Association of Roman
Catholic Women Priests to Ordain Catacomb Priest from South America and Two
Deacons in Sarasota on November 1, 2014
Release date: October
14, 2014
From: The Association of
Roman Catholic Women Priests www.arcwp.org
Contact: Janice
Sevre-Duszynska, D.Min. (media) 859-684-4247, rhythmsofthedance@gmail.com
Bishop Bridget Mary
Meehan, 703-505-0004, sofiabmm@aol.com
Partners called “to
minister side by side”
There is good news in
Sarasota! Two grandmothers are going to be ordained deacons. Janet Blakeley and
Sally Brochu, partners for 20 years, co-preside regularly at Mary Mother of
Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community (MMOJ). They are shining forth love,
emotional honesty, mutual partnership and the values of the
Gospel.
Today one of the
hot-button issues of our time is gay rights. In sacramental community we are
healing the soul wound, the grave dishonesty that has been so damaging to gays
and lesbians in our church. In the Association of Roman Catholic Women
Priests we are leading the church in affirming the full equality of gay women by
publicly ordaining Sally and Janet as deacons.
The Vatican has made a
groundbreaking change in their attitude toward gays. In a recent document they
stated that homosexuals had "gifts and qualities to offer" and raised the issue
of greater acceptance of same sex couples.
Now will the Vatican
take the next step and let their gay priests out of the closet and accept them
as they practice their priesthood? Will the Vatican give their gay priests the
public recognition of honoring them for who they are, for the holiness of their
being and the gifts of their public ministries?
The Vatican must not
only change its tone but also its teaching on
homosexuality.
On Saturday, November 1, 2014, at 2 p.m. the Association
of Roman Catholic Women Priests will ordain a catacomb woman priest and two
deacons in Sarasota, Florida. Isabel Angelica Fajardo of South America is the
catacomb name of the woman who will be ordained a priest. Partners Janet
Blakeley and Sally Brochu will be ordained deacons. The presiding bishop will be
Bridget Mary Meehan of Sarasota. The ceremony will take place at St. Andrew
United Church of Christ, 6908 Beneva Rd., Sarasota, FL 34238. All are welcome. A
reception will follow in Stewart Hall.
Media are invited to schedule interviews by contacting
Janice and attending the ceremony.
The ordinands have extensive preparation in theological
studies and experience in pastoral ministry.
To be ordained a deacon:
Janet Blakeley, 80, of Nokomis, a suburb of
Sarasota, raised three children and a second family of grandchildren. Janet
earned a Master’s degree in Clinical/Pastoral Counseling from Emmanuel College
in Boston. In addition, she has graduate courses in Scripture and Theology from
the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, Lay Ministry Training Institute,
Boston, Andover-Newton Seminary, Boston College and Boston University. She has
spent a lifetime in various ministries – church musician, parochial school
administrator, parish adult education leader, volunteer in Haiti and spiritual
director. “Sally and I love our life at Mary, Mother of Jesus Inclusive
Catholic Community and we look forward to serving there. We see it as a
tremendous blessing to be moving toward full involvement with ARCWP. Thank you
for holding onto the dream until we could be part of it.”
Sally Brochu, 73, of Nokomis has three children,
10 grandchildren and recently four great-grandchildren from a 32-year marriage.
Involved in parish life, Sally was invited to attend the Center for Parish
Ministry in Maine, a three-year commitment of learning and preparation for
ministry. She earned a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling from Emmanuel
College in Boston. After fulfilling Clinical Pastoral Counseling requirements,
Sally became a Board Certified Chaplain through the National Association of
Catholic Chaplains. She worked as the Director of Pastoral Care for a Catholic
Regional Medical System in Maine for 10 years. “I loved working with a
compassionate and professional chaplaincy team and our ministry to so many
people at their times of need, but I also observed and experienced some of the
inner workings of a hierarchical church that has lost its way. It became clear
to me that there needed to be another model of church. To find it in ARCWP is
remarkable and exciting as we work together to build a new model of Church with
Jesus as the center and the Spirit guiding us forward.”
From South America,
ministering to the caregivers of the vulnerable, to be ordained a Catacomb
Priest:
Isabel Angelica Fajardo
(senda.interior@gmail.com)
of
Colombia is an educator, artist and therapist. She provides pastoral care for
caregivers who live and face difficult situations in the areas of violence in
her country. Isabel was a missionary for 47 years, 27 of which were dedicated to
spiritual direction and pastoral care. As a religious for nine years, she
ministered to women and youth. In the church of the poor, she continued
nourishing her lifelong encounter with God through her studies in Bible,
theology and human rights and by becoming close to the suffering and needs of
those around her. “My call to the priesthood was always present. Now I’ve found
through ARCWP that it can happen. God’s people can continue living fully and in
joy. I can live my Baptism together with my brothers and sisters.”
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