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| Erin Hanna, Donna Rougeux, Ree Hudson, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Janice Sevre-Duszynska (UPI photo) |
The Vatican's surprise dismissal of Fr. Roy Bourgeois is a power play meant to intimidate supportive priests of the international Roman Catholic Women Priests' Movement.
It will not work. Roman Catholic Women Priests are a spiritual revolution that is shaking up
the Vatican.
Vatican opposition to the international Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement is the gift that keeps on giving. Hundreds of priests in Europe are on record as supporters of women's ordination. One recent example is Jesuit Bill Brennan , who co-presided with Janice Sevre-Duszynska, a Roman Catholic Women Priest at a Progressive Catholic liturgy on Nov. 17, 2012. More and more Catholics welcome women priests' led liturgies in inclusive communities where all are welcome at the table.
Fr. Roy may no longer be a Maryknoll priest according to the Vatican, but he will always be a prophetic priest of the people. Fr. Roy confronted the "old boys network" in the Vatican with the truth; sexism is a sin that is always wrong.
Fr. Roy Bourgois's courageous prophetic witness to Gospel equality is a lesson that the Vatican needs, but resists because they are afraid of women priests. Yes, gentlemen, we represent change in the clerical model. Our renewed model of priestly ministry advocates oneness with the people we serve, not separation or a spiritual class system with the hierarchy on top and the laity on the bottom. Gospel equality is our motto. All the baptized are "Persona Christi", not just the priests as the Vatican proclaims.
All Catholics are called to be followers of Jesus who treated women as disciples and equals. The Risen Christ chose Mary of Magdala to the be the apostle to the apostles. Women were ordained during the first thousand years of the church's history. The institutional church cannot continue to discriminate against women and blame God for it. Roman Catholic Women Priests are a breath of fresh air in the Catholic Church, and a holy shakeup whose time has come.
Kudos to Fr. Roy and the hundreds of male priests who publically stand for justice in the Catholic Church, challenging the "elephant in the living room" of institutional sexism! The time for the full equality of women in the Catholic Church has come. Thank you, Fr. Roy, for your courage and solidarity. Our prayers are with you.
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
www.arcwp.org
sofiabmm@aol.com
703-505-0004
703-671-6712
National Catholic Reporter' Nov. 19, 2012
"Roy Bourgeois, a longtime peace activist and priest who had come under scrutiny for his support of women's ordination, has been dismissed from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, which he served for 45 years, according to the congregation.
The Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made the dismissal in October, according to a news release issued Monday afternoon by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers.
Dominican Fr. Tom Doyle, a canon lawyer acting on Bourgeois' behalf, told NCR he was not aware of the move.
Doyle said he and Bourgeois met with Maryknoll's superior general, Fr. Edward Dougherty, in June, and the issue of dismissal had not been discussed.
"The idea then was that things would continue and they would not dismiss Roy and they would continue to dialogue," Doyle said. "And then this just happened, unilaterally. [Bourgeois] had no idea..."
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1204900.htm
Such a sad day for our church. He will always be Father Roy to me. He has more integrity and courage in his little finger than the hierarchy has in its entire body. What can we do to support him??
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