"Imagining a New Way of being Church "By Lori P. Dexter

http://www.prairiemessenger.ca/05_30_2012/Dexter_05_30_12.html

..."On March 31st of this year I was invited to participate in the ordination of Edmonton’s first Roman Catholic woman priest. You could say that I saw the fork in the road and took it. The woman who was ordained belongs to an international movement known as Roman Catholic Womenpriests or RCWP. She is one of 10 womenpriests in Canada, with another woman being ordained this July in B.C. Canada also has one woman bishop...

In a womanpriest faith community all members share the responsibility of growing the community. Decisions are not made from the top and then imposed on those below — the model is more like a circle than a pyramid. At the centre of the circle is our Trinitarian God who binds all people, all life, together. In these communities, power means having the ability to empower others. Unity is not confused with conformity and it is found through welcoming diversity. At the heart of the community is a prayerful attentiveness to the work of the Holy Spirit within ourselves and our faith community.

Even though the hierarchy has excommunicated all these women, it has been unable to stop the work of the Spirit within the RCWP movement...."

Dexter lives in Gibbons, Alta., and is married with three adult sons. She has a certificate in pastoral services from Newman Theological College and is a certified spiritual director. She can be reached at ldexter@telus.net