Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Report from Janice Sevre-Duszynska on 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women

Janice Sevre-Duszynska presiding at liturgy at
Dorothy Day House in Washington DC

What a place to be, here in New York at the UN for the 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women!

With 5,000 registered NGO participants, mainly women from all over the world, I have met women from Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Argentina, and many other places. I have attended talks on HIV/AIDS; how it is spread, how to prevent it, and the care-giving involved. I have also learned much about disarmament, gun control, human trafficking, engaging men in sharing responsibility, religions and sexual reproductive rights, and about violence towards women. I will have much to share with you all....

Dorothy Irvin and I are staying with Anglican sisters at their Community of the Holy Spirit (on West 113th Street, just up a hill from the Hudson River). Every morning we take an hour-long bus ride to the UN. There we attend discussions of the 45 member states, and we also spend much time across the street at the Parallel Events in the Church Center. This is where organizations meet to give talks on their specialty issues.

I am still awaiting word on whether I will be able to give my 3-minute oral statement. After hearing the talks it is quite apparent that patriarchal religion is a root cause of violence in our world.

This afternoon Dorothy will be giving a talk to Gabriella's community on Staten Island. I must leave now.

Peace,
Janice=

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Cloud of Witnesses Retreat

Alexandra Caverely-Lowry dancer
Bishop Patricia Fresen in background
Ordination in Ottawa, Canada

But tonight, in our Cloud of Witnessing with you RCWP on the way to the episcopal ordinations in April, we acknowledge all of us in our sexualities but in particular our lesbian women and gay men. We acknowledge our heterosexual married couples and divorced women. We acknowledge our women
who are mothers with children and grandchildren from their unions straight or gay. We acknowledge you who are single mothers and we acknowldge the many single and single aging women amongst us in our full embodied physical selves and in our sexualities. We acknowledge our embodied selves in our pleasures and in our pain for it is true that in pain we are still embodied, no more nor less
than in all of our humanly embodied experiences..

Thus tonight we especially pray:

Loving Mother and Father God,
Jesus our brother,
Wisdom Sophia, You who are the Source of our being, fill us with new and fresh energy.

Let the fire of your Divine energy and our humanly embodied energy merge.
Help us to accept your Life within us
in every cell of our body.

We ask, knowing that we will receive all
that we need to appreciate our physical realities ,so that we may be wholly in relation with those we love.

In community, let us embrace one another
remembering the delicacy and value of
ourselves as sexual persons in all of our
differences. Let us value those differences
for the building up of your kindom for in
equitable love of women, of men and of children ,your kindom will become more whole
and holy.

Sustain all human rights workers especially those of the Courage Campaign . Keep them united in solidarity as they teach in their equality teams county by county in the state of California.

Sustain us in all that we do in standing in prophetic obedience for the ordination of women and for the full equality of all women and men in our RC Church and in all of the People of God in all Christian denominations, faith traditions and spiritualities.

Through our belief that you are all Love we ask You to raise your love amongst us by opening our love for each other. We ask you this in hope for the full human rights in equality for all people and especially in ending discrimination based on our sexuality.

Gracious Creator God, we love you. We worship You as the all One who knows how to love fully.and who fills the Universe with sustaining and everlasting Life.

Ideas from Monica Kilburn Smith
and Michele Birch-Conery
March 5, 2009

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Cloud of Witnesses Retreat

Painiting by Rose Mewhort,

RCWP candidate/British Columbia, Canada

We invite you to a time of prayer, reflection and silence.

Fundraiser for RCWP-Southern Region-Auction of Vacation home for a holiday in Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina

One of our generous donors has offered a holiday at his vacation home in North Carolina to raise funds for Roman Catholic Womenpriests in the Southern region.

Location: Mars Hill, Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, USA
Accommodations: Cabin, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths (Sleeps 8)
Located in beautiful Wolf Laural Gated Community. 1 mile from Appalachian Trail. 1000 square feet of deck over looking the Big Bald mountain. Sleeps 8 with 2 master suites and a loft that is a great hideaway for kids. Has a very cabin feel. Ski resort is part of Wolf Laurel. With tubing and skiing available. Can rent bikes in the Summer to ride on ski slopes. Our property is very secluded in the woods. Must see to appreciate. Minimum bid $500.
Many holidays are still available, but you will want to select and book early if the week/weekend you chose falls on a holiday. You must select dates within the next 12 months.
http://www.vrbo.com/55779

Roman Catholic Womenpriests; "Vatican Justice" link to article in Ms. Magazine

Maryknoll priest, Ft. Roy Bourgeois co-celebrated with women priests at the Ordination liturgy of Janice Sevre-Duszynska in Lexington, Kentucky on Aug. 9, 2008.

Ms. Magazine article:

http://www.msmagazine.com/winter2009/VaticanJustice.asp

"Nearly 5,000 Catholic priests [in the U.S.] have sexually abused over 12,000 Catholic children…but they were not excommunicated,” says Father Roy Bourgeois, who faced the latter scenario after helping celebrate what the Vatican considers to be an illegitimate ordination mass in August 2008. "

Roman Catholic Womenpriests Cloud of Witnesses Retreat: Patricia Fresen- Bishop- Europe West

A Painting by Rose Mewhort
RCWP Candidate, British Columbia, Canada
to accompany
Bishop Patricia Fresen's Prayerful Reflection
inspired by HIldegard of Bingen's
"Viriditas--All Verdant
The Greening Power of God"


Viriditas - The Greening Power of God (Prayer inspired by Hildegard of Bingen)

(Hildegard made up the word viriditas, or “greening power” to express divine energy filling all of creation, including humanity,
with vitality and creativity. She speaks of God’s love as “greening love” and believes that Christ brings “lush greenness to
shriveled and wilted people and institutions. She speaks of the Divine Word (Dabhar) as “viriditas”: “ The Word is all verdant
greening, all creativity”, she says. Hildegard calls God “the purest spring”. (Matthew Fox)

We will celebrate the ordination of our four new bishops in Springtime, when the greening love of God is freshly evident after
the long winter. Viriditas, says Hildegard, is the power of springtime, a germinating force, a fruitfulness that comes from God
and permeates all creation.

Inspired by Hildegard, let this be our prayer:

Loving, lifegiving God, we pray that you will shower the earth, all of humanity and the church
with greening refreshment, the vitality to bear fruit.
May your Spirit bring to our shriveled and wilted church, lush greenness.

Bless abundantly Dana and the four bishops-elect: Bridget Mary, Joan, Regina and Andrea
with your greening love.
May they be filled with your compassion in their pastoral ministry.
May they bring fresh, creative solutions to old problems and new challenges.

May all of creation, including humanity, the church and all of us in RCWP,
be filled with your divine, greening energy
as you move us forward towards a “new heaven and a new earth”,
towards a human community which is more respectful, more compassionate, more loving.

Patricia Fresen -Bishop- Europe West

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Sacramental Theology from a Feminist Perspective: Extravagant Affections by Susan Ross

Image of women celebrating Eucharist in St. Priscilla's catacomb
Courtesy of Dorothy Irvin

Susan Ross in her book ,Extravagant Affections, sums up some of the challenges and connections we face as reflect on sacramental theology from a feminist perspective.

“the jars of ointment of the church, the sacraments, need to be broken open, by all people, but especially by women. The horror of Jesus’ disciples at his allowing a woman to anoint him with costly oil is echoed today by the refusal of magisterial Roman Catholicism to allow women to preside at the Eucharist and to act as sacramental ministers. Jesus praised the women as a model of true discipleship for the entire community.”

We are this kind of paradigm shift now when the people of God are claiming their rightful role as equals in the church. Catholic feminist ministries for 25 years have been forging connections and meeting the challenge to dismantle the dominator model that continues to divide and cause divisiveness. We are forming partnerships. We are birthing a new model of grassroots communities of justice-seekers. We are opening up and offering alternatives in worship.

The jars of ointment that Susan Ross refers to is God’s own extravagant affections for humankind. She advocates neither adaptation of the existing sacramental system nor wholesale exodus from it. “Rather I argue for ways of expressing this ambiguity, within and alongside the sacraments. … I am convinced that sacramental theology is in need of some kind of feminist response. .As gifts of God’s extravagant affections and our own for God and for others, the sacraments provide opportunities for Christian women and men to express, play celebrate and live out the “riotous plenty that is God.”

The mystery of the divine cannot be contained in symbol but glimpses of who God is and who God is not is revealed at the same time. God is always so much more than we can name or imagine!! Therefore, in our prayer and ritual we need a rich variety of names and symbols to reflect the mystery of God beyond all names and symbols.

Roman Catholic Theologian and archaeologist, Dorothy Irvin in a recent conversation pointed out that in St. John Chrysostom's liturgy, the priest represented the people in the liturgy of the word and the liturgy of the Eucharist, the focus was on God’s action. Christ was represented by the poor, the hungry, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned.

For twenty-five years, Women-Church groups have created sacred space for women to gather to celebrate liturgy in open, creative, life-giving ways that affirm the fully equality of women. We shared our stories and celebrated that yes, we women are the body of Christ and our stories and lives are holy.

Mary Beben and I wrote a book, Walking the Prophetic Journey for small Eucharistic faith communities that put together some of the liturgies that we had designed in our communities as resources. It was such a joy to write Eucharistic prayers that used feminine imagery for God and listed women’s names in the tradition as witnesses to the Gospel in these creative works of the imagination. The books sold out and now I provide this resource in electronic form and on cds!

What I see happening as RCWP emerges and claims our charism of a renewed priestly ministry is a new energy in the community for creating together a community where all are welcome at the banquet table especially the most alienated, rejected and marginalized members of the church and indeed outside the church. There are no boundaries. Christians form other churches are warmly welcomed to the table too.

What I hear from members of my community that gives them hope is that the people of God are experiencing women as revelatory of the divine. RCWP are reminding the church that women are equal images of Godde. A number of women have told me that they watch the videos that I put up on youtube and google because they want the reality to sink into their souls, to feel it in the marrow of the bones!

In Fl. and N.VA. enthusiastic Catholics gather in Mary, Mother of Jesus House Church. So I feel that we have come fully circle! We feel much closer to Jesus and the women leaders of the early church. We can identify with Jesus' ministry which was inclusive, non-hierarchical, challenging rules and regulations, the stus quo, especially by including the lowest, most marginalized as the priviledged. They were the people of God so highly favored, a reversal of the dominator model. In our sacramental celebrations, we have people who have been in the heart of the church for years and people who have been alienated for a number of reasons.

Our challenge is how to transform the existing Eucharistic liturgy with its patriarchal bias reflected in its prayers, and co-create the new together to reflect the mutuality, justice seeking, life affirming discipleship of equals. We definitely need new Eucharistic prayers for starters!!

We are a community where all are welcome at the banquet of love to experience the extravagant affections o f God in community, in creation, in our work for justice and equality in our world.

As we affirm women’s co-equal leadership in the sacramental tradition, we are creating a healing, reconciling, transforming community of co-responsibility and mutuality.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Cloud of Witnesses Retreat

March 1 09

This is the "Listening to the Hearbeat of God" painting. If you look carefully the image structure looks a lot like the human heart in open heart surgery.

Only a nurse or doctor would get it. I have to tell people. So many of nature's images are echoed in the structure and movement of the body.

Viridissima Virga
Hildegard Von Bingen

Greetings to you Verdant rod
burst forth in the rush of wind
burst forth from sacred prayers.

When your time had come
blossoms opened on all
your branches.
The WORD rang out.

Greetings to you
The suns' warmth streams
into you
like the penetrating sweetness
of balsam.

RM
and MBC
RCWP/Canada

Jesuit blasts St. Paul, Catholic teaching on women's ordination

"In a recent article for The Washington Post and Newsweek’s On Faith site , Father Aloysius Howe, a Jesuit and international visiting fellow at Georgetown University’s Woodstock Theological Center, has blasted Catholic teaching on women’s ordination. "

http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=2134

Father Howe argues:
"The Pauline analogy of husbands mirroring Christ and wives mirroring the church has within it the seeds of much in theology and church discipline that is sexist and misogynist. ...If Catholics are told that only men can be, for sacramental purposes, in persona Christi, standing in the place of Christ at the Eucharist, are we seriously meant to believe that this does not lay down the germ of an idea, namely that women are inferior to men, even in the order of God's grace? If all the discernment and decisions that affect women in the Church are made only by celibate men, are we to conclude that this has no effect at all on the attitudes of Catholic men towards women?...

Father Howe continues, “The sin of clericalism, however, is a choice, and not an ineluctable consequence of being a Catholic priest. Similarly, Catholic men may read St Paul, or the latest Vatican instruction against women priests, and yet come away unconvinced that socially-conditioned notions from 2 millennia ago have the force of divine will.”

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Cloud of Witnesses Retreat

Hi all in RCWP USA

Hope you have time to listen and even download St: Hildegard of Bingen's work:
"O Viridissima Viga "
and consider the greening of the world and of the Spirit.

Much love,
RCWP Canada and Europe West

I found this link on SpiralFrog.com and thought you might find it of interest: http://www.spiralfrog.com/pages/album.aspx?albumid=378216

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Cloud of Witnesses Retreat

From Canada and Europe West,
To our sisters and bishops elect in USA.
How about one song by Hildegard of Bingen today and over the weekend.

We surround ourselves in RCWP in a time of gradual opening to our as yet unknown visions and ways forward. WE feel our way in the Luminous Spirit Hildegard sings of today.

This song is called Hodie Aperuit: Today has Opened. ...It is the first in a series of luminous chants and instrumentaltions for her expressions of complete love for the Divine One and for her open heart waiting to receive each infilling of the Spirit in return.
Hey, I found this link on SpiralFrog.com and thought you might find it of interest: http://www.spiralfrog.com/pages/song.aspx?songID=3225321

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Cloud of Witnesses Retreat

Painting by Rose Mewhort who lives on Galiano Island, BC.

"Beside Still Waters" I am drawn into my recognition of the need to enter nature for a day and just stay and stay until am entirely penetrated by the beauty of silent nauture such as Rose has portrayed in in her painting.

I am moved to quote the final line of Denise Levertov's poem "Immersion" from her book
THIS GREAT UNKOWING: LAST POEMS.
New York:New Directions, 1999.

"The holy voice
utters its woe and glory in myriad musics, in signs and portents.
Our own words are for us to speak, a way to ask and answer (53).

Prayer
Loving Mother and Father God, we long to bathe in the light of your holiness and love.
We long to rest in your silence.

Be deeply with us and calm any fears we carry on our journey to the diaconate, to priesthood and to the episcopate.

Fill us with the courage of your holy prophets and help us to understand how prophetic witnessing and the creation of prophetic change happens.

Show us in your infinite gentleness and compassion how to co-create the building of your inclusive model of priesthood for a converted church and for the deep healing of the People of Godde, who also heal us.

We ask this in the your name, in the name of Jesus our Brother and in the name of Spirit Holy Wisdom Sophia

Rose Mewhort
and
Michele Birch-Conery

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Cloud of Witnesses Retreat in preparation for Episcopal Ordinations

(Photo of Roman Catholic Womenpriests Ordinations
in Ottawa, Canada in 2007)

To all the women in RCWP USA,
Firstly, let me introduce to you those who, at this moment, are participating in holding your Sacred Space, in holding the rim of your space on the North American continent as you prepare for and journey towards and to the epicsopal ordinations .



We are:
Europe West
Marlene Wijdeveld
Bishop Patricia Fresen
We have the promise of more to come
from Europe when we begin our daily common prayer on March 29, through to and including Easter Sunday.

We are:
Canada
Priests:
Marie Bouclin -Canada East (Sudbury)
Canada West
Monica Kilburn Smith (Calgary)
Jim Lauder (Van Island)
Michele Birch-Conery (Van Island)
Our Elder Co-ordinator
of St. Francis Chapel Ministries
Patricia Fitzgerald (Mayne Island)
Our Western Region Administrator
located in Calgary
Shelagh Mikaluk

Our candidates on the path do diacionate ordination:
Kim Sylvester (Van Island)
Rose Mewhort(Galiano Island)

And there are others with us who hold our space from deep within the Catacomb realities.
They should not be forgotten as powerful Presences in RCWP.


We also expect wider participation from our support people as we evolve in our Cloud of Witness presence and prayer. for and with you.

I am attaching our reflection and prayer for today to your responses because we know that in a Discipleship of Equals, the dialogic impulse (pulse I should say), the heart beat of our communities is essential,. Thus our role in servant leadership to listen for and to the movement of the Spirit amongst us as we language our responses, our prayer conversation with our God ( who always has the first Word) and then with each other in our liturgies and in Sacrament.

So on this Ash Wednesday, where I awoke wondering what we would offer you next and when we would do it, I found your grateful and heart-felt responses to us on the RCWP/NA list.

They are so heart fully grateful that we have been calling and communicating with each other in a return of ecstasy and joy and wonder at the unfolding of such a simple call offered just last night, the Eve of Ash Wednesday.

A reading for today is re-languaged from PEOPLES COMPANION TO THE BREVIARY: FOR Ash Wednesday. It reads:

You are a people holy to our God; Our Godde has chosen you to be God's people, Godde's treasured possession. It was because our Mother and Father God loved you and kept the promise sworn to our ancestors that now you have been rescued from the house of slavery. Know , therefore, that God is faithful . Our God keeps Covenant loyalty with those who love her, with those who love him to a thousand, thousand generations.
Dt. 7:6, 8-9

We pray that we wil be filled with the Holy Spirit, that our hearts will be renewed and our vision clarified as we take this new turn in our RCWP path, in our community on the journey to the first
USA Episcopal ordinations.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Sarasota House Church Doubles in Size

Mary, Mother of Jesus House Church in Sarasota Praises God for Growth

Mary, Mother of Jesus Catholic Community celebrated an inclusive Catholic liturgy on Saturdays in Sarasota, Florida. On Feb. 21 st, 2009 our community moved to a larger home because we had outgrown my home. Again the Holy Spirit suprised us and we doubled our numbers in two weeks. We give thanks that God is blessing our community with wondrous growth, not only in numbers, but in enthusiasm and joyful praise as we gather to celebrate the banquet of Jesus who invites all to the table of boundless love and forgiveness. On this wondrous occasion, Michael Rigdon, a married RC priest and Julia Fisher, an Episcopal woman priest co-presided at our Christ-centered worship. Indeed, as Jack Meehan, my Dad played our recessional, "When the saints go marching in," we truly experienced a cloud of witnesses on earth and in heaven leading us to a renewed, glorious celebration of our faith in Jesus's healing presence among us. We are called to be the reality that God is indeed doing something new in our midst and that we are challenged to think outside the box and bring our friends in need into Christ's healing embrace.

Bridget Mary Meehan
Roman Catholic Womanpriest

Call to Action on behalf of Justice for Women in the Roman Catholic Church

Fr. Roy Bourgeois, who has been threatened with excommunication, but who has not received any official word from the Vatican, is continuing to speak out about the issue of justice and equality for women in the Roman Catholic Church. He has received many invitations to speak all over the United States. In recent talks, he is encouraging Catholics to stand up for justice for women in our beloved Roman Catholic Church. Now is the time for grassroots action.
Here is the Postcard Campaign for Justice in our Church! Download the postcard (front and back) and make copies to share with your local communities.Or, if you want postcards to share with your community, write to RCWP Janice Sevre-Duszynska at rhythmsofthedance@msn.com and she will mail you copies of the postcard to share with friends. Make copies of the addresses below to hand out to your community with the postcards.

People to Write to
(You may add your local bishop)

Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio
3339 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.Washington, D.C. 20008
Tel: 202-333-7121Fax: 202-337-4036

Pope Benedict XVI
00120 Via de Pellegrino
Citta del Vaticano, Europe
The Pope's email address
(for English correspondence) is
benedictxvi@vatican.va
Fax from USA: 011-39-06698-85378

Cardinal William Levada
Congregation for Doctrine of Faith
Piazza del S. Uffizio, 11,00193 Roma, Italy
Tel: 06-69-88-33-57; 06-69-88-34-13Fax: 06-69-88-34-09

Maryknoll Fathers Superior General, Edward Dougherty
at edougherty@maryknoll.org
and to the three-member Maryknoll Council at
mklcouncil@maryknoll.org and/or fax to 914-944-3600
Write to: Maryknoll Council, P.O. Box 303, Maryknoll, NY 10545

Postcard front: Promoting Equality of Women in the Roman Catholic Church

Postcard (back) for Promotion of Justice and Equality in RC Church

Please mail or place in collection basket.

TO CATHOLIC CHURCH LEADERS

People to Write to (You may add your local bishop)

Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio

3339 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20008

Tel: 202-333-7121Fax: 202-337-4036

Pope Benedict XVI

00120 Via de Pellegrino

Citta del Vaticano,

Europe

The Pope's email address (for English correspondence) is

benedictxvi@vatican.va

Fax from USA: 011-39-06698-85378

Cardinal William Levada

Congregation for Doctrine of Faith

Piazza del S. Uffizio, 11,00193 Roma, Italy

Tel: 06-69-88-33-57; 06-69-88-34-13Fax: 06-69-88-34-09

Maryknoll Fathers Superior General,

Edward Dougherty at edougherty@maryknoll.org

and to the three-member Maryknoll Council at

mklcouncil@maryknoll.org

and/or fax to 914-944-3600

Write to: Maryknoll Council,

P.O. Box 303, Maryknoll, NY 10545

Roman Catholic Womenpriest Janice Sevre Duszynska will attend U N Session

Janice Sevre Duszynska at her ordination
on Aug. 9, 2008 in Lexington, Kentucky

My friend, archaeologist and theologian Dorothy Irvin of St. Paul, MN, has invited me to be a designated representative of St. Joan's International Alliance, the world's oldest Catholic feminist group and longstanding Non-governmental Organization (NGO). We will participate in the 53rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW53) to be held from 2 to 13 March 2009 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The session will be attended by 2,000 representatives of Member States, UN entities and of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world.

Originally founded in 1911 in London as a Catholic Woman's Suffragist group, St. Joan's International Alliance expanded its objectives to secure legal and de facto equality between women and men in society. It has worked with the United Nations (and earlier with the League of Nations) for: the abolition of child and forced marriages and slavery traffic and traffic in persons; the political rights of women; equal access to education and vocational training and economic opportunities; family law; elimination of discrimination against women.

In the Roman Catholic church, the Alliance has petitioned for lay men and women observers and women auditors at the Second Vatican Council, for the revision of the nuptial liturgy, revision of those canons of the code that adversely affect women, and admission of women to the diaconate and priesthood on the same terms and under the same conditions as men.

In 1937, the Alliance presented a paper to the League of Nations on the Condition of Women in colonized countries of Africa and Asia. Since then, the Alliance has campaigned against the ritual sexual mutilatation of young girls and adolescents, the first organization to do so, according to historian Anne Marie Pelzer. In 1952, a representative of the Alliance presented the first official intervention on this issue to the UN Economic and Social Council. The Alliance has been represented as a Non-governmental Organization at all sessions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council in New York and Geneva since 1951.

The active participation of NGOs is a critical element in the work of the CSW. NGOs have been influential in shaping the current global policy framework on women's empowerment and gender equality - the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. They continue to play an important role in holding international and national leaders accountable for the commitments they made in the Platform for Action.

The themes that will be considered at the CSW53 are the following:

Priority theme:"The equal sharing of responsibilities between women and men, including caregiving in the context of HIV/AIDS."

Review theme:"Equal participation of women and men in decision-making processes at all levels" adopted at the 50th CSW.

Emerging Issue:"The gender perspectives of the financial crisis.

"The Commission on the Status of Women is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. It is the principal global policy-making body. Every year for 10 days, representatives of Member States gather at UN Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide.

The Commission consists of one representative from each of the 45 Member States elected by the Council on the basis of equitable geographical distribution: thirteen members from Africa; eleven from Asia; nine from Latin American and Caribbean; eight from Western Europe and other States and four from Eastern Europe. Members are elected for a period of four years.

The Commission was established in June 1946 with the aim to prepare recommendations and reports to the Council on promoting women's rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields. It also makes recommendations to the Council on urgent problems requiring immediate attention in the field of women's rights.

The principal output of the CSW is the so-called agreed conclusions on priority themes set for each year. Agreed conclusions, contain an anlysis of the priority theme of concern and a set of concrete recommendations for Goverments, intergovernmental bodies and other institutions, civil society actors and other relevant stakeholders, to be implemented at the international, national, regional and local level.

In addition to the agreed conclusions, the Commission also adopts a number of resolutions on a range of issues, including the situation of and assistance to Palestinian women; and women, the girl child and HIV/AIDS. The final report of the Commission is submitted to the Economic and Social Council for adoption.

Janice Sevre-Duszynska
Roman Catholic Womanpriest

U.S. women religious uncertain about Vatican study

http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/3323

Dina Cormick: Feminist Artist from S. Africa: Art images-Heroic Women Series

And Miriam Danced

Rachel

Ruth and Naomi

Susanna of Babylon

Apphia, priest to Colossae

Priscilla Priest of Corinth

Phoebe


Chloe, priest of Corinth


Amanda of Bethany



Sophie and the women of Jerusalem


Prophetess Ana blesses Mary's child


Tamar accuses father-in-law, Jacob

Queen Esther

Queen Vashti

The images above come to our blog from DINA CORMICK, feminist artist and visual theologian, who was born in Nkana, Zambia in 1942. Graduated with honours in Fine Art from Durban University of Technology in 1965, and in 1993 graduated cum laude as a "Mistress" of Feminist Theological Ethics from University of South Africa, after critically discussing the manner in which women have been imaged by the Christian Church. Over the years, Dina has been actively involved in several women's movements for change for example, The Black Sash; The Christian Womens' Movement (CWM); The Institute of Contextual Theology's Womens' Kairos;The Circle for Concerned African Women Theologians; Interfaith Women Against Abuse (IWAA); Sisters Of Faith In Action (SOFIA) and most recently The Feminist Party, birthed at AWID Forum in Cape Town November 2008. Significantly the most contentious movement was WOZA (Women's Ordination South Africa) which Dina co-founded with Velisizwe Mkhwanazi in 1996. Dina was personally demonized by the Catholic Priests Organisation with full consent of the local hierarchy. "I not only received more hate-mail and abusive telephone calls than during the apartheid era as a Black Sash, but I lost my 'bread and butter' art commissions from the Church."

However, apart from the above, since 1978 she has worked as free-lance artist from her studio in Durban. Her commissioned artworks which, include wood sculptures, mosaic and ceramic panels, book illustrations and posters can be found widely distributed through Southern Africa in ecumenical church institutions, as well as in numerous grassroot and socio-political organizations. Her particular concerns and interests lie in the didactic importance of art. "I feel very strongly that art has an important formative role to play in our lives, especially toward challenging the ethics of our society. I am committed to a reclaiming and enkindling of the spiritual resources of women through a visual theology." From 1986 Cormick's artworks have predominantly focused on women.

Using images from the "Heroic Womens Series" of paintings and her current artworks, "Icons In celebration of Women" to be exhibited at CTA 2009, well known South African artist Dina Cormick will speak about her impulse to create positive, affirming and challenging woman-imagery. "I call the women I image "heroines" – they could be called great ancestors or honoured foremothers. The main focus has always been to celebrate and honor the stories within each woman. The Heroic Women Series began in 1987 as a visual celebration of the women in the Scriptures, proclaiming and naming the hitherto nameless and neglected. Subsequent series have reclaimed and celebrated the wise and courageous women of history, especially the women who struggled an often painful spiritual journey for justice and equality.

For example a motivating force for the South African Heroine series was a real concern that in the surge towards economic gender equality, many of our young women are unaware of the depth of contribution made by women against the oppressive patriarchal regime of apartheid. We have not honoured them enough - women like Lilian Ngoyi, Francis Baard, Jabu Ndlovu, Victoria Mxenge, and Lydia Kompe… I believe that women need images to empower, to affirm and simply to celebrate womenhood - the feminine divine, WiseWomen & EveryWoman.

Association for the Rights of Catholics Publication: Annulment:External Forum and Internal Forum

ARCC spot LIGHT (analysis of Church issues offered by the ARCC Publications Committee, L. Arceneaux, R. Schutzius, eds.)

ANNULMENT: External Forum and Internal Forum

Baptized couples bestow the sacrament of Marriage on each other by a commitment of life-time fidelity. If two capable people freely commit, a sacramental marriage is achieved. They become instruments of God's grace for each other. As many as half of Catholic marriages now end. What explains this? Two possibilities are: 1) An essential element was missing from the beginning of the marriage, or 2) it was lost along the way. Either way, the sacramental element (conferring grace on each other) does not exist. While divorce/remarriage, like contraception, has become more a matter of individual conscience, it is a much more serious matter with profound consequences.
Every human effort should be made to avoid the tragedy of a failed marriage. Human failures occur. Mistakes are made. But life goes on and so does one's spiritual life. God continues to love us in spite of our failures. The Church offers two options to those in failed unions.

The External Forum Annulment (EFA) is a process whereby the Catholic Church judges that a failed marriage never reached a sacramental level even though one or both of the parties thought they were doing all necessary. The judgment is based on external evidence. Once an annulment is granted, the parties may attempt another marriage in the Church. Annulments do not nullify civil marriages nor render illegitimate children born of failed unions. The Internal Forum Annulment (IFA) process is a self-help alternative whereby one judges in conscience that a failed marriage is no longer sacramental. The judgment is an internal, conscience-based conclusion made with or without objective evidence.

Both processes attempt to resolve the status of a failed marriage. Respect for the authority of the Church and for the integrity of a well-formed conscience to judge the validity of a marriage are involved. Both are human judgments with these same conditions of circumstances and conscience.
1) The firm conviction in conscience that a previous marriage does not have sacramental status due to a lack of an essential condition in one or both parties.* 2) The sacramentality of the current marriage is judged valid in the eyes of God and Christian community
Where possible, annulment should be sought through the External Forum process. When this is not possible (too costly or for lack of objective evidence) the Internal Forum Annulment process is an alternative way to affirm the judgment made in conscience that a marriage never was or is not now a valid sacramental marriage.

The Church does not provide much information about the IFA since no official external verification is involved. The IFA remains an internal process between the individual and an objective advisor/guide/spiritual director/parish priest. Beginning about 1000 years ago the Church began to assert judgment over the sacramental marriage of Christians. It established and maintains tribunals to do this based on external evidence. It cannot and does not judge the internal decision made by an individual since this is a conscience matter.

Catholics are free to use ALL the legitimate processes of the Church. Following a well informed conscience is one of these processes. Faced with this judgment, always give due respect to the authority and process of the Church, while mindful that the right to enter into the difficult IFA process, following the conclusion of your own conscience, is a legitimate alternative recognized by the Church.

Guidance through the IFA process serves as an unbiased assessment of this very personal decision based on prayer (conversation with God) and trust in God's mercy. See "Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church" by Bishop Geoffrey Robinson (Chapter 8), for a more complete treatment and guidance on the formation of conscience and IFA.

# All Catholics have the right to follow their informed conscience in all matters. (ARCC Charter of Rights, No 1)
# All married Catholics have the right to withdraw from a marriage which has irretrievably broken down. All such Catholics retain the radical right to remarry. (ARCC Charter of Rts.No.30)
# All Catholics who are divorced and remarried and who are in conscience reconciled to the Church have the right to the same ministries, including all sacraments, as do other Catholics. (ARCC Charter of Rts., No. 31)


More readings:
http://arcc-catholic-rights.net/internal_forum.htmhttp://arcc-catholic-rights.net/internal_forum_1.htm
http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/73422?eng=y
http://www.amazon.com/Confronting-Power-Sex-Catholic-Church/dp/0814618650/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1228255513&sr=1-1
* Common defects of decision
1. Inability to fulfill the obligation because of sexual identity confusion
2. Inability to communicate-emotional paralysis, one way communication
3. Pro forma action i.e. marriage to gain immigration/citizenship, pretending
4. Against one's will - forced to marry, fear of displeasing someone
5. Excessive self centeredness, narcissism
6. Hidden details about the 'other' - something that would have been a 'deal breaker' but kept hidden
7. Psychological dysfunction to abuse the 'other'

Remembering the Women Sunday Readings (Review the Book)
Sunday Feb 22, 7th Sunday, Genesis 19:15-26
Ash Wednesday Feb. 25, Exodus 21:7-11, Deuter. 15:12-17, 21:10-14, Oroverbs 4:3-13, Luke 1:45-55, Ester 14:3-14
Sunday March 1, 1st Lent, Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7.
Sunday March 15, 2nd Lent, Genesis 11:27-32, 12:10-20

Support for The Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC) is greatly appreciated.
Circulate freely with source acknowledged. Comments welcomed rschutz1@prodigy.net or 1-877-700-ARCC (2722).

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Interview with Dagmar Celeste on ABC News

Roman Catholic Womanpriest: Dagmar Celeste was interviewed by Fr. Beck on Faith Matters Now.
"Excommunicated Priest Speaks Out"
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6824630

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Sacred Imagination Journal/Lenten Journal

Bishop Dana Reynolds (Western Region of the United States)

http://www.sacredimaginationjournal.typepad.com//

Dana Reynolds is Bishop of the Western Region of Roman Catholic Womenpriests. She is a spiritual director and writer who has been a facilitator of the spiritual/creative process for over twenty years. Dana believes that God speaks to us through the world of images and symbols and that we are invited to be co-creators with the Divine through our sacred imaginations. Visit her weblog where you will find inspiration and tools for enlivening your spiritual practices.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Gloria Carpeneto and Andrea Johnson preside at Advent Liturgy in Maryland

From right to left: Roman Catholic Womenpriests Gloria Carpeneto and Andrea Johnson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tntm7cLMJCs&feature=email

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: St. Teresa of Avila's Prayer

St. Teresa of Avila's Prayer

"Christ has no body now, but yours.
No hands, no feet on earth, but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which Christ looks with compassion into the world.
Yours are the feet with which Christ walks to do good.
ours are the hands with which Christ blesses the world."

St. Teresa of Avila 1515 Spain, Doctor of the Church

St. Teresa of Avila, a prominent reformer of the Carmelite order, was interrogated by the Inquisition for her teachings on prayer. She is a patron for Catholics, who have been excommunicated, interdicted , and/or condemned by officials in the institutional church. St. Teresa, may we live as you did, as Christ's presence in our world. In my book, Praying with Visionary Women, I write about holy women:mystics, prophets and activists in the Christian tradition.
Bridget Mary Meehan

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Auch "Priesterinnen" wollen in die Kirche

Left to right Bishops Ida Raming, Patricia Fresen, Gisela Forster presided at first historic ordinations in the United States on July 31, 2006 in Pittsburgh, PA. USA

Bishop Christine Mayr-Lumetzberger from Austria in middle, Bill Manseau on left (president of CORPUS), RCWP priest Juanita Cordero (California) at pre-conference retreat day at Call To Action in Milwaukee, Wisconsin/ USA in Nov. 2006
Wenn es bei Lefebvrianern und Holocaust-Leugnern möglich ist, dann soll es auch für Frauen gehen: Die Aufhebung der Exkommunikation der vier traditionalistischen Bischöfe der Piusbruderschaft hat auch Hoffnungen am anderen Ende des katholischen Spektrums genährt, wie Kathpress meldet. Die Organisation "Roman Catholic Womenpriests" (RCWP) forderte jedenfalls Papst Benedikt XVI. auf, jetzt auch das Dekret über den Ausschluss ihrer eigenen Mitglieder aufzuheben.

http://www.kurier.at/nachrichten/292265.php

O zru¹enie exkomunikácie ¾iadajú pápe¾a u¾ aj kòa¾kyDNES.sk - SlovakiaZdroj: AP Organizácia rímskokatolíckych ¾enských kòa¾iek - Roman Catholic Womenpriests - vyzvala pápe¾a Benedikta XVI., aby zru¹il dekrét o exkomunikácii ...
USA: O zru¹enie exkomunikácie ¾iadajú pápe¾a u¾ aj kòa¾kyTA3 - Bratislava,SlovakiaOrganizácia rímskokatolíckych ¾enských kòa¾iek - Roman Catholic Womenpriests (RCWP) - vyzvala pápe¾a Benedikta XVI., aby zru¹il dekrét o exkomunikácii jej ...
Auch "Priesterinnen" wollen in die KircheKurier - Wien,AustriaDie Organisation "Roman Catholic Womenpriests" (RCWP) forderte jedenfalls Papst Benedikt XVI. auf, jetzt auch das Dekret über den Ausschluss ihrer eigenen ...

Catholic Network for Women's Equality (CNWE) calls on Pope Benedict to lift excommunication against all Roman Catholic Women Priests or Bishops

The Catholic Network for Women’s Equality (CNWE) calls on Pope Benedict to lift in a gesture of reconciliation toward women in the Church the decree of automatic excommunication issued on May 29, 2008 against all Roman Catholic Women priests or bishops. We are aware that the Congregation for Bishops, instructed by the Pope, removed the excommunication of four dissenting bishops on Jan. 21, 2009 for the same reason of promoting Church unity.
Rescinding the decree of automatic excommunication would be an act not of charity but of justice. By showing this leadership, the Pope would be taking a great step forward in promoting the full dignity of women. The current practice of saying there is no discrimination against women, and that women cannot be ordained ‘because this is Christ's will’ tragically shifts blame for injustice onto Christ, presenting him as one of the worst discriminators against women in history. It is not Christ who bars women from sacred ministry, it is Canon Law. Grave injustice is done not only to women but to the entire Body of Christ every single time an authentic vocation is discriminated against on the basis of one's sex. This is contrary to St. Paul ’s teaching that “In Christ there is no longer Jew nor Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” It is also a gross violation of women’s human rights, as Vatican ll declares: Any kind of social or cultural discrimination in basic personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, colour, social conditions, language or religion, must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design. Gaudium et Spes, art. 29, 2
The National Work Group of CNWE,
Michele Birch Conery, Marie Evans Bouclin, Therese Koturbash, Paula MacQuarrie, Jocelyn Rait.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Link to Today Show program aired on Thanksgiving Day 2008

http://www.mmacc.org/

Role of Bishops in Early Church Conversation with Roman Catholic Theologian and Archaelogist: St. Brigit of Kildare- Bishop and Abbess

Bishop Theodora and St. Praxedis (bishops depicted in mosaic in St. Praxedis Church in Rome)


St. Brigit of Kildare ( 450 AD, bishop and abbess, feast Feb. 1st)

This week Dorothy Irvin, distinguished Roman Catholic Theologian and Archaeologist and I had a conversation on the role of bishops in the early church.


1 Before Constantine, Christians met for worship in the homes.

2. The bishop's home was a gathering place for worship, meal sharing, distribution of goods to the indigent. There were multiple house churches in Rome. Hence, bishops originated in the house churches.

3. In mosaic above in St. Praxedis Church in Rome you see depictions of two women bishops, who lived 600 years apart, St. Praxedis and Theodora.

4. The church of St. Prisca and Pudentiana were early house churches.

5. After 325 A.D., when Christianity became legal, the pagan temples were turned into churches, worship moved from the homes to public buildings.

6. The bishop became a government official/ a magistrate. The diocese was a civil division like a county and the bishop had a territory to administer.

7. The Vatican still assigns cardinals as titular heads to what were formerly house churches in Rome.

I find this interesting as Roman Catholic Womenpriests elect bishops. Some of us originate in contemporary house churches!



St. Brigit of Kildare from Praying with Celtic Holy Women
by Bridget Mary Meehan and Regina Madonna Oliver

Today, Feb. 1st is the feast day of St. Brigit of Kildare, (born 450AD) who according to the Irish Life of Brigit was ordained a bishop.


Filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, Bishop Mel, St. Patrick's nephew, read the form of ordaining a bishop over Brigit. While she was being consecrated a brillant fiery flame ascended from her head. Mac Caille, Mel's assistant complained that a bishop's rank was bestowed on a woman. (some things never seem to change, do they?)


Bishop Mel argued: "But I do not have any power in this matter. That dignity has been given by God to Brigit beyond every other woman. Only this virgin in the whole of Ireland will hold the episcopal ordination." Bishop Mel seemed to say that only the abbesses of Kildare could be ordained bishops. Brigit's successors would have high level authority in the Irish church. Indeed other Irish bishops customarily sat at the feet of Brigit's successors until the Synod of Kells ended this tradition in 1159.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Article in Boston Globe "Women to pope: Un-excommunicate us!"

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles_of_faith/2009/01/women_to_pope_u.html

The author, Michael Paulson, wrote two articles about our ordinations in Boston on July 18, 2008 and July21, 2008.
Michael Paulson, in 2002, broke the story of sex abuse the Boston Archdiocese.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests on "IReport" on CNN

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-203113

Go up to link on CNN site and add a comment if you wish.

Bridget Mary Meehan

Roman Catholic Womenpriests call on Pope Benedict to lift excommunications against womenpriests in the Catholic Church

For immediate release
Jan. 28, 2009

From Roman Catholic Womenpriests

http://www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org/

CONTACTS:Bridget Mary Meehan: 941-955-2313 (703) 505-0004(cell), 703-671-6712
sofiabmm@aol.com

Roman Catholic Womenpriests call on Pope Benedict to lift the decree of automatic excommunication issued on May 29, 2008 against all in our movement as a gesture of reconciliation and justice toward women in the church. As is well known, the Congregation for Bishops, instructed by the Pope, removed the excommunication of four traditionist bishops on Jan. 21, 2009.

Therefore, Roman Catholic Womenpriests call on the Pope to lift the decree of excommunication against us. This gesture will be a step away from the institutional church’s treatment of women as second-class citizens. We stand firmly in the tradition of Vatican ll which declares:

"Any kind of social or cultural discrimination in basic personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language or religion, must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God's design." Gaudium et Spes, art. 29, 2

No priest pedophiles have been excommunicated.No bishops who were responsible for their continued placement in parishes after their pedophile history was known have been excommunicated.

Theologians who teach and support Vatican II teachings and who support women's ordination are silenced and/or excommunicated.

Women ordained as priests are excommunicated.

Priests and laity who support women priests are excommunicated.

But, priests who reject Vatican II and who deny the holocaust and who openly deny the full equality of women are "rehabilitated" after earlier excommunication.

What's wrong with this picture?

*Bishop Williamson, who denies that holocaust happened, was one of four bishops, who rejected Vatican ll, who were recently re-admitted to the Roman Catholic Church. In this article he writes about girls going to the university:

"Almost No Girl Should Go to University"

http://www.sspx.ca/Documents/Bishop-Williamson/September1-2001.htm

Response Regarding Excommunication Decree
Roman Catholic Womenpriests reject the penalty of excommunication issued by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith on May 29, 2008 stating that the “women priests and the bishops who ordain them would be excommunicated latae sententiae.” Roman Catholic Womenpriests are loyal members of the church who stand in the prophetic tradition of holy obedience to the Spirit’s call to change an unjust law that discriminates against women. Our movement is receiving enthusiastic responses on the local, national and international level. We will continue to serve our beloved church in a renewed priestly ministry that welcomes all to celebrate the sacraments in inclusive, Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered communities wherever we are called.

The Vatican confirmed the excommunication of the Danube 7 with a decree in Dec. 2002. The Roman Catholic Womenpriests initiative began on June 29, 2002 with the ordination of seven women on the Danube River. Read our new book , Women Find a Way, to find our more about the history of the movement and stories of some of the women in Roman Catholic Womenpriests. Visit www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: in national news magazine: Ms-"Vatican Justice"

Vatican Justice" by Bill Frogameni

makes a contrast between priests who molest children who are protected by Catholic hierarchy and priests who support womenpriests.
Article highlights Roy Bourgeois who stood with " trailblazers of the female ordination movement in Lexington KY. to make Janice Sevre-Duszynska a Catholic priest."
This article quotes Sr. Mary Ann Walsh, spokesoman for th e U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "The church believes that the intent of Jesus ' founding of the priesthood is that it was reserved for men," explained Sister Mary Anne Walsh spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
But speaking for the group Roman Catholic Womenpriests, Bridget Mary Meehan, herself ordained in 2006, and subsequently excommunicated, disputes that teaching:
Jesus never ordained anyone." says Meehan. "And in the tradition, women were ordained deacons, priests and bishops for the first 1200 years." p. 18.

Catholic Renewal Group calls to Pope Benedict: "Be Catholic"

To Pope Benedict: Be Catholic!
The latest move by Pope Benedict XVI to reinstate four schismatic bishops of the St. Pius X Society—which rejects the liberalizing decrees of Vatican Council II (1962-65)—is shocking as it negatively highlights the millions of Catholics he apparently is not interested in reaching out to, including the millions deprived of the Eucharist because of the medieval law requiring that only celibate males can be priests.
Last spring the Pew Foundation found that there are currently 65 million American Catholics—and 30 million former American Catholics! These latter are not Vatican II rejectionists like the Traditionalists, but most likely are either Catholics who are deeply disappointed at the anti-Vatican II Restorationism of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, or never really learned about the Freedom Spirit of Vatican II in the parched years after the appointment of Cardinal Wotyla as Pope in late 1978.
We of the Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church (ARCC, founded in 1980 in the wake of the Vatican repression of Catholic thinkers in 1979) welcome the reaching out to the few million Traditionalist Catholics.
We also cry out for a reaching out to the 30 million alienated former American Catholics! (How many more millions of former Catholics are there elsewhere in the world!?) We also look for a reaching out to the untold millions of the 65 million current American Catholics who are barely holding on to their church membership by their fingernails, threatening to swell the ranks of the 30 missing millions.
Personally, I also plead with my former colleague on the Catholic Theological Faculty of the University of Tübingen, Professor Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, to reach out not only to the right, but also to the left. Make our Church truly catholic, universal!
Professor Leonard Swidler, Ph.D., S.T.L.
President, Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church
E-mail: dialogue@temple.edu ; Tel: 513-508-1935
Web: arcc-catholic-rights.net

Leonard Swidler, Ph.D., S.T.L., LL.D., LL.D.
Prof Catholic Thought & Interreligious Dialogue
215-204-7251 (Off.) 215-477-1080 (Home) 513-508-1935 (Mobile)
E-mail: dialogue@temple.edu ; Web: http://astro.temple.edu/~dialogue/Swidler/
Editor, Journal Ecumenical Studies; Pres Dialogue Institute http://jesiiid.org/
Religion Dept Temple Univ Philadelphia, PA 19122 http://www.temple.edu/religion
Pres, Association for the Rights of Catholics in the Church arcc-catholic-rights.net

Roman Catholic Womanpriest Judy Lee: Ministry to the Homeless- "Jim Died Tonight"

(Roman Catholic Womanpriest standing next to Jim seated to her right)

Jim died tonight. He was 49 years old. I am attaching a picture of us from last July. It is a picture I will send his family. He is the one seated holding my hand.I brought him into Lee Memorial on Friday night from the ministry. His pancreas and liver were shot and he was in much pain as his belly looked like a 12 month pregnancy. He had lain in the woods for two weeks in this awful state but I only learned of it on Wednesday. Finally someone directed us to him on Thursday night. I sent the Salvation Army Nurse there on Friday afternoon but he refused her help. I had her tell him to come to the ministry or I would come get him on Friday night. His best friend put him on the bus from NFM and there he was-so frightened and in such pain. I talked with him until he had the courage to go with me. One of the volunteers drove us up the street and his friend and I somehow got all immobilized 6 feet of him in there. He would not let me leave his side so I went through the exams with him. When they finally sat him in a recliner he said "this IS better, and this is my Pastor, and I love her.I told him that I loved him too and that he was God's beloved son". "I know" he said and the Nurses were crying and so was I. He was finally admitted after many hours in the ER I visited him on Saturday after church and he was agitated( I think also detoxing with tremors) but so happy to see us. We talked about his parents and children in another state. I took his parent's number but he doubted that they would call him. We talked about forgiving and being forgiven. He conveyed his love for them, and I will tell his parents that when I call them tomorrow.How I wish that I had remembered to call them on what was a hectic Sunday. At the end of the visit I anointed him with oil of Chrism and prayed with him. He put his arms around me and thanked me for loving him. He did the same with JudyB. I thanked him for loving us. We had talked about his possible discharge( to SA Med Unit or or Joshua House) and he wanted to make sure we would bring him clean clothes on Monday! I asked my 'elders' to visit him on Sunday but do not know if they did. Well, we spent today settling Brenda into her new home in Port Charlotte and got there about 6PM. We learned that he had recently been taken to ICU. When we got there we were shocked to learn that he had just died. They let us stay with him and I said the final prayers. This was a time of peace and grace. He is free of all the tortures he has faced. And tomorrow I will make final plans with the family and do some sort of a funeral/Memorial Service here soon. But, I can not tell you what this has done to me. I feel like I am running to meet urgent needs like this and can't run fast enough. There is a renewed sense of urgency about this ministry,and the prayer to have more hands to do it. I guess that is the prayer for church to do its work before we lose another one. This is the second one in a year. The first was Tammy who was hit by a car crossing 41. Please keep us in your prayers.

Judy Lee

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Photos of womenpriests in southern region

http://picasaweb.google.com/sofiabmm/UntitledAlbum?feat=directlink

Top Roman Catholic Theologian Supports Womenpriests

"I get the impression that the recourse to sheer power is happening because those who oppose women's ordination are losing the argument on the field of reasoning. These reasons are basically three: the example of Jesus, unbroken tradition , and the need for iconic resemblance."
Read full article on Womenpriests website:
http://www.womenpriests.org/teaching/johnson.asp

Elizabeth A. Johnson, C.S. J. is professor of theology at Fordham University and author of many books such as Consider Jesus: Waves of Renewal in Christology (1992);Women, Earth and Creator Spirit (1993);
She Who Is: The Mystery of God in Feminist Theological Discourse (1993). Her most recent work is Quest for the Living God: Mapping Frontiers in the Theology of God

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Meeting and Worship at Mary Mother of Jesus House Church Catholic Community

Roman Catholic Womenpriests Community Southern Regional Meeting January 2009



Janice Sevre-Duszynska (left) and Bridget Mary Meehan (right) at Siesta Key
Here we are on the Gulf Sunday evening revering the sunset amid drumming and dancing on the sugar-like sand. It was Bridget's birthday!





Janice Sevre Duszynska (left), Bridget Mary Meehan,
Judy Lee, Eleonora Marinaro (right)
met for prayer, reflection and planning for southern region on Jan. 9, 2009



Judy Lee (left) Mary Ellen Sheehan
(candidate from Atlanta in center),
Bridget Mary Meehan right
(March 2008)

Our RCWP-Southern community met on Friday. What a treat to gather in the warmth of the Sarasota sun and Bridget Mary's home. We began by singing Marsie Silvestro's "Let the women be there." We shared stories of our ministries, our needs, hopes and dreams. Spirit moving freely -- the ideas flowed. We captured them on paper. They include a home and services for homeless women and a billboard campaign for the upcoming RCWP ordination in Atlanta.


Mary, Mother of Jesus House Church Catholic Community
Celebration on the Baptism of Jesus -- Jan. 12, 2009
The Spirit revived us with Her fire as community gathered to pray, share stories of the Good News, ask for healing and celebrate Eucharist with each other. In our liturgy we remembered the Baptism of Jesus.
Holy Spirit, Breath of God,
come and light a fire of love;
love that welcomes truth and kindness,
love revealing God's embrace of all.
(from "Holy Spirit, Breath of God" by Gregory Norbert, 2007. Published by OCP).


Mary, Mother of Jesus House Church Catholic Community
celebrates Baptism of Jesus on Jan. 9, 2009