US Catholic priests discuss calls for women's ordination

ARCWP Ordination of Deacon AndreaGrace Weaver in Massachusetts on June 10, 2023

Assembly of US Catholic priests discusses calls for women's ordination

In an act of synodality, leaders of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests, or AUSCP, in collaboration with Ellie Hildalgo and Casey Stanton, co-directors of the organization Discerning Deacons, welcomed 40 women serving in ministries and leadership roles in parishes and the Diocese of San Diego chancery to hear speaker Cecilia González-Andrieu of Loyola Marymount and participate in the table discussions that followed her address. The conversation included discussion of women's ordination to the diaconate and priesthood.

The assembly explored the theme "Unity Through Synodality," hearing from speakers who addressed the historical context of synods throughout church history and the contrasts between acts of synodality in other countries and the U.S. In a formal action, the priests' assembly approved a statement calling on the U.S. bishops "to offer fraternal, pastoral affirmation of their gay priests and their ministry."

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More background:

• NCR Executive Editor Heidi Schlumpf and Women's Ordination Conference Executive Director Kate McElwee discussed the relationship between synodality and women's ordination last year. 

 In a formal action, the priests' assembly approved a statement calling on the U.S. bishops "to offer fraternal, pastoral affirmation of their gay priests and their ministry."

The statement asks the bishops "to admit all candidates for seminary formation and priesthood according to the same criteria: a mature and balanced personality, capable of establishing sound human and pastoral relationships, a full working knowledge in theology and the living tradition of the Church, a solid spiritual life, and a love for the Church."

The AUSCP also called on the bishops to publicly call for continuing development of church teaching on human sexuality, drawing from work in the human and social sciences, biblical scholars and theologians and in conversation with LGBTQ people.

The priests' group encouraged the bishops to provide gay priests with "a safe environment to be who they know themselves to be" and to accept that "the issue is sexual maturity and integration, not sexual orientation."

While acknowledging the number of faithfully serving gay priests in the U.S. is "unknown but significant," the statement concluded that they have "unjustly suffered from the formal ecclesial situation in which they find themselves."