Palm Coast Women, Miriam Picconi and Wanda Russell to Become Ordained as Priests/ Media Coverage List

Palm Coast women follow passion to become ordained as priests

By ANNIE MARTIN

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/flagler/2012/04/13/palm-coast-women-follow-passion-to-become-ordained-as-priests.html
PALM COAST -- "Miriam Picconi remembers sitting before a life-sized crucifix adorned with the body of Christ at her church as a young teenager.
"I would just see Jesus on the cross and I kept thinking, 'If you did that for me, what can I do for you?' " she said.
Picconi, 68, said she was "called to minister" early in life. By age 16, she was teaching disabled children about Christ and visiting isolated people who were unable to leave nursing homes and hospitals. She said she became a nun at age 20, delivering communion and praying with people who were too ill to attend church.
"I always had a deep love for the Eucharist, in the way Jesus shares himself with us," Picconi said.
There was one thing she couldn't do -- becoming a priest was off limits.
The Catholic Church doesn't ordain women but some are seeking to change that. Picconi and Wanda Russell, both of Palm Coast, will be ordained into the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Unitarian Universalist Society in Ormond Beach.
Together they're challenging a centuries-old tradition of an all-male clergy within the Catholic Church and many Protestant denominations. The ceremony will include the same rite used to ordain male Catholic priests..."
http://www.wjct.org/radio/shows/wjct_news#fcc

(Select "First Coast Connect"  4-11-2012 show

go down to FOLLOW THE PODCAST at the bottom of the page and click on it.

Then select today, 4-11-12 "Two Fl Women ordained RC Women priests")
Palm Coast Women To Be Ordained As Priests
http://www.palmcoastobserver.com/news/palm-coast/News/041120123885/Palm-Coast-women-to-be-ordained-as-priests
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features-the-religion-world/2012/04/12/women-catholic-priests-ordination-saturday-in-ormond-beach/
On Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 2 p.m. Miriam Picconi and Wanda Russell of Palm Coast will be ordained priests in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.  The presiding bishop will be Bridget Mary Meehan of Sarasota and Falls Church, Virginia. The ceremony will take place at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 56 North Halifax Dr., Ormond Beach www.uuormond.net/.

 From 12:30 – 1:30 p. m. Catholic theologian and archaeologist Dorothy Irvin, whose ground-breaking research reveals evidence of women deacons, priests and even bishops, has provided a historic foundation for the female priest movement, will give a lecture with slides of Women’s Ordination in the Early Church. All are welcome to the ordination and pre-ordination lecture.
 The Women Priests movement in the Roman Catholic Church advocates a new model of priestly ministry united with the people with whom they minister. Women priests stand in prophetic obedience to Jesus who calls women and men to be disciples and equals. The movement began with the ordination of seven women on the Danube in 2002. Today there are more than 130 in the movement worldwide. The Roman Catholic Women Priests initiative is to live Gospel equality and justice for women in the Church and in society now. The women priests work with the poor and marginalized for transformative justice in partnership with all believers. Their vision is to live as a community of equals in decision making both as an organization and within all our faith communities. They advocate the renewal of the vision of Jesus in the Gospel in our Church and world.
 Miriam and Wanda are theologically prepared and have many years of experience in ministry.  Miriam (Mary Ann) Picconi spent 25 years with the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity, becoming certified in Theology and teacher training, while earning a degree in Special Studies and a Masters in Religious Studies, in addition to completing over 400 hours in Clinical Pastoral Education. She has administrated and directed a variety of parish programs. Wanda Y. Lavinghouse Russell has one married daughter, Monica Leavitt. She has a B.S. degree in Psychology, coursework in Parish Ministry and a Masters in Education, Counseling. She has been a social worker for 25 years and has volunteered in a variety of parish ministries.
 Both Miriam and Wanda are Associates with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Kentucky. In Palm Coast they lead a bible study group and advocate for the homeless.  They also participate in ecumenical ministry, Miriam sometimes preaching and teaching at a local Episcopal church, and they host a theology club.
 The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests rejoices in a “holy shakeup” that millions of Catholics worldwide welcome. The good news now is that male priests, bishops, a cardinal as well as theologians have expressed their support of female priests. They are following in the footsteps of Maryknoll Roy Bourgeois whose prophetic call for a dialogue on women priests is being heard in more and more places today in our Church.
 “Nothing can stop the movement of the spirit toward human rights, justice and equality in our world and in our Church,” said Bridget Mary Meehan. “The full equality of women is the voice of God in our time.”
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-04-11/story/two-palm-coast-women-be-ordained-priests-breakaway-catholic-group
Two Palm Coast women will be ordained priests Saturday in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, an independent group that claims ties to the Roman Catholic Church.Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-04-11/story/two-palm-coast-women-be-ordained-priests-breakaway-catholic-group#ixzz1rsadlrgr
http://clericalwhispers.blogspot.com/2012/04/two-palm-coast-women-to-be-ordained.html

http://m.jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-04-11/story/two-palm-coast-women-be-ordained-priests-breakaway-catholic-group