Roman Catholic Womanpriest Suzanne Avison Thiel's Letter is published in the Oregonian

Photo of Suzanne Avison Thiel with her husband and sons standing beside her.

http://www.oregonlive.com/letters/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1214011514309940.xml&coll=7

Affirm Women as Priests

Monday, June 23, 2008

The Oregonian

"Women claim ordination, are expelled from church" (June 17), updated us on the latest developments in the Roman Catholic Church.This is a time of transition in the church, a time of renewal but also a time of justified anger not only for all the sex abuse that has gone on (right here in our hometown) but anger because the all-male clergy has now pronounced excommunication for women daring to be ordained to the priesthood.Isn't it ironic that there is no automatic excommunication of priests who have committed crimes of violence against our children? The refusal of the church to treat women as equals, basing it on the tradition of the church, is disgusting.The continued refusal of the church to treat half the human race as equals makes women in society vulnerable to violence in all its forms.It is time that the Catholic Church affirms that a woman is holy (as holy as a man), a full human being who can image Christ in the priesthood.

SUZANNE AVISON THIEL Southwest Portland