Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Ordaining More Women, Bishop Welcomes Controversy

Ordaining More Women, Bishop Welcomes Controversy
Ann Scott
"Good!" said Bridget Mary Meehan, the former nun who is performing today's ordinations and is one of five bishops in the national movement. "They're upping the ante. People will have to be courageous to support us and that is what this is about. Like our sister Rosa Parks, we refuse to sit on the back of the bus any longer."
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100206/ARTICLE/2061054/-1/NEWSSITEMAP

Catholic Bishop Decries Ordination of Women in Florida
http://www.speroforum.com/a/26840/Catholic-bishop-decries-ordination-of-women-in-Florida

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: Women Ordained as Priests/NBC/Channel 8/Tampa

http://video.tbo.com/m/28899592/woman-ordained-as-priests.htm?q=ordain



Television reporter Jackie Barron interviewed Dena OCallaghan and Bridget Mary Meehan at our press conference on Feb. 5th in preparation for the historic ordination of Roman Catholic Womenpriests on Feb. 6th at St. Andrew UCC Church in Saraosta, Florida. This television interview aired at 5:30pm and 6:pm, 11:00 pm and possibly on Feb. 6th at 9:00am and noon.

Roman Catholic Womenpriests: National Public Radio/Tampa Interview with Dena O'Callaghan and Katy Zatsick

from left to right
Katy Zatsick, Dena O Callaghan, Bridget Mary Meehan
Judy Lee(red stole) and Eleonora Marinaro at Diaconate Ordination


"Women Risk Excommunication to be Ordained Catholic Priests" by Scott Finn, National Public Radio/Tampa

“We are in good company, because there have been saints canonized who were once excommunicated (from the church.)” O’Callaghan said.
O’Callaghan is married to a former Catholic priest, and they lead a small “house church” in Ocala. She says she’s taken all the seminary courses needed to become a priest. Now, she’ll be able to hear confessions, anoint the sick and, most importantly, lead Mass.
Zatsick hopes being a priest will amplify her anti-war message – a message that was reinforced when her own son was injured in Iraq.
“I had the strength and the courage to walk into Walter Reed, not knowing if he would live or die. So I know I have the courage to walk the pathway of peace,” Zatsick said."http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/02/01/women_risk_excommunication_to_be_ordained_catholic_priests

Jan. 23, 2010 Washington Post
Roman Catholic Womenpriests: "Faithfully, if not obediently, Catholic" by Katie Balestra in Washington Post
"Faithfully , if not obediently, Catholic"
By Katie Balestra ,Saturday, January 23, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/22/AR2010012202919.html?hpid=topnews
"Our goal is to bring about full equality of women in the Roman Catholic Church," said Meehan, 62. "We love the faith. We love the spirituality. That's why we remain Catholic. We are holding disobedience to an unjust law that discriminates against women. We're willing to go the whole mile with the institution on this." ...
"Meehan was 8 when her family moved to Arlington County from Ireland in 1956. Her father said she spent her free time as a child "playing church," setting up an altar in their home. "She was a priest from day one," said Jack Meehan, 85, in a thick Irish brogue. "I'm very proud of her."
She thinks the Vatican's actions are motivated by fear.
"They're so afraid because they're seeing that people are actually thinking this is a good idea," said Meehan, who discusses the issue on her blog. "We're taking it from the hierarchical model into the open, inclusive Catholic community of equals. And that's the thing that threatens them the most, a total change from one model to another."
Katie Balestra is a freelance writer based in the District.