We've had enough': Portland Catholic women to skip Sunday morning Mass over treatment of women

http://blog.oregonlive.com/portland_impact/print.html?entry=/2010/09/weve_had_enough_portland_catho.html

"We had been talking amongst ourselves about how to be a woman and be a Catholic, dealing with that angst," says Sarah Granger, 34, who is active in St. Andrew Parish in Northeast Portland. "Her call struck a chord with us. We needed to do something, to say, 'We've had enough.'" But she and other women from St. Andrew's envisioned a "prayerful, positive public witness," not a protest or a boycott. "

"Sleeman -- who is from Ireland and the mother of a monk -- said at the time that her call was inspired by a Vatican statement in July that seemed to equate the ordination of women with pedophilia. "One Spirit -- One Call" will unfold at 9:30 a.m. Sunday in the South Park Blocks in downtown Portland. The 90-minute program calls for prayers, a gospel reflection, and a litany of women saints. Organizers say they hope participants will attend Mass on Saturday night or stay downtown for a special noon Mass at the Downtown Chapel. "

Bridget Mary" Reflection.
Now the revolution led by gutsy Catholic Women has begun. Special thanks to Jennifer Sleeman, an 80 year-old grandmother for challenging the Vatican in response to their outrageous linking of the ordination of women with pedophilia. Tomorrow in Ireland and in Portland Oregon, women will come together to witness to equality and demand change from our hierarchy.
Women are fed up with the stained glass ceiling in the Catholic Church that keeps them out of the top jobs and excludes them from priestly ministry. They reject the lame excuse that the church has no power whatsoever to ordain women because Jesus was a male and therefore the priest must be male. This argument is sexist and belongs in the dustbin of history. Do they seriously think that God is impotent before women? Most Catholics believe that women are equal images of God and that God can call either men or women to priestly ministry. The church is now at a tipping point. Faithful Catholic women have had enough of second class citizenship in their own church.Courageous women are leading the way to take back our church and make it a community of equals. The full equality of women in the church, including priestly ministry is the voice of God in our times. When Catholics demand change, and stop giving money to their parishes, change will come. Hopefully, this day of prayerful witness will lead the women activists of "One Call , One Spirit" to become proactive in the movement to support women called to priestly ministry in a people-empowered church.. Roman Catholic Womenpriests are already on the ground working to renew our church in enthusiastic, inclusive grassroots communities in 23 states in the U.S., Canada, Europe and coming soon South America. We are growing like the tiny mustard seed. Visit our website:
www.romancatholicwomenrpiests.org
Bridget Mary Meehan,RCWP
sofiabmm@aol.com
703-505-0004