Catholic Diocese Uses Surveillance Video on Church Reform Group
The Archdiocese of St. Louis, led by Archbishop Raymond Burke, authorized the use of a surveillance video to record the participants of a women's ordination ceremony in November 2007, according to a story published this week in the National Catholic Reporter. Sr. Louise Lears, SC, who had participated in the ceremony, was given notice by Burke in late June 2008 that she was to be denied the sacraments as punishment for attending the filmed ceremony where two women were ordained priests in the Roman Catholic WomanPriest movement.Call To Action/USA, the Catholic justice organization, finds the use of the surveillance video to be an unacceptable abuse of authority and misuse of diocesan resources. Such actions are of deep concern, not only to those gathered at the ordination ceremony, but to all Catholics who seek justice in the church. Nowhere in the gospels does Jesus encourage religious leaders to spy upon the faithful.However, the gospels do tell many stories of Jesus encouraging justice for women. The Gospel of Luke records a story where a religious leader, indignant that a woman is set free on the Sabbath, tries to warn the people against rituals in which women are liberated (see scripture passage below). Gratefully, Jesus says that any time a woman is crippled under an oppressive spirit, she deserves to be 'set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her' (Luke 13:16). Upon hearing this, the people rejoiced.Call To Action/USA also rejoices when Catholic women are set free or free themselves to participate fully in the church. We look forward to the day when our religious leaders will also respond with rejoicing rather than surveillance and punishment. Call To Action will continue its church justice work, in conjunction with other organizations in the church reform movement, until all women are set free of the dogmatic yoke that binds them.Scripture:"On the Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, 'Woman you are set free from your infirmity.' Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God. Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, 'There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.' The Lord answered him, 'You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?' When he said this, all this opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing." -Luke 13:10-17
Living Gospel Inclusivity and Empowerment Now
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Pastor Judy, who serves homeless, will be ordained an Roman Catholic Womanpriest
FORT MYERS: A preacher is trying to open the door for millions of people. But at the same time, the Catholic Church is closing the door on her. ABC7 spoke to the woman trying to change decades of tradition.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Article about Judy Lee: Fort Myers woman to be ordained who works with people who are homelss
Fort Myers woman to be ordained, risks excommunication
Group violates Vatican law
BY ANTHONY ANAMELECHI •
aanamelechi@news-press.com •
The "Rev. Walter Fohs of Lamb of God Church in Estero said Lee more than deserves the ordination. Lamb of God holds joint services with Lee's congregation. "She is tireless in her work at Church in the Park," Fohs said. He said the ordination is also vital to the Catholic community as "a necessary sign of the future of the church."
Judy will be ordained in Boston on July 20, 2008 at the Church of the Covenant.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Blog of Roman Catholic Womanpriest: Victoria Rue's trip to Asia
Roman Catholic Womanpriest:Victoria Rue's dialogue on women's ordination with interfaith leaders in Asia.
http://womanpriest-asia08.blogspot.com/
http://womanpriest-asia08.blogspot.com/