Support from Florida Rabbi and British Lord and Lady for Roman Catholic Womenpriests

Many months ago, I was introduced to a movement called Roman Catholic Womenpriests. I invited one of them, Bridget Mary Meehan, to speak to our congregation on a Friday night after Services. This week word reached me that all of the Womenpriests had been excommunicated by the Vatican. I wrote Bridget Mary and commented that a little thing like excommunication surely would not stop her and those like her. Her response basically was, of course not! Originally, I likened the Womenpriest movement to the early days of Reform Judaism. Like them, we were opposed by the 'authorities', namely the Orthodox, who, through the European model of connections between religion and the state, brought government pressure against the Reformers. Clearly, because Reform Judaism was transplanted to America, with its concepts of religious freedom and the separation of church-state, Reform has flourished and now is a world-wide presence. Hopefully, the dream of Womenpriests to 'reform' the Church will also grow and gain in strength in this free land of ours.

Rabbi Larry Mahrer

Temple Beth El

Bradenton, Florida

From the Telegraph in the U.K., 6.11.2008.
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Lord Patten: Let women and married men become Roman Catholic priests

By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 2:42PM BST 12/06/2008

Thousands of leading Roman Catholics including Lord Patten and Baroness Williams are calling on the Church to allow women and married men into the priesthood.