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Saturday, November 24, 2012

Photos of Close School of Americas Protest/Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests Demonstrate Behind Banners Join Thousands to Demand Close of School of Assassins/Nov. 18, 2012

Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Hold Up Banner at Demonstration to Close SOA in Ft Benning GA.

Fr. Bill Brennan in wheel chair, Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP in putple stole,
Katy Zatsick, ARCWP in white hat hold ARCWP banner at SOA Watch on Fort Benning Road
in Columbus, GA. on Nov. 18, 2012

Maryknoll Priest Roy Bourgeois and Janice Sevre Duszynska at SOA Watch Vigil at Ft. Benning, GA. Nov. 18, 2012

Slide Show from Mike Haskey mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com Spotted Sunday at the 2012 SOA Watch protest at the gates of Fort Benning. 11/18/12

Read more here: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/11/19/2282586/spotted-sundat-the-the-2012-soa.html#storylink=cpy
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/11/19/2282586/spotted-sundat-the-the-2012-soa.html

"Priest Expelled Because of Woman's Ordination, Activism"/USA Today/ Maryknoll Priest Roy Bourgeois Participated in Janice Sevre Duszynska's Ordination as a Roman Catholic Woman Priest in Lexington, KY.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/11/23/religion-catholic-priest-maryknoll-ouster/1722033/

Friday, November 23, 2012

"Former Catholic Priest Dismissed for Ordaining Kentucky Woman"-Janice Sevre-Duszynska -Courier Journal

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20121122/FEATURES10/311220042/Former-Catholic-priest-expelled-ordaining-Kentucky-woman?nclick_check=1
Left to right: Bridget Mary Meehan, Roy Bourgeois Dana Reynolds, Janice Sevre-Duszysnka,Kathy Reddig, Ree Hudson
by Peter Smith
...."Bourgeois also served prison time in the United States for his protests of the School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Ga., which Bourgeois and other critics link the school to human rights abuses by its Latin American alumni. .
This past weekend he led the 22nd annual protest at a school at Fort Benning, Ga.
Sevre-Duszynska participated in protests at Fort Benning, serving a 90-day sentence for trespassing there in 2002. She called Bourgeois “a priest and prophet of the grassroots. He is helping to midwife, to nourish the beginnings of a new church.
In a written statement, Bourgeois said he joined the Maryknoll order “because of its work for justice and equality in the world.”
“To be expelled from Maryknoll and the priesthood for believing that women are also called to be priests is very difficult and painful,” he continued.
“The Vatican and Maryknoll can dismiss me, but they cannot dismiss the issue of gender equality in the Catholic Church. ”
His only regret, he wrote, “is that it took me so long to confront the issue of male power and domination in the Catholic Church.”

Thursday, November 22, 2012

"Roy Bourgeois: They Finally Got Him" by Tom Roberts/National Catholic Reporter/How about the Cardinals who Nearly Destroyed the Church? Time to Support Women Priests and Inclusive Catholic Communities

Excellent article  on the Vatican's dismissal of Fr. Roy Bourgeois for his support of women priests by Tom Roberts! The Vatican does not punish the cardinals who nearly destroyed the church and the many bishops who covered up clergy sexual abuse.  Their greatest fear- women priests and our supporters. Wow! That says it all! I wonder how Catholics will respond to this latest Vatican outrage! I think it is time to redirect their gifts to supporting women priests and our inclusive communities where all are welcome to receive sacraments! Bridget Mary Meehan, arcwp  (Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests)

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/roy-bourgeois-they-finally-got-him

"Ah, they finally got him, as we all knew they probably would. Eventually. And with a press release it was done: Fr. Roy Bourgeois, a Maryknoll priest for 45 years, was told that the Vatican "dispenses" him "from his sacred bonds."

And the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, caught in the culture that finds advocating for women's ordination such a grievous and unpardonable offense, "warmly thanks" Roy "for his service to mission and all members wish him well in his personal life."
And so it goes, as Vonnegut would say. So it goes.
Bourgeois' case is a prime illustration of what, today, the institution can and can't tolerate. Bourgeois' major offense, the sin that is unforgiveable in the eyes of the church, for which penalty is removal from the order which he has served for nearly half a century and dismissal from the community, was advocating for women's ordination.

It's a clear case: the priest attended a woman's ordination ceremony and, as the release noted, his "disobedience and preaching against the teaching of the Catholic Church about women's ordination led to his excommunication, dismissal and laicization."

The three biggies, all at once, all wrapped up in less than four years' time.
-----------------
The point has by now been made by countless readers and others who see the gaping discrepancy in what church leaders finds tolerable and intolerable. But it is worth stating once more, in public and for the record.
-----------------

He then goes on to discuss 'The Cardinals Who Nearly Destroyed the Church'.


The point to be made, now that Bourgeois is out, is an obvious one. There are cardinals who have had as much to do as any individual might with the near destruction of once grand Catholic communities in places like Boston and Philadelphia, who have been permitted to remain priests and go quietly into retirement.

Not a word has been said by Rome or by his successors about Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua who had a large space in Philadelphia's chancery office that was filled with files recounting sexual abuse of children.

Bevilacqua oversaw priests who were involved in nothing short of sexual torture of youngsters. And he hid their deeds until the statutes of limitation kicked in and the priests could no longer be prosecuted. They would retire, and he would escape the law and any Vatican sanction until he could retire.

His successor, Cardinal Justin Rigali, ignored the charter that the bishops themselves had been forced to construct in the course of the scandal. He violated the church's rules and likely violated civil law by not reporting alleged abusers. And off he quietly went, as a middle manager in the chancery office headed to jail.

Cardinal Bernard Law, everyone knows, had to leave Boston because of the enormous public pressure and the outrage of his priests, but he took a cushy job in Rome and retained his seats on at least six powerful Vatican congregations, including the Congregation for Bishops, until he was allowed to quietly retire.

In Kansas City, Mo., Bishop Robert Finn, convicted in September of one count of failing to notify police that one of his priests had taken hundreds of lewd photographs of children, is still a bishop.

Finn recently attended a national meeting of bishops, and not one of them publicly raised the issue. The body of bishops, which has repeatedly apologized for unspecified "mistakes" in the handling of the abuse crisis and repeatedly promised transparency and accountability, couldn't bring itself to mention the glaring contradiction and hypocrisy in its midst.

Not a word from the Vatican. Not a word from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the conference. All were silent. And not a word from Finn about the damage and expense he has already cost the diocese.

What's glaringly clear is what's tolerable and what's not tolerable to the all-male, celibate culture of hierarchy.

Roy Bourgeois wanted to talk about the rights of women in the church. That's the ecclesial crime that will get you kicked out."

Article by Tom Roberts, National Catholic Reporter
Comment by Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, www.arcwp.org

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Former Maryknoll Head Decries Vatican Interference in Fr. Roy Bourgeois's Dismissal, Accuses Vatican of Meddling in Maryknoll's Internal Affairs/Jesuit Priest Bill Brennan Co-Presided at Liturgy with Janice Sevre-Duszynska on Nov. 17,2012


Joshua J. McElwee |
"A former head of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers has expressed support for Roy Bourgeois, saying the longtime peace activist and priest has a "deep love for the church" and his dismissal from the order by the Vatican represents meddling in Maryknoll's affairs.
In his first statement since the dismissal, Bourgeois said Tuesday, "The Vatican and Maryknoll can dismiss me, but they cannot dismiss the issue of gender equality in the Catholic Church."
The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has "interfered with the integrity of the society," said Maryknoll Fr. John Sivalon, who served as the order's superior general from 2002 to 2008.
"It makes it very hard to consider how we talk about mission and visioning for the future and being open to the Spirit, when in fact we're being dictated to that this is what we need to follow," Sivalon told NCR Tuesday. "And so I think there is a question about the society itself and how the integrity of the society has been affected by this."
The Vatican congregation dismissed Bourgeois, a member of Maryknoll for 45 years who had come under scrutiny for his support of women's ordination, from the order in October, the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers announced in a press release Monday.
In his statement responding to his dismissal, Bourgeois said his expulsion from Maryknoll "is very difficult and painful."
"When there is an injustice, silence is the voice of complicity. My conscience compelled me to break my silence and address the sin of sexism in my Church," Bourgeois writes in the statement, which was posted Tuesday afternoon at the website of the Women's Ordination Conference.
"My only regret is that it took me so long to confront the issue of male power and domination in the Catholic Church," Bourgeois wrote.
Sivalon said Bourgeois supports women's ordination "out of a very deep love for the church."
"That love for the church just is expressed in his belief that the hierarchical part of the church is becoming less and less relevant in the world and to changes in the world," he said. "It's probably with profound sadness that he himself looks upon how that hierarchy has moved away. I think it's just a sign of his love that he has taken the position."
Dominican Fr. Tom Doyle, a canon lawyer acting on Bourgeois' behalf, said Monday neither he nor Bourgeois was aware of the full scope of the Vatican's move until seeing the press release from Maryknoll on the matter.
Maryknoll's membership was first informed in the same press release, and the society has not made available the letter from the Vatican congregation dismissing Bourgeois, Sivalon said.
Requests for comment on the matter Tuesday were not immediately returned by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.
Bourgeois first learned of the news Monday afternoon in a phone call from a Maryknoll priest who had called to ask Bourgeois to come up to the order's New York headquarters for a meeting, Doyle said.
Bourgeois asked the priest the purpose of the meeting, and Doyle said the priest replied that the order had received a letter from the Vatican congregation dismissing Bourgeois both from the order and the priesthood.
Bourgeois then asked if the society would hold off on making an announcement about the matter until he could meet with them and see a copy of the letter, Doyle said. They refused.
"Roy did not see the content of this news release until I printed a copy up and sent it to him by fax," Doyle said.
The Vatican's removal of Bourgeois, Sivalon said, "raises questions about how open the society can be to explain avenues of being in mission in different ways."
Prior to the congregation's dismissal of the priest, "the society was moving toward a much more Kingdom-centered, Reign of God-centered kind of understanding of its mission and service to that, and this raises questions about it," said the former superior general.
"My own position would be of support for women's ordination and opening up ministry to others," Sivalon said, "and I think it would be the position of probably many in leadership in Maryknoll."
"I think all of us, looking at what's happening in the church today, think that it's just becoming less and less relevant and less and less open to the possibility that the Spirit is speaking through the world and speaking through others," Sivalon said. "I think people that know Roy would still look upon him as a priest and respect him as a priest, no matter what the congregation has done."
Bourgeois' role in Maryknoll had been in question since his presence at the ordination of Roman Catholic Womanpriest Janice Sevre-Duszynska in August 2008.
Shortly after that ordination, Bourgeois was notified by the Vatican congregation that he had incurred a latae sententiae, or automatic, excommunication for his participation at the event.
Maryknoll asked Bourgeois to publicly recant his support of women's ordination, telling the priest in a March 2011 letter he faced laicization and removal from the order if he did not comply.
In a series of letters and interviews since then, Bourgeois has said he could not comply with the request for reasons of conscience.
Maryknoll's leadership took a vote on removing Bourgeois from the order in the spring. While the order would confirm at the time that a vote had taken place, it would not comment on its outcome.
Doyle told NCR at the time that Maryknoll Fr. Mike Duggan, the U.S. regional superior of the order, informed Bourgeois of the vote, which was a split decision. Doyle said Duggan told him two council members voted in favor of dismissal and three members abstained.
Monday's statement from Maryknoll states that Bourgeois' "disobedience and preaching against the teaching of the Catholic Church about women's ordination led to his excommunication, dismissal and laicization."
"With this parting, the Maryknoll Society warmly thanks Roy Bourgeois for his service to mission and all members wish him well in his personal life," the statement concludes. "In the spirit of equity and charity, Maryknoll will assist Mr. Bourgeois with this transition."
Doyle said he and Bourgeois would discuss the possibilities for appeal of the decision once they are able to see a copy of the letter from the Vatican congregation.
"As Catholics, we profess that God created men and women of equal worth and dignity," Bourgeois wrote in his statement Tuesday.
"As priests, we profess that the call to the priesthood comes from God, only God. Who are we, as men, to say that our call from God is authentic, but God's call to women is not? The exclusion of women from the priesthood is a grave injustice against women, our Church and our loving God who calls both men and women to be priests."
Several canon lawyers contacted by NCR for background on the issues surrounding dismissal of a priest from a religious order said it is unclear how the Vatican congregation was able to act on the matter". See: Canon lawyers: Vatican's role ambiguous in Bourgeois' removal for more.
[Joshua J. McElwee is an NCR staff writer. His email address is jmcelwee@ncronline.org.]


On Thanksgiving Day, let us give thanks for abundant blessings especially the Roman Catholic Women Priests who are serving inclusive Catholic communities where all are welcome at God's table of extravagant love for all


"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all
of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel

ARCWP Priestly Ordination of Diane Dougherty in Atlanta on Oct. 20, 2012, Metropolitan Community Church
from the first day until now, being confident of this, that God
who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the
day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:3-6

On this day of thanksgiving for our blessings, we give thanks for all those who are working for justice and peace around the world including women's ordination in the Catholic Church.
Erin Hanna, Donna Rougeux, Ree Hudson, Roy Bourgeois, Janice Sevre-Duszysnska at Vatican in 2011
Photo by UPI

Janice Sevre-Duszynska and Jesuit Bill Brennan co-preside at Progressive Catholic Liturgy in Columbus, GA. on Nov. 17,2012. Photo courtesy of Bob Warkins

We give thanks for family, friends and  our Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement. We give thanks for a renewed inclusive Christ-centered, justice seeking Catholic Church that is emerging in more and more places in Europe,  the United States, Canada, and Latin America.


Olga Lucia Alvarez, ARCWP, in Colombia, South America 


d
Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP, Miriam Dugan, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, MM, Photo CNS
We give thanks for prophets like Roy Bourgeois, and the hundreds of priests, like Jesuit Bill Brennan, who are standing up publically for the full equality of women, including women priests, in the Roman Catholic Church. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, www.arcwp.org



Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP and Jesuit Bill Brennan co-preside at Progressive Catholic Liturgy in Columbus, GA. on Nov. 17th, 2012 Photos courtesy of Bob Watkins

 
Roy Bourgeois and Janice Sevre Duszysnka at SOA Watch in Columbus, GA. Nov. 17, 2012,
Photo courtesy of Bob Watkins


For more information about the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests visit our website. www.arcwp.org

Church of England Rejects Women Bishops "The full equality of women in church and society is the voice of God in our times."-Bridget Mary Meehan, Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests

SEXISM is not Christian, whether in the Catholic Church, the Church of England, the various synods of the Lutheran church or in any church that professes Jesus.
It is time to stop this nonsense once and for all.

Fr. Roy Bourgeois's Dismissal from Maryknoll: Update from National Catholic Reporter and Other Mainstream Media Stories

NEW! Possible Appeal and Condemnation of CDF/Vatican Move by former Maryknoll Superior General
http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/former-maryknoll-head-decries-vatican-interference-bourgeois-case

"A former head of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers has expressed support for Roy Bourgeois, saying the longtime peace activist and priest has a "deep love for the church" and his dismissal from the order by the Vatican represents meddling in Maryknoll's affairs.
In his first statement since the dismissal, Bourgeois said Tuesday, "The Vatican and Maryknoll can dismiss me, but they cannot dismiss the issue of gender equality in the Catholic Church."
The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has "interfered with the integrity of the society," said Maryknoll Fr. John Sivalon, who served as the order's superior general from 2002 to 2008.
"It makes it very hard to consider how we talk about mission and visioning for the future and being open to the Spirit, when in fact we're being dictated to that this is what we need to follow," Sivalon told NCR Tuesday. "And so I think there is a question about the society itself and how the integrity of the society has been affected by this..."

The story of Fr. Roy being dismissed from Maryknoll by the CDF is moving
to the mainstream media. Reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/20/us-vatican-priest-idUSBRE8AJ1JF20121120

and the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/21/us/religion-priest-excommunicated-for-ordaining-a-woman.html?ref=us 


Roman Catholic order says activist priest dismissed by Vatican
Press & Sun-Bulletin
The woman was a member of a group called Roman Catholic Womenpriests. Church teaching holds that the priesthood is reserved for men because Christ chose ...
NY order says activist priest dismissed by Vatican
Houston Chronicle
OSSINING, NY (AP) — A Roman Catholic order in New York says the Vatican has ... The woman was a member of a group called Roman Catholic Womenpriests.

We Are Church Ireland's Will Deliver Statement of Protest About Fr. Roy Bourgeois's Dismissal from Maryknoll to the Vatican on Friday, Nov. 23, 2012

Father Roy Bourgeous , an internationally renowned U.S. Maryknoll priest has been excommunicated , dismissed from his Maryknoll Order and laicised from the priesthood for what his order calls his ‘disobedience and preaching against the teachings of the Catholic Church about women’s ordination’.
Last month the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith had instructed the Maryknoll order to dismiss Fr. Bourgeous.
Fr. Bourgeous was a member of the Maryknoll order for 45 years and a priest for the past 39 years.
He was also very active in the International peace movement especially in Latin America.
‘This suppression of any discussion within the Catholic Church on women’s ordination is an unacceptable infringement of Christian thought and must be resisted especially by the Catholic faithful. We are Church Ireland encourage concerned Catholics to contact the Maryknoll Order at Email mkweb@maryknoll.org and express their great sense of betrayal by the Maryknoll Order in not defending Fr. Roy Bourgeous from the dictates of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the faith’
stated Brendan Butler spokesperson ,We are Church.
On Friday 23rd November at 11 a.m. Mr. Brendan Butler will hand in a letter of protest about the dismissal of Fr . Roy and a call for the lifting on the ban on women priests to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , Rome , Italy
Further information : Brendan Butler 0864054984

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Take Action to Support Roy Bourgeois, Man of Conscience, Priest of the People, Prophet for Justice in the Catholic Church"The Vatican Cannot Dismiss the Issue of Gender Justice in the Catholic Church"


Yesterday we received the sad news that Maryknoll has chosen to dismiss the voice of one of their own who has spent over 40 years of ministry following his conscience and standing up for the oppressed. 

Fr. Roy refused to be silenced when his conscience dictated that he speak out, you can support him by sharing his story and continuing to have conversations about the unjust power structures in the church.
Erin Hanna, Donna Rougeux, Ree Hudson, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Janice Sevre-Duszysnak at Vatican
photo UPI)
1.       Share the story. Fr. Roy Bourgeois has written a booklet about his own faith journey and discernment of conscience.  He encourages you to use his story as a conversation starter with your own friends, family and community.  You can also send copies of the book to your friends, priest, local news editor and others in your community.

2.       Support Fr. Roy.  Send letters of support to Fr. Roy during this difficult time to: P.O. Box 15057 Washington, DC  or 2135 W Roscoe Suite 1N Chicago, IL 60618

3.       Pledge to continue the conversation.  This holiday season, pledge to share Roy’s story with family and friends and to talk with them about the roles of women in our church community. SIGN ONLINE PLEDGE: http://www.change.org/petitions/share-fr-roy-s-story-pledge-to-break-the-silence-on-women-s-ordination-this-holiday-season-2

4.       “The Vatican and Maryknoll can dismiss me, but they cannot dismiss the issue of gender equality in the Catholic Church. The demand for gender equality is rooted in justice and dignity and will not go away.” ~ Fr. Roy Bourgeois 



Our prayers are with Roy Bourgeois, man of conscience, priest of the people, prophet for justice in the Catholic Church. In his response to the Vatican Dismissal, Roy wrote: " As Catholics, we profess that God created men and women of equal worth and dignity. As priests, we profess that the call to the priesthood comes from God, only God. Who are we, as men, to say that our call from God is authentic, but God's call to women is not? The exclusion of women from the priesthood is a grave injustice against women, our Church and our loving God who calls both men and women to be priests.When there is an injustice, silence is the voice of complicity. My conscience compelled me to break my silence and address the sin of sexism in my Church. My only regret is that it took me so long to confront the issue of male power and domination in the Catholic Church."
http://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/2012/11/vaatican-dismisses-fr-roy-bourgeois.htmlSee More
Let us support Roy Bourgeois, a courageous prophet, with our prayers and by breaking the silence about women's ordination in solidarity with over 150 women priests who are living justice in inclusive communities now in the United States, Canada, South America and Europe. 
Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP, 859-684-4247, rhythmsofthdance@gmail.com
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, 703-505-0004, 703-671-6712 sofiabmm@aol.com
 www.arcwp.org

Roy Bourgeois' Response to Dismissal from Maryknoll: "they cannot dismiss the Issue of Gender Equality in the Catholic Church"


November 20, 2012: STATEMENT ABOUT MY DISMISSAL FROM MARYKNOLL

I have been a Catholic priest in the Maryknoll community for 40 years. As a young man I joined Maryknoll because of its work for justice and equality in the world. To be expelled from Maryknoll and the priesthood for believing that women are also called to be priests is very difficult and painful.

The Vatican and Maryknoll can dismiss me, but they cannot dismiss the issue of gender equality in the Catholic Church. The demand for gender equality is rooted in justice and dignity and will not go away.

As Catholics, we profess that God created men and women of equal worth and dignity. As priests, we profess that the call to the priesthood comes from God, only God. Who are we, as men, to say
that our call from God is authentic, but God's call to women is not? The exclusion of women from the priesthood is a grave injustice against women, our Church and our loving God who calls both men and women to be priests.                

When there is an injustice, silence is the voice of complicity.  My conscience compelled me to break my silence and address the sin of sexism in my Church. My only regret is that it took me so long to confront the issue of male power and domination in the Catholic Church.

I have explained my position on the ordination of women, and how I came to it, in my booklet, My Journey from Silence to Solidarity. Please go to: www.roybourgeoisjourney.org.  

 

 

In Solidarity,
Roy Bourgeois


 

Monday, November 19, 2012

Vatican Dismisses Fr. Roy Bourgeois from Maryknoll/ Roman Catholic Women Priests are a Spiritual Revolution that is shaking up the Vatican! Thank God!

http://ncronline.org/news/people/maryknoll-vatican-has-dismissed-roy-bourgeois-order
Erin Hanna, Donna Rougeux, Ree Hudson, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Janice Sevre-Duszynska
(UPI photo)

The Vatican's surprise dismissal of Fr. Roy Bourgeois is a power play meant to intimidate supportive priests of the international Roman Catholic Women Priests' Movement. 
It will not work.  Roman Catholic Women Priests are a spiritual revolution that is shaking up
the Vatican.

Vatican opposition to the international Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement is the gift that keeps on giving. Hundreds of priests in Europe are on record as supporters of women's ordination. One recent example is Jesuit Bill Brennan , who co-presided with Janice Sevre-Duszynska, a Roman Catholic Women Priest at a Progressive Catholic liturgy on Nov. 17, 2012. More and more Catholics welcome women priests' led liturgies in inclusive communities  where all are welcome at the table.

Fr. Roy may no longer be a Maryknoll priest according to the Vatican, but he will always be a prophetic priest of the people. Fr. Roy confronted  the "old boys network" in the Vatican with the truth; sexism is a sin that is always wrong.

Fr. Roy Bourgois's courageous prophetic witness to Gospel equality is a lesson that the Vatican needs, but resists because they are afraid of women priests. Yes,  gentlemen, we represent change in the clerical model. Our renewed model of priestly ministry advocates oneness with the people we serve, not separation or a spiritual class system with the hierarchy on top and the  laity on the bottom. Gospel equality is our motto. All the baptized are "Persona Christi", not just the priests as the Vatican proclaims.

 All Catholics are called to be followers of Jesus who treated women as disciples and equals. The Risen Christ chose Mary of Magdala to the be the apostle to the apostles. Women were ordained during the first thousand years of the church's history. The institutional church cannot continue to discriminate against women and blame God for it. Roman Catholic Women Priests are a breath of fresh air in the Catholic Church, and a holy shakeup whose time has come. 

Kudos to Fr. Roy and the hundreds of male priests who publically stand for justice in the Catholic Church, challenging the "elephant in the living room" of institutional sexism! The time for the full equality of women in the Catholic Church has come. Thank you, Fr. Roy, for your courage and solidarity.  Our prayers are with you.

Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
www.arcwp.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
703-505-0004
703-671-6712

National Catholic Reporter' Nov. 19, 2012
"Roy Bourgeois, a longtime peace activist and priest who had come under scrutiny for his support of women's ordination, has been dismissed from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, which he served for 45 years, according to the congregation.
The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made the dismissal in October, according to a news release issued Monday afternoon by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.
Dominican Fr. Tom Doyle, a canon lawyer acting on Bourgeois' behalf, told NCR he was not aware of the move.
Doyle said he and Bourgeois met with Maryknoll's superior general, Fr. Edward Dougherty, in June, and the issue of dismissal had not been discussed.
"The idea then was that things would continue and they would not dismiss Roy and they would continue to dialogue," Doyle said. "And then this just happened, unilaterally. [Bourgeois] had no idea..."

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1204900.htm


Roman Catholic Women Priests and Male Priests- Partners in Liberation of Catholic Church/ Fr. Bill Brennan and Janice Sevre-Duzynska / Recessional at Progressive Catholic Liturgy



Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP and Jesuit Fr. Bill Brennan/Co-Presiders at Liturgy
On the day that we read about the Vatican Mandate of clerical dress,  (see link to story in blog)women are, like Miriam in the Hebrew Scriptures, Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP and 150 Roman Catholic Women Priests worldwide celebrating our liberation from sexism in the church in partnership with male priests like Jesuit Fr. Bill Brennan, Franciscan Jerry Zawada, and Maryknoll Roy Bourgeois.  (See Press Release with story on blog below.)
The social justice teaching of the church embraces justice for women including women in the church!
Amen to the dance of liberation in solidarity with the marginalized on the margins! The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests are proud to stand in solidarity with all peace and justice movements. Here Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP and Katy Zatsick, ARCWP and supporters of SOA Vigil Watch carry ARCWP banner outside Ft. Benning, GA.


 Bridget Mary Meehan, arcwp, sofiabmm@aol.com, www.arcwp.org


Press Release/Fr. Bill Brennan, a 93 year-old Jesuit Co-Presides with Roman Catholic Woman Priest, Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP at Catholic Liturgy in Columbus, GA. on Nov. 17, 2012


Vatican: Clerical Dress Mandate

http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1350365?eng=y
"An internal memo prohibits the clergy from wearing secular dress and imposes the return to the cassock. Including for bishops visiting Rome. Here is the complete text of the letter, signed by Bertone at the behest of the pope..."

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Jesuit Priest Bill Brennan, 93, of Milwaukee Co-Presided with ARCWP priest Janice Sevre-Duszynska at Progressive Catholic Coalition Liturgy

Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP and Jesuit Bill Brennan/Liturgy
(Photo courtesy Bob Watkins)
Jesuit priest Bill Brennan, 93, of Milwaukee co-presided with ARCWP priest
Janice Sevre-Duszynska at SOA Watch vigil, Nov. 17, 2012 in Columbus, GA. The inclusive
liturgy was sponsored by the Progressive Catholic Coalition. Over 350
participated.

See Bob Watkin's awesome pics at link below.
https://plus.google.com/103731935303928135919?cfem=1#103731935303928135919/posts?cfem=1

Janice Sevre-Duzysnka ARCWP and Jesuit Bill Brennan co-preside at litugy
Peace-Activists attend Liturgy


ARCWP Priests and Katy Zatsick and Janice Sevre-Duszynska

ARCWP Priest Diane Dougherty in red stole



Roy Bourgeois, MM and Janice Sevre-Duszynska ARCWP at SOA Vigil Watch  in Columbus, GA. on Nov. 17th