia was also told that this ordination was “not about you but for the Church” as she accepted the call to become the third bishop of Womenpriests. The movement then embarked on the next phase, a revolution for women by women and for the ‘good of all the church’.

For Ida, the personal connections worked hand in hand with her academic preparation to mold her image of a Roman Catholic priesthood without the barrier of gender. She understood that the roots of this idea are found in the seminal20documents of Vatican II. In addition to her dissertation, “The Priesthood of Women- God’s Gift to a Renewed Church” her concept was developed under the guidance of leading theologians ( Iris Muller among them) historians (including Dorothy Irwin) who helped her find her way from research to activism.=2 0 What, I asked, what moved you, Ida, to take the actions needed to finally ordain women as priests? Doing so would mean great losses, both personal and career, not to mention the separation from tradition, at the heart of Catholicism? The answer was surprising, as it is a story that is sometimes overlooked in the recounting of what happened between 1975 and the Danube ordination of 2002. In 1994 John Paul II decreed that women were to be permanently barred from the priesthood in that they “did not image Christ”. The irony of this statement struck Ida who knew well of the ordination of women ‘behind the wall’ in Czechoslovakia and in more modern times, the ordination of women within the Anglican Communion. She and others were convinced that women in fact and in history do ‘image Christ’ in sacrament and ministry. This inclusion of women in full sacramental priesthood was for her at the core of church tradition. Starting with the earliest disciples, many of them women, in house churches, living their faith in service to others. In the years leading up to the ordination on the Danube much was being done, to lay the foundation stones, in keeping with earliest church practices. But it was frustrating work, with many disappointments. As in the reformation of the 16 th century, the spark that ignited the fires of this revolution came from an academic exercise which put scholars in a direct path of opposition to a top-down clergy dominated ‘imperial’ church. For Ida, Christine and the priest candidates who would follow them, they had all had enough of “no” Once they had exhausted all channels of appeal she perceived that it was their duty to act.
As the story of her own election as bishop unfolded, Ida first reminded me of the importance to her of the Women’s Ordination Conference (WOC), starting with their first convocation in Detroit, Michigan, 1975. She recalled that WOC helped her understand that defiance of an unjust law was a divine calling. Some laws need to be broken to allow the Church to be true to its mission, given by Christ, to take people at the margins into full communion in the ‘kingdom of God’. This understating of Scripture and tradition would lead her group, known now as Roman Catholic Womenpriest s, to take the final step of ordaining women to the priesthood. The curriculum of formation, prepared by Christine, would be used to guide the first class, Ida among them. She was joined by students from the US, Canada and Europe. The Danube Seven were on their way….

Three years later, on Pentecost Monday, June 5 , 2006 Ida was ordained bishop in a private ceremony within her apartment in Stuttgart. As Christine, Gisela and Patricia followed the ancient rite that day, it was for the first time in written church history that women alone called forth a sister bishop, ‘in full apostolic succession. Ironically, what might seem to future historians as a “Hegelian moment” was not central to Ida’s thinking or her decision to accept episcopal ordination during this Pentecost weekend. She had to think through the question, “Did you realize that you were the first bishop ‘of woman born’? When I translated the American (Irish) turn of phrase, she responded that yes, this is historically correct. For her, the ordination to priesthood, this breakthrough was the defining moment, and her willingness to serve as bishop had most to do with the needs of the growing movement for a theologian. She was qualified to do so and now healthy enough to take on this role, so she agreed. Whit Sunday morning was also a practical choice, for these women who needed to travel at some distance, and to begin the work week the next day. This poignant reflection helps me realize how silently, and sometimes more practically than not, momentous changes take place. Looking back we are able to understand the meaning, but to those in the vortex of this change, the flow of events is often perceived quite differently. Someday, the faithful may barely recall that there were no women bishops before 2003 or that Ida was the first to be ordained by women, but the revolution that made this happen, she insists, was the result of careful planning. Following this ordination, she insisted, a new definition of ‘called to serve’ took shape. Ida reminded me that Womenpriests is not only about ordaining women priests and bishops, but about what her ordaining bishop exhorted her to remember, the reformation of the priesthood, and a model of service and full inclusion of the people of God in the work of transformative Christian principles.

In watching each bishop lay hands upon the American priests, joining with the congregation in asking the blessing of the Holy Spirit to guide their ministry, I understand Ida’s injunction, to think about this movement as a means to recapture the divine spark of the early church and its close knit communities of faith and service. The real revolution is a quiet one, as womenpriests and bishops leave the sacred space to create communities and to lead by example, a new church, and a church in desperate need of them.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Nuns on the run: Why is the Pope targeting women?"

http://trueslant.com/susantoepfer/2009/09/22/nuns-on-the-run-why-is-the-pope-targeting-women/

Nuns on the run: Why is the Pope targeting women?
by Susan Toepfer

"It is a story worthy of a Dan Brown thriller, replete with secret ceremonies, powerful adversaries and hidden motives. Yet this high-level plot is playing out in real time, right under our noses, and it all begins with a modern-day inquisition into the lives of nuns..."

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: "Catholic Women Answering Priesthood's Call " Article in Denver Post

Peter and Sheila Dierks, Bridget Mary Meehan (left to right)

"Colorado Women Answering Priesthood's Call They are Colorado's second and third women to be ordained in the Ecumenical Catholic Communion." By Electa Draper The Denver Post "Sheila Dierks paused a beat before answering an old acquaintance's question about what she'd been doing lately." " 'I'm going to be ordained as a Catholic priest this weekend,' the 66-year-old Dierks told her." http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_13371026 Congratulations to Sheila and Teri on this historic occasion. I had the honor of spending a weekend with Sheila Dierks and speaking at two events sponsored by the ECC community in Colorado. I was the guest homilist for the liturgy at the Church of the Holy Family in Aurora, Colorado on Sept. 5th, 2009. See post on Sept. 7th for my article.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Panel Discussion by Women-Church Convergence Leaders on Vatican Apostolic Vistation of U.S Religious Orders

Panel discussion by Women Leaders in the Roman Catholic Church
in response to Vatican Apostolic Visitation of Religious Orders in the U.S.




Sister Louise Akers, a Sister of Charity of Cincinnati, said that
"women's ordination is a justice issue."



Diann Neu, Co-Director of Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual
addressed participants.

Women-Church Convergence Panel Discussion on Apostolic Visitation of U.S. Religious Orders
By Janice Sevre-Duszynska, RCWP
The apostolic visitation of U.S. religious orders was discussed on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 12th in Cincinnati by a panel of members of Women-Church Convergence who met for a weekend gathering which was open to the public. The panel was introduced by Carolyn Farrell of the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary from Dubuque, Iowa.
Louise Akers, a sister of Charity of Cincinnati, spoke first. She was recently told by Archbishop Pilarczyk of Cincinnati that because of her support for women's ordination she could no longer teach in any Catholic institution in the Archdiocese. In her power point presentation she quoted writers and activists who are working to transform a world dominated by a paradigm of masculine power and control to one of dignity and equality for everyone. "We must especially work on God language," she said, "to make it inclusive."

Said Akers: "Women's ordination IS a justice issue. Its basis is the value, dignity and equality of woman person. I believe this in my very core. To publicly state otherwise would be a lie and against my conscience."

Donna Quinn, a Dominican Sinsinawa from Chicago is being investigated for escorting women to a women's reproductive clinic. "My role is to be a peacekeeper from car to clinic," she said, "and to provide a safe passage for women." She compared the Vatican's attempt to control women to a tent held down with four stakes: The ordination of women; inclusive language; reproductive choice; and women's right to vote -- within the church.

Beth Rindler, a Franciscan Sister of the Poor. talked about her journey working with the poor, overcoming fear, earning her M.Div., as well as her experiences doing pastoral ministry in parishes with and without male priests. "I had problems with priests in the parishes," she said, "because I told the media 'as it is.' We are the church. We are the archdiocese. Not too many priests wanted somebody with an M.Div. They started closing churches rather than let women be ordained."

Diane Neu, co-founder of Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER) thanked the panelists for breaking silence, for being faithful and for being church as well as for standing with women and supporting gay and lesbian issues. "We of Women-Church Convergence send you greetings of solidarity and respect. You are the public witness of the Spirit of God with us, with courage and calm in the midst of this oppression." She identified the vast amount of good accomplished by religious orders in the United States. "You are Ecumenical women who created a Catholic school system, established hospitals, cared for and spoke out for poor immigrants, embodied and taught a rich spirituality and respect for ecology, you opposed nuclear weapons, war and torture...Who else is church if you aren't."

Neu said that after the clergy abuse of children and the episcopal cover up, the Vatican's Apostolic Visitation of women is an "indictment of all U.S. Catholics who strive to live out a discipleship of equals..."

The panel discussion was followed by questions from participants. Later, everyone participated in a dialogue naming characteristics of various generations, led by Kate Childs Graham. The afternoon session closed with liturgy led by Ruth Steinert Foote, a feminist spiritual leader, Janice Marie Mappin, a local woman Orthodox Catholic priest, and Janice Sevre-Duszynska of Lexington, Kentucky who is an ordained Roman Catholic Womanpriest.

September 21, 2009
For Immediate Release Contacts: Susan Farrell 908-753-4636
Donna Quinn 708-974-4220
Carolyn Kellogg 415-847-2076

Women's Coalition Connects The Apostolic Visitation of U.S. Women Religious to the Vatican's Oppression of All Women

Cincinnati: Women-Church Convergence, a Catholic-rooted Coalition of 27 groups of women begun in 1983 met with 80 interested women and men on September 12, 2009 to discuss the issue of the recent Apostolic
Visitation and how this oppresses all women..
A Panel of four presented their insights on this topic:
Louise Akers a member of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati,
Donna Quinn Co-Ordinator of the National Coalition of American Nuns,
Beth Rindler a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor and
Diann Neu Co-Ordinator of Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and
Ritual (WATER)
The theme of the Day was presented by Louise in a quote of Catherine of Siena - a Saint and Doctor of the Church who lived in the fourteenth century:
"Cry as if you have a million voices, it is silence that kills the world."
Louise Akers continued her story with Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk of Cincinnati who has banned her from any teaching activity in the Archdiocese due to her support of women's ordination in the Roman Catholic Church. She will not in conscience change her position on this issue..
Donna Quinn spoke of the four issues used against women by Vatican
Church but which can also be used by women to create a Church for Our
Daughters..These four are Ordination of Women, Inclusive Language in spoken and written word, Women's Reproductive Health Issues and Women's Right to Vote in the Church..
After Beth Rindler told her story of persecution by the Church in Detroit Diann Neu lifted up and thanked Women Religious for their courageous stands against the continued gender discrimination by Vatican Church.
The overflowing room of participants left this discussion with new insights and a resolve never to give up, continuing to lift up our voices against the violence of gender discrimination and to create a Church which welcomes all people equally..

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Volunteer Teacher Dismissed for Support of Sr. Louise Akers

Teacher ousted for support of nun
By Dan Horn • dhorn@enquirer.com • September 14, 2009
By Dan Horn
dhorn@enquirer.com
"A volunteer religious education teacher was dismissed this weekend for publicly voicing support for Sister Louise Akers, who has beenhttp://news.cincinnati.com/article/20090902/NEWS01/309020027" target="_new">orderedby Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk to stop teaching because her backing of women priests contradicts Catholic doctrine."
"Dr. Carol Egner, a life-long Catholic and gynecologist, got into trouble when she wrote ahttp://cincinnati.com/blogs/letters/2009/09/04/where-in-the-bible-does-it-say-women-cant-be-priests/" target="_new">letter to the Enquirer supporting Akers.
When Egner’s pastor read her letter, he asked her to write another that either renounced her position or made clear that she “yields to the wisdom of the church.”
When she refused, she was told she could no longer teach her Old Testament class for sixth-graders at Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Westwood.
“'This is frightening,” Egner said Monday. “I think it’s a step backward.'”

This action is a disgraceful abuse of power. It reflects a spirit of intimidation by church leaders who are threatened by women priests. Ask yourself, what would Jesus say and do? Jesus chose women to be disciples and equals. The Samaritan woman was the first evangelist and Mary of Magdala was chosen by Jesus to be the apostle to the apostles -- to announce the good news of his resurrection. When will the hierarchy treat women like Jesus did?
An institution that resorts to threats and punishments to enforce obedience to , man-made teaching that is rejected by the Catholic faithful is tottering on its last legs! Like the Berlin Wall,, one day, hopefully, in the not too distant future this "wall" of patriarchal oppression will come tumbling down as the people of God vote with their feet by attending womenpriests liturgies, calling forth women leaders for ordination to serve their communities, and supporting the spread of the Roman Catholic Womenpriests movement in grassroots communities all over the world. The time for the full equality of women in the Roman Catholic Church has come. Women, like Sr. Louise and Dr. Egner, will not be silenced! May God's Spirit inspire many more people in the pews to stand up now for justice in our beloved church and bring into being the renewal of our church.
Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp
sofiabmm@aol.com

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Homily by Kathy Redig

Homily—24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 13, 2009

Who do you say that I am? A very compelling question asked by Jesus in today’s gospel of his first disciples and a question by extension asked of each of us today. Our answer of course determines the whole rest of our lives! But let that sit for now.

Each one of us probably has acquired an image of Jesus over our years of faith—an image that fits our notion of who God might be like—or what a messiah might be like. Those people who lived before Jesus’ coming had an idea too. They lived in the time of kings—perhaps the messiah would be an anointed king—a political leader. The Jewish people had a priestly class to reference, so maybe the messiah would be an anointed priest.

We know that Jesus came neither as anointed king nor anointed priest, but given the types of leaders that people had in 1^st Century Palestine, we can understand why they thought this “mysterious one,” promised for so long, whom they thought would deliver them from all their troubles, might appear as priest or king. Jesus did appear as one anointed, “blessed by God” and came to be known by some as the Messiah, as Peter proclaims in our gospel reading today—in the Greek, “anointed” or “messiah,” translates as “Christ.”

As I said above, Jesus came as one “anointed” and this happened more symbolically than actually, through Jesus’ words and actions—geared toward service. Scripture does record him being anointed at Bethany by Mary, of Mary and Martha fame, but never in a public way, was Jesus anointed.

Matthew 25 is Jesus’ testament and practice of living an anointed life. “Whatever you do for the least among us, you do for me and likewise, whatever you refuse to do for these least, you refuse to do for me.”

Jesus tells the apostles in today’s gospel that if they want to follow him, it’s not just about the preaching and the healing, but that they will have to pick up their cross and carry it too, just as he will eventually have to do. There will be death, but resurrection too! All hard sayings. These first followers couldn’t understand why after they had waited so long for the Messiah to come, that he would have to die and be taken from them. And more than likely, they didn’t understand what resurrection was. And that is understandable—who of us understands it?—it is one of those things we have to experience to really grasp I’m thinking.

These first followers clearly had different expectations, and so no doubt were disappointed and disillusioned. The answer to the earlier question of why the messiah, Jesus, the Christ was crucified is simple—he didn’t meet the expectations of those who awaited him and for some probably was more than they bargained for. The punishment for being counter-culture in Jesus’ time was to silence them—or try, so he suffered crucifixion. Today the Church tries to silence too—they aren’t quite as gruesome—excommunication and banishment, refusal to offer the sacraments, they feel will do.

So, my friends, back to our original question—Jesus’ question to each of us: “Who do you say that I am?”

If we answer, “You are the Christ, the First Born of the Living God,” the One that I believe shows us the way, the truth and the life—then does that not pave the way that our life must take? Does it not suggest that if we call ourselves “Christians,” we must walk in Jesus’ footsteps of justice, mercy, acceptance and love for all, no matter who they are? Does it not also mean that we will have to carry our own personal crosses of misunderstanding, pain and abandonment?

I believe the answer is “yes” to all of the above. James tells us today in simple terms—“faith without good works is dead.” Quite clear it seems. We can’t say we are followers of Jesus—profess belief in him and stop there—no one will believe us if we merely talk—we must, as they say, “walk the walk.”

Sometimes this all might feel very daunting and we wonder where we will find the strength, the words, the deeds, to walk this walk. We receive much encouragement in our first reading today from Isaiah. We do not walk alone—our God walks with us and that gives us a strength that we wouldn’t have on our own. We have each other and we must be the strength that each other needs. Isaiah says, we must confront each other—help each other to be the best we can be. And with the knowledge that Jesus our brother has first walked this walk and with his promise that the Spirit will always be with us—we have nothing to fear.

Kathy Redig, M.A. in Pastoral Ministries is a certified chaplain. She has served in Winona, MN in this capacity since 1995. Through this ministry she became aware that many people feel disenfranchised from the Catholic church and other churches. She was called to ministry at a young age, entering the convent after high school. Eventually realizing that she needed a partner in life, she left, married, and with her husband, raised two children. She suddenly became aware that God was calling her to ordination to become part of the change that she hoped to see within the Catholic church. Kathy is working along with her husband, Robert to establish a parish where all will be welcome at the table. krredig@hbci.com

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Article on Linda Wilcox's Ordination on Aug. 16, 2009 in Minneapolis, Minnesota

http://www.woodburybulletin.com/event/article/id/32613/group/home/

"I would really like to stick around and make a difference, even if it’s just a little move in the right direction and change this church that I love,” she said.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Prominent theologian Edward Schillebeeckx supports new initiatives in the church as path to renewal in RC church

Prominent theologian Edward Schillebeeckx, O.P. in his book: Ministry: Leadership in the Church of Jesus Christ stated: "Against the background of the existing church order then, new and sometimes urgently required alternative possibilities are often only to be seen through the medium of what is bound to be regarded as, at least temporarily, illegal. This is not a new phenomenon in the church - it has always been the case.
Renewal in the church usually begins with illegal deviations and it rarely happens that attempts at renewal come from above.
It is not possible to ask the highest authority in a world church to change the prevailing order in that church if the change does not meet with the approval of the majority of Christian communities."


This insight affirms the Roman Catholic Womenpriests movement which is offering a renewed model of priestly ministry in the church, rooted in Jesus example of Gospel equality. For Jesus women and men are equals. At the Last Supper, Jesus addressed his mandate: "Do this in memory of me" to women and men, therefore empowering women to preside at Eucharist, which they did in the house churches in the early centuries of the church's history.
Roman Catholic Womenpriests remind us that women are equal images of God and are called to preside at sacramental celebrations and to be partners n all areas of governance in the church. Roman Catholic Womenpriests are moving from a top-down approach to a more open, inclusive, participatory model in union with the people with whom we serve. We are charting a new path of renewal for priestly ministry an emerging model of renewal for priesthood and church. No wonder the Vatican including some of our bishops are threatened! We must be patient as the Spirit will prevail. She always does!
Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "Magisterium: The Teaching Authority of the Church, by Francis Sullivan ,Primacy of Conscience, Faithful Dissent

Recommended Reading
Francis Sullivan, S.J. from his Magisterium: The Teaching Authority of the Church:

"Before the pope can define a dogma, he must listen to the church and he can define as dogma only what he finds in the faith of the church. The pope has no source of revelation that is independent of the faith-life of the church...From this, it follows that the pope cannot simply define a dogma without having, in some real way, consulted the faith of the church, for he can define only something that has been handed on in the teaching, life, and worship of the church.
... It is unjust to treat all dissent from the teaching of the ordinary magisterium as disobedience, or to turn agreement with his teaching as a test of loyalty to the Holy See. No doubt, there are Catholics who respect for the teaching authority of the pope is so great that the simple appeal to his formal authority is enough to convince them that the teaching must be true...but such persons should resist the temptation to think disloyal other Catholics in whose minds the reasons against the teaching make so strong an impression that the formal authority of the magisterium is not enough to overcome their doubts.
If, in a particular instance, Catholics have offered their religious submission of mind and will to the authority of the magisterium by making an honest and sustained effort to achieve internal assent to its teaching and still find that doubts about its truth remain so strong in their minds that they cannot actually give their sincere intellectual assent to it, I do not see how one could judge such non-assent to involve any lack of obedience to the magisterium."
Fr. Sullivan's book was used commonly in U.S. seminaries and reflects the importance of loyal dissent in the Catholic Church. This is vital to understand the reason why Catholics can dissent from papal teaching and remain faithful members of the church.

Richard McCormick, S.J. specified four criteria for "responsible" dissent:

1. A sincere effort to understand the teaching (of the church)

2. Consideration of the reasons for the teaching and those against (it)

3. Serious examination of one's conscience

4. Holding respect for the general trustworthiness of the church.

See excellent website: Women Priests: http://www.womenpriests.org/teach_ac.asp for discussion of "infallibility" as it fails to meet the test in reference to Magisterium's teaching on women's ordination.
The main reason is that neither Popes Paul Vl or John Paul ll consulted the "universal ordinary magisterium", the teaching of all the Catholic bishops in the world. See my comments below:
In the case of women's ordination. Pope John Paul 11 in "Ordinatio Sacerdotalis" declared "That women cannot be ordained priests has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal magisterium" on May 22, 1994. However the pope did not consult the faithful including the world's bishops and theologians. The majority of theologians have rejected this teaching.In order for a teaching to be infallible, it must be declared by the combined teaching of all the Catholic bishops in the world.
Since the majority of the world's Catholics reject this teaching including most theologians, the Vatican's prohibition against women's ordination is not authoritative and contradicts Jesus's example of Gospel equality, the early church tradition, and the Vatican's own scholarship. In the Gospels, Jesus treated women and men as equals. Paul commended deacon Phoebe and called Junia an outstanding apostle and co-worker in Romans 16. Historical evidence demonstrates that women were ordained deacons, priests and bishops during the first twelve hundred years of the church's history. Some popes, like Gelaius, who wrote a papal bull asking the bishops of southern Italy to discontinue the practice of allowing women to preside at Eucharist and bishops, like Atto of Vercelli, who acknowledged that the priestly ministry of women in the early church was a response to the great need. In 1975, a report of the Pontifical Biblical Commission (the Vatican's own scholars) concluded that the ordination of women could NOT be excluded on the basis of Scriptures. Thus, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the pope have not established infallible teaching by the ordinary universal magisterium on women priests.
Bridget Mary Meehan , rcwp
sofiabmm@aol.com
www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "In the Bushes" Questions asked by Vatican investigators by John Chuchman

In the Bushes

A few of the questions asked of the nuns by the Vatican Investigators:

2D. In what way are non-members, including “associates,”
involved in the governance of the institute?
(Who said associates are non-members?)

2G. What is the process for responding to sisters
who dissent publicly or privately
from the authoritative teaching of the Church?
(No private opinions allowed?)
(What exactly is the “authoritative” teaching of the church?)

2H. What is the process for responding to sisters
who disagree publicly or privately
with congregational decisions,
especially regarding matters of Church authority?
(Note the “especially.”)

3C. How do your initial and on-going formation programs
integrate the most recent documents of the Church
concerning religious life?
(And they are?)

4C. Are daily Mass and frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance
a priority for your sisters?
(Frequent penance is needed for such sinners.)

4D. Do the sisters of your institute participate
in Eucharistic Liturgy according to approved liturgical norms?
(Stifle the Creativity, Sisters.)

4G. How does the manner of dress of your sisters . . .
bear witness to the dignity and simplicity of your vocation?
(Where’s the habits?)

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : A Movement rooted in Jesus' example of Gospel equality

Roman Catholic Womenpriests are rooted in Jesus' example of Gospel equality. Women priests remind us that women are equal images of God. We are leading the church into an era of full equality, equal partnership and sacramental ministry in a renewed priestly ministry in a community of equals now. As theologian Sandra Schneiders said: "Jesus and his itinerant band of ministerial disciples wore no special clothes and had no fixed abode. He brought down the murderous ire of the hierarchy of his own religious tradition because, among other things, he related to women as equals and involved them along with men in his ministry; he reached out to the "disordered" and marginalized in his society, laid healing hands on the suffering, conversed with and allowed himself to be challenged and changed by people outside his own religious tradition, refused to condemn anyone, however "sinful," except religious hypocrites burdening people with obligations beyond their strength." (Essay 8/21/09 reprinted in Courage: Newsletter of Loretta Women's Network)

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Liturgy with Ecumenical Catholic Communion at Church of the Holy Family in Aurora, Colorado

Liturgy at Church of the Holy Family

Liturgy at Church of the Holy Family


Reception after liturgy at
Church of Holy Family
(Deacon Kathleen Gorman, Terry Harroun, ECC Administrator,
Bridget Mary, Fr. Scott Jenkins, Eileen Knoff, Lisa Nemmers)

Peter and Sheila Dierks, Bridget Mary
(left to right)


(Bridget Mary, Sharon Friedman,
Paul Imsee
left to right)



Marilyn and Clare

On Sat. Sept. 5, 2009, I had the honor being the guest homilist and co-celebrating a Celtic liturgy with Fr. Scott Jenkins and the Ecumenical Catholic Communion at Church of the Holy Family in Aurora, Colorado. I shared my story and our RCWP story with the regional council and members of this wonderful, inclusive Catholic community in Longmont and in Aurora. We had a great discussion. I see many similarities between RCWP and ECC as we live emerging models of inclusive ecclesial, grassroots communities rooted in Jesus' example of Gospel equality. I was blessed by our dialogue and by meeting so many faith-filled companions on the journey. I am grateful for the warm hospitality of Sheila and Peter Dierks who hosted me in their home in Boulder, Colorado. Sheila and I co-edited two books on Eucharistic Prayers, Eucharistic Prayers for Inclusive Communities, Vol.1 and Vol.2). She will be ordained a priest in the ECC in less than two weeks. Congratulations and blessings to you, Sheila! You have inspired me by your vision of house churches and your gifts for building community. It was a great joy to visit with my friends, Sharon Friedman, a member of the ECC, and her husband, Paul Imsee. Both Sharon and Paul have been long-time supporters of my GodTalk Ministry. Paul did the legal work to set up our non, profit, GodTalk Foundation.
www.godtalktv.org

Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp
sofiabmm@aol.com

YouTube Clips of Eucharistic Liturgy;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ChW73SIgT0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlKFLC0EBUohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u58u04sq8Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q29NkLQAJVM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEp1x41OEfc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6u58u04sq8Q

http://www.ecumenical-catholic-communion.org/index.html

www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Cincinnati archbisop stops nun from teaching because she supports women priests

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/09/02/cincy_nun.html?sid=101

Cincinnati archbishop stops nun from teaching because she supports female ordination
"Sister Louise Akers has taught in the archdiocese for 40 years. She says she refused to renounce her support of women priests as a matter of conscience."

Archbishop Pilarczyk's removal of Sr. Louise Akers from teaching in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati is yet another example of the use of deplorable, bullying tactics by church officials. This modern day inquisition is a desperate attempt to silence women from speaking out for justice for women in the Roman Catholic Church. Sister Louise Akers is a faithful woman of faith and a courageous witness to Gospel equality. It is my hope that her prophetic actions will ignite the energies of women religious worldwide to work for justice for women in the church and that religious orders will find a way to support nuns who are called to priestly ministry. The full equality of women in the church is the call of God in our time.
The good news is that women are being ordained in the Roman Catholic Church. The mission of the Roman Catholic Womenpriests' initiative, a movement for the full equality of women in a renewed priestly ministry is to spiritually prepare, ordain and support women and men from all states of life, who are theologically qualified, who are committed to an inclusive model of Church and who are called by the Holy Spirit and their communities to minister to the People of God. It is my hope that many women religious with the support of their communities, and in the spirit of their gutsy foundresses, will come forward for ordination as womenpriests. Sister Louise, you are an inspiration to all of us.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
sofiabmm@aol.com
703-505-0004

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Excommunicated priest supports women’s ordination, Maryknoll Order Supports Fr. Roy

http://www.thefloridacatholic.org/cns/2009_articles/20090901_cns_priest_excom.php

Fr. Roy Bourgeois participated in the ordination liturgy of Roman Catholic Womanpriest, Janice Sevre-Duszynska on Aug. 9, 2008. In response, the Vatican excommunicated Father Roy on Nov. 24, 2008 "latae sententiae" automatically for refusing to recant his public support of women's ordination. Adhering to his conscience, Fr. Roy now calls on his brother priests to break the silence and asks Catholics in his coast to coast lectures to support the full equality of women in the church including ordination to the priesthood. Fr. Roy challenges church officials to turn away from the sin of sexism.

Excommunicated priest supports women’s ordination

"In June, Maryknoll Father Edward M. Dougherty, the order’s superior general, said in a statement that Father Bourgeois remains a member of the society despite the excommunication. To no longer be considered a priest, Father Bourgeois would have to be laicized."

“The Maryknoll Society continues its pastoral support of our brother Roy and hopes that the day of reconciliation is not far away,” Father Dougherty said. “The church in its leadership and members has been promised by Christ that the Holy Spirit informs the decisions that carry our church into the future. May that same Holy Spirit enlighten Roy and those interested in his case as well as those charged with authority in our church.”

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Sr. Louise Akers is a courageous witness to Gospel Equality

"The Vatican's investigation of women religious in the United States and Archbishop Pilarczyk's removal of Sr. Louise Akers from teaching in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati will backfire against the hierarchy. These deplorable, bullying tactics, a modern day Inquisition, by church officials will fail to stop women religious from speaking out for justice for women in the Roman Catholic Church, and will promote the Roman Catholic Womenpriests' initiative, a movement for the full equality for women in a renewed priestly ministry in an inclusive Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic Church cannot continue to discriminate against women and blame God for it.
Sr. Louise Akers' courageous witness to gospel equality is an inspiration to all.
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
sofiabmm@aol.com
703-505-0004

Sister of Charity Louise Akers has been informed by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk that she must "publicly disassociate herself from the issue of women’s ordination if she wishes to continue making any presentations or teaching for credit in any archdiocesan-related institutions."
“For four decades I have devoted my ministry to advocating on behalf of the marginalized through religious congregations, justice organizations, ecumenical and interfaith groups” Akers told NCR. “Women’s ordination is a justice issue. Its basis is the value, dignity and equality of women. I believe this to my very core. To publicly state otherwise would be a lie and a violation of my conscience. I love, support and cherish the part of Church that upholds the gospel mission and vision of Jesus.”
http://ncronline.org/news/cincinnati-nun-given-ultimatum-over-ordination-views

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Cincinnati Nun May Be Forced Out For Ordination Views

http://ncronline.org/news/cincinnati-nun-may-be-forced-out-ordination-views
Cincinnati nun may be forced out for ordination views
“We are losing the voice of justice,” said one member of her religious community.
Aug. 31, 2009
By Judy Ball
Sister of Charity Louise Akers has been informed by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk that she must "publicly disassociate herself from the issue of women’s ordination if she wishes to continue making any presentations or teaching for credit in any archdiocesan-related institutions."
“For four decades I have devoted my ministry to advocating on behalf of the marginalized through religious congregations, justice organizations, ecumenical and interfaith groups” Akers told NCR. “Women’s ordination is a justice issue. Its basis is the value, dignity and equality of women. I believe this to my very core. To publicly state otherwise would be a lie and a violation of my conscience. I love, support and cherish the part of Church that upholds the gospel mission and vision of Jesus.”

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : "A Day of Sorrow for Area Catholics"

A day of sorrow for area Catholics
The Republican - MassLive.com - Springfield,MA,USA
Still others will cite the need for women priests. ... It's also important to remember that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield is not alone in this ...

http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/08/a_day_of_sorrow_for_area_catho.html

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Priest takes church to task for not ordaining women

Boston Globe
Michael Paulson:

Fr. Roy Bourgeois, who participated in Janice Sevre-Duszynska's ordination in Lexington, Kentucky, on Aug. 9, 2008 as a Roman Catholic Womanpriest, calls the institutional church's refusal to ordain women
a “scandal’’ and “spiritual violence.’’

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/08/24/excommunicated_priest_takes_catholic_church_to_task_for_not_ordaining_women

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Ordinations in Minneapolis on Aug. 16, 2009- 500 attend

From left - Mary Smith (me) - Linda Wilcox and Mary Styne.
Mary Katherine Kusner from Iowa City was ordained a deacon.
Mary Frances Smith, Mary Suzanne Styne and Linda Ann Wilcox were ordained to the priesthood.
The ordination took place on Sunday, Aug. 16th. at 3:00 PM at First Universalist Church in Minneapolis, MN. Approximately 500 people attended.
Several church reform groups, including Dignity ,MN - CTA, MN and the St. Joan's society and friends and family of the ordained helped with publicity and the reception.


Movie Link: Courtesy Matt Kusner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Sz983N9Dg

Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Article in The Progressive Catholic Voice
Ordination of Women in Minneapolis Reflects Emerging Renewal of Priesthood and Church
By Michael Bayly

http://theprogressivecatholicvoice.blogspot.com/
Excerpt from Bishop Regina Nicolosi's homily from article:
“Can we bring this image down to earth and model our church after it?” asked Bishop Nicolosi. It would be, she said, a church “where we are all one in Christ Jesus; a church where the phrase ‘in persona Christi’ does not exclude half of the population; a church where Mary our sister can be a role model for priesthood. After all, she did say: ‘This is my body, this is my blood, and she said it at least twice: in the stable and under the cross, and no one stopped her from holding and touching Him then.”
Nicolosi concluded her homily by inviting all present to take seriously the words of the Magnificat, and, like Mary, proclaim a God who pushes down the powerful and lifts up the poor, who feeds the hungry, who invites all without exception to her son’s table.”

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Religious Women Question Vatican Probe

http://ncronline.org/news/religious-women-question-vatican-probe

"The Leadership Conference of Women Religious has asked the Vatican to disclose why it is being investigated and who is funding the probe, and questioned why the sisters will not be allowed to se