"Catholic Church Decision Riles Women Priests" New Jersey Herald

http://www.njherald.com/story/news/16Schoettly

By SETH AUGENSTEIN

FREDON —" Both pedophile priests and women who claim ordination as clergy are now guilty of the gravest crimes in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church, according to a Thursday proclamation issued by the Vatican.The message encompassing the two groups has been angrily received by the women priests. Mary Ann Schoettly, an already-excommunicated clergywoman from Fredon and one of 100 worldwide, is incensed.“To put the two things in the same breath ... it’s downright insulting to combine the two,” she said..."


"In fact, the change in church law comes a month after a delegation and other women priests visited the Vatican. Schoettly and a small group from the Roman Catholic Womenpriests organization converged on St. Peter’s Square with thousands of male clergy for the conclusion of the “Year of the Priest” celebration. The group of five held a sign calling for the ordination of women; Schoettly said before the trip that the group wasn’t hoping for a confrontation. However, “some bit of commotion” did result, drawing an international media presence, and the accompanying police escort. After the cameras left, however, the police remained — and it resulted in confiscated passports and hours of detention on the side of St. Peter’s Square.“Fourteen police surrounded us,” she said. “They’re worried about five women? “I thought, ‘It says something. I’m not sure what,’ ” she added."