Press Release: April 23, 2012
From: The Association of Roman
Catholic Women Priests
Contact: Janice
Sevre-Duszynska: rhythmsofthedance@gmail.com;
859-684-4247
Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan, sofiaBMM@aol.com;
703-505-0004
The
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests celebrates the Leadership Conference
of Women Religious and the nearly 60,000 women religious they represent in the
United States. We reject the unjust, bullying behavior of the scandal-ridden
Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith who has ordered the LCWR to
reform itself more closely to “the teachings and discipline of the Church.” It
is the corrupt hierarchy, who has spent billions of dollars and devastated the
lives of thousands of youth in the sexual abuse crisis that needs reform, not
the dedicated nuns in the United States.
Now is the time for the LCWR to
speak truth to power. Declare a nuns’ emancipation proclamation from Vatican
control. Challenge Vatican misogyny publicly. Affirm primacy of conscience and gender
equality including women's ordination.
"As a Sister for Christian
Community, I belong to an independent community of women religious not under
Vatican control," Bridget Mary Meehan reflects, “This means that I am blessed
with freedom to live my vocation as a woman priest. "
Nuns who are called by God and their
communities should be able to serve as priests.
“Religious communities of women have been
the backbone of the church and the heart that pumps hope through the life of the
church,” said newly ordained woman priest Miriam Picconi of Palm Coast,
Florida.
In the Biblical prophetic tradition the
sisters have devoted their lives to living Gospel justice and reading the signs
of the times. They have heard the
cries of the poor, the exploited and the abandoned. Lifting oppression and birthing community
and right relations, women religious have been at work transforming the
world.
We as women priests express our gratitude
to the sisters, our mentors and teachers who have been inspired by the
Spirit. They have re-discovered and
reaffirmed in us the Feminine Wisdom of God. They have blessed the love and commitment of
same-sex partnerships. They have
encouraged us women called to priesthood to live out our call. They have been prophetic voices for the
liberating activity of the Spirit in our church and world. We stand in prayerful solidarity with all
nuns and the LCWR in time of crisis. May women religious lead the church into a
new beginning of justice and equality!
1 comment:
It is grievous that the nuns of America, who are no less endowed with the divine light than if they were a collection of male priests and bishops, are on account of their sex treated like children.
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