Translate

Friday, July 3, 2009

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Highlights of Ordinations of Women Bishops- 9 min.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C2k7F6110k

On this 9 min. video, you will see some highlights of the historic ordinations of the first women bishops in the United States to serve our growing movement. Bishops have a pastoral and spiritual role in the movement. They are not on the Leadership Circle/LC. The Leadership Circle perform the administrative tasks. Priests do not promise obedience to a bishop. Notice that at our ordinations, women prostrate before the altar, not the bishop(s) as a symbol of our consecration to serving God and the people. Also note that the people prayed with the bishops the prayer of consecration, and although not seen in this short video, the community lays hands on the ordinands. Look at slide show on right hand corner of blog and you will see the people laying hands as well as the presiding bishops.

www.romancatholicwomenpriests.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
Bridget Mary Meehan

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : " US Nuns facing Vatican Scrutiny"

New York Times article (July 2, 2009)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/us/02nuns.html?_r=1&hp

Commentary:
One of the reasons that the nuns incurred the Vatican's wrath is their support of justice for women in the church specifically the issue of women's ordination.
In a recent letter, Roman Catholic Womenpriests extended our prayerful support and expressed our solidarity with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious/ LCWR and the apostolic orders who are undergoing Vatican investigation. Religious women have been prophets over the centuries and challenged our institutional church to live the Gospels. We are, like many Catholics and non-Catholics, are grateful to the nuns for their dedication and service to God's people especially those on the margins of society.
It is my hope that these gutsy women continue to speak truth to power as courageous witnesses of Christ's compassion and justice in our world. Our church and world needs their witness to Gospel equality now more than ever! Some fear that the Vatican will impose an older model of pre-Vatican 11 traditional convent life. Others suggest that perhaps it is time for the women religious to drop their canonical status and adopt a new, renewed model of religious life similar to Sisters for Christian Community/SFCC. (my community). Our rule of life is the Gospel and our charism is building community so that all may be one. There are many options for women religious to consider that could offer fresh possibilities for a future, unimpeded by Vatican interference. Nuns have mountain-moving faith and and as we know all things are possible for God. My guess is that we are in for some surprises by the Spirit here.
The movement for full equality of women in the church is moving forward and becoming a reality in grassroots communities now as Roman Catholic Womenpriests respond to the call to serve God's people in a community of equals. Let justice flow like a river to end all oppressive domination and usher in freedom and equality for God's beloved people. Sisters, the ball is in your court now, take the lead! Anyone called to priestly ministry?
Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp
sofiabmm@aol.com


Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Benedict XVI: Church Needs Change of Mentality/ARCC spot LIght


Members of Mary, Mother of Jesus Community pray over
Bridget Mary Meehan in preparation for her ordination as bishop.

The article below indicates a welcome shift to "pastoral co-responsibility" It also is a reminder that women, half of the church's membership are excluded from priestly ministry and full equality in the church. It is time for the Vatican to address the issue of justice for all including women in the church.The people on the margins have moved to the mainstream and reflect Christ's example of a discipleship of equals.They are taking pastoral co-responsibility in empowered, prophetic communities in a number of ways including calling women forth to serve their faith communities as deacons, priests and bishops. This is the charism, the gift that the Roman Catholic Womenpriests' movement brings to our beloved church. Yes, Pope Benedict, the church needs a change of mentality and Catholics are moving forward to live this renewed vision now. Amen to ARCC's article!

Bridget Mary Meehan, rcwp


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

Benedict XVI: Church Needs Change of Mentality

ROME, MAY 28, 2009 (Zenit.org).- "Lay people are not merely the clergy's collaborators, but rather share in the responsibility of the Church's ministry", says Benedict XVI. The Pope called on the laity to become more aware of their role when he inaugurated an ecclesial conference for the Diocese of Rome on "Church Membership and Pastoral Co-responsibility". "There should be a renewed becoming aware of our being Church and of the pastoral co-responsibility that, in the name of Christ, all of us are called to carry out," the Holy Father said.

The Pope, in one sense, is absolutely correct on this one! He recognizes, as we all do, that serious changes are needed in the Church, and even points in the right direction suggesting that we all are co-responsible for the Catholic Christian Community, the Church. The Pontiff acknowledged that this requires a "change of mentality," especially regarding lay people, shifting from "considering themselves collaborators of the clergy to recognizing themselves truly as 'co-responsible' for the being and action of the Church, favoring the consolidation of a mature and committed laity". "There is still a tendency to unilaterally identify the Church with the hierarchy, forgetting the common responsibility, the common mission" of all the baptized.

But the "devil is in the detail" (perhaps literally). "Up to what point is the pastoral responsibility of everyone, especially the laity, recognized and encouraged?" he asks. We must ask in return, what co-responsible member of a community has no say in choosing its leadership, or how the resources of the community are spent, or can tolerate secrecy, lack of accountability, and no participation in decisions of the community?

ARCC suggests that Pope Benedict must first change his own mentality about the Church. He means well, but his understanding of co-responsibility is just not real. He seeks to change our Church mentality back to the pre- Vatican II model when we had responsibilities but no rights. We call that a monarchy, not a community. His words remain sounding gongs and tinkling cymbals until he changes first.

7/5/09, 14th Sunday , Mark 6, 1-6
7/12/09, 15th Sunday, Mark 6, 14-29

ARCC is a co-sponsor of THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC COUNCIL (ACC) Please consider joining this effort to bring about much-needed organizational restructuring in the Church

Feel free to distribute this article without change. Thank you for support of ARCC..

Send comments to rschutz1@prodigy.net or 1-877-700-ARCC (2722).

Monday, June 29, 2009

Roman Catholic Womenpriests : Irish Television Program/Spirit Level Broadcast on Roman Catholic Womenpriests- Interview with Bridget Mary Meehan


The video of the RTE (Irish TV) programme Spirit Level, broadcast on Sunday 28th June in Ireland, is now accessible on the RTE site at http://www.rte.ie/tv/spiritlevel/av_20090628.html?2570701,null,228
If you move the slider on the viewer to Minute 26 you will come to the start of the section on women priests.
This program was filmed in Dublin earlier this month when we celebrated Mass with the Women's Ordination and Married Priests Community.
Bridget Mary Meehan