"That's because if the trial balloon floated by Quebec Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher flies, it would represent a historic breakthrough for the Catholic Church, and Catholic women, by giving them access to the kinds of offices that only priests and bishops can hold.
"The only way a woman can fully 'obtain' many church offices is by ordination — by becoming a cleric — and the ordinary way to enter the clerical state is by ordination to the diaconate," said Phyllis Zagano, a leading expert on women deacons and a researcher at Hofstra University in New York. Moreover, as Zagano noted in an email, women deacons could perform functions that male deacons currently do: preaching, baptizing, witnessing marriages and performing funerals. Celebrating Mass, hearing confessions and anointing the sick would remain the province of the male priesthood.
Durocher, archbishop of Gatineau and until recently president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, made his proposal in the three-minute window that each of the 270 bishops at the synod is allotted to spell out concerns and priorities for the church and the modern family.
Bridget Mary's Comment: The ordination of women is now on the agenda of the Family Synod.
This is a breakthrough moment that represents a surprise of the Spirit to everyone!
Durocher focused on the role of women, first lamenting that "sad and dramatic reality" that women "continue to suffer discrimination and violence at the hands of men, including their spouses. He asked Francis and the bishops to state clearly that there is no scriptural justification for such bias, and in particular that passages in which the Apostle Paul speaks about wives submitting to their husbands "can never justify the domination of men over women, much less violence."He then asked that the synod recognize that women can be given "decision-making" posts in the church, and in the Roman Curia, the papal bureaucracy"
Bridget Mary's Response: Durocher makes the case not only for women deacons, but this is the same reason we need women priests and bishops! Discrimination in the church leads to abuse, violence toward women worldwide. The church cannot continue to discriminate against women and blame God for it. The full equality of women is the voice of God in our time because women are equal spiritual images of God. Therefore, all vocations and positions of decision making in the church should be open to them. Finally, a bishop who gets it and has the courage to challenge the hierarchy on the issue of justice and equality for women in the church and in the world. I hope he starts an avalanche that will topple patriarchy in the Catholic Church! An impossible dream! Women's rights in the church and women's rights in the world are connected including in third world countries where women are kept poor and pregnant by laws that uphold church teaching. If mothers, aunts, sisters, and grandmothers were ordained and had decision making power, these sexist laws would be gone!
Finally, he said the synod should establish a process for opening the diaconate to women — a suggestion that quickly drew praise from church reformers and negative reactions from conservatives.
"If you've opened the diaconate to women, you are opening up the door to female priests," Chad Pecknold, a theologian at Catholic University of America, told The Washington Post.
Bridget Mary's Response: I agree! What is needed is a renewed priestly ministry in inclusive, empowered, communities of equals. Not the model of domination and clericalism that we have today! So lots of changes ahead, if we want to renew the Catholic Church.
The international Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement has over 75 inclusive faith communities who are living a renewed priestly ministry in grassroots communities now. www.arcwp.org
Please Note:
This Article appeared in Salt Lake Tribune: On Oct 18, 2015, the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests will ordain the first woman priest in Salt Lake City: Clare Julian Carbone at 3 PM at First United Methodist Church 203 South 200 East
Salt Lake City, Utah
In October 2015 the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests will ordain six women to serve the church. Visit www.arcwp.org for press releases and more information about each ordination.
Upcoming ARCWP Ordinations
On Saturday, October 10, 2015 at 2 p.m. the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests will ordain Jennifer Marie Marcus of Detroit a priest and Terese Rigodanzo- Kasper of Orland Park, IL – South Suburban Chicago a deacon. The presiding bishop will be Michele Birch-Conery of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at Nativity Episcopal Church, 21220 W. 14 Mile Road, Bloomfield Township, MI 48301. All are welcome. A dinner will follow at 4:30 p.m. in the church social hall.
Jennifer Marie Marcus of Detroit is a feminist, progressive Church reformer, Civil and Employee Rights Attorney, political and social justice activist – advocate and member of the LGBTIQ community.
Jennifer has been an active member of many lay church ministries since the Second Vatican Council.
While in law school in 1973, she was a delegate to the First Archdiocese of Detroit General Assembly under Cardinal Dearden.
She is a current member and former board member of Michigan Call-to Action. With a background in theology, she is working on a Doctor of Ministry degree with Global Ministries University.
“I have always believed and worked for social justice in accordance with Christ’s Gospel message of reaching out to the poor and marginalized. I am excited to be ordained a woman priest and proud to stand as a prophetic witness for positive change within our beloved church. I ask for God’s gracious love and mercy to achieve that goal.”
Jennifer has been an active member of many lay church ministries since the Second Vatican Council.
While in law school in 1973, she was a delegate to the First Archdiocese of Detroit General Assembly under Cardinal Dearden.
She is a current member and former board member of Michigan Call-to Action. With a background in theology, she is working on a Doctor of Ministry degree with Global Ministries University.
“I have always believed and worked for social justice in accordance with Christ’s Gospel message of reaching out to the poor and marginalized. I am excited to be ordained a woman priest and proud to stand as a prophetic witness for positive change within our beloved church. I ask for God’s gracious love and mercy to achieve that goal.”
Terese Rigodanzo-Kasper of Orland Park, IL-South Suburban Chicago tkasper@arcwp.org has a life-long history of music ministry, volunteering and employment within Catholic parishes and schools.
She volunteers in hospital Pastoral Care and parish Ministry of Care and worked professionally in Senior Care.
“Being a mother and grandmother, I embrace the Feminine Divine and the mystery of this unfolding ministry.”
Tee is completing her theological studies through the People’s Catholic Seminary and is a member of the ARCWP Web Team.
She volunteers in hospital Pastoral Care and parish Ministry of Care and worked professionally in Senior Care.
“Being a mother and grandmother, I embrace the Feminine Divine and the mystery of this unfolding ministry.”
Tee is completing her theological studies through the People’s Catholic Seminary and is a member of the ARCWP Web Team.
Media are invited to schedule interviews during the time leading up to the ordination and at 1 p.m. at the church on October 10. Contact: Janice Sevre-Duszynska, 859-684-4247, rhythmsofthedance1@gmail.com
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