Mercy Nuns Statement of Support for Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Link to National Catholic Reporter Support, Irish Priests' Association Support Roy and Women's Ordination/Vatican Punishments Fail /Tipping Point for Women Priests?

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/mercy-sisters-support-roy-bourgeois

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/lament-over-silencing-brothers

Bridget Mary's Response: 
Once again the Vatican and the bishops are the gifts that keep on giving to the Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement!  Courageous male priests,  the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and the Catholic press are challenging the Vatican for its tactics of intimidation and punishment against those who support women's ordination. There is no sugar-coating it. This is a spiritual revolution in the Catholic Church that is shaking the Vatican and moving the church forward towards a renewal. Perhaps, we are even approaching a tipping point for women priests!

What do  Maryknoll Roy Bourgeois, Franciscan Jerry Zawada and Jesuit Bill Brennan have in common? They are peace and justice activists, who co-presided with Janice Sevre-Duszynska at different liturgies. Roy gave the homily at her ordination  on Aug. 9, 2008 and has spoken out for women's ordination in many places in the United States and Canada. Fr. Jerry in 2010 and 2011 and Fr. Bill n 2012 co-presided with Janice at liturgies at the School of the Americas Watch in Columbus, GA. Their punishment:Fr. Roy Bourgeois was thrown out of the Maryknoll Order for his promotion of women's ordination Fr. Jerry's case is pending, Fr. Bill Brennan, a Jesuit, is not allowed to celebrate public Masses, speak to the media, or leave his nursing home without the permission of his superior!  It is outrageous to treat a faithful, 92 year old priest like a child!

Monsignor Helmut Schuller of Austria has been stripped of the tile Monsignor as punishment for leading the "Appeal to disobedience." According to the National Catholic Reporter: "Schüller, a former deputy to Vienna's archbishop, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, has made waves by organizing some 400 Austrian priests into the Austrian Priests' Initiative, which published an "Appeal to Disobedience" in June 2011.That appeal, which has the support of a large number of Austrian lay Catholics, calls for radical church reforms including the ordination of married men and women.")  

It is good news for Catholics to see our  priests challenging sexism, the elephant in the church's "living room! Amen, brothers, amen!

It is a wonderful surprise, in light of the Vatican persecution of the nuns, specifically of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, to read the strong statement of solidarity from Sisters of Mercy of the Americas! I hope that there will some gutsy nun priests soon!

Pope Benedict canonized two excommunicated nuns, Mother Theodore Guerin and Mother Mary MacKillop. So, one could argue that the pope has made excommunication the new fast track to canonization! Saints Joan of Arc, Mother Theodore Guerin and  Mary MacKillop, patron saints for primacy of conscience and of the excommunicated, pray for us! Perhaps, the growing number of the excommunicated is sending a message to the Vatican today. We are no longer afraid! Roman Catholic Women Priests are leading, not leaving the church!

Bridget Mary Meehan, arcwp. www.arcwp.org

Links to Recent Top Stories on the "ever punishing" Vatican and the push-back from the Catholic Press/NCR, the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and the Irish Priests Association:

This critical challenge is written by Tom Fox, publisher of the National Catholic Reporter. http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/lament-over-silencing-brothers

Editorial supporting women's ordination in National Catholic Reporter in early Dec.
http://ncronline.org/node/40306

MERCY NUNS Speak out!
 See also the link to the Mercy Nuns' Statement in which they clearly support Fr. Roy Bourgeois and affirm their position for justice and equality for women in the church.
If the nuns jump from the institutional ship, that is big news! http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/mercy-sisters-support-roy-bourgeois

Association of Irish Priests Speak Out in solidarity with Fr. Roy http://www.associationofcatholicpriests.ie/2012/12/statement-of-support-for-fr-roy-bourgeois/

http://ncronline.org/news/global/irish-priest-association-supports-bourgeois

Franciscan Jerry Zawada, Janice Sevre-Duszynska, ARCWP, Jesuit Bill Brennan

Story of Punishment of Jesuit Priest who co-presided at 
Mass with Woman Priest- 
Janice Sevre Duszynska, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org

(See photo)
http://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/2012/12/jesuit-penalized-after-eucharistic.html

(See photos of Liturgy of Janice and Jesuit Bill Brennan)
http://ncronline.org/news/people/jesuit-penalized-after-eucharistic-liturgy-woman-priest

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/12/06/us-usa-catholic-priest-idUKBRE8B506220121206

Fr. Roy Bourgeois, Bishop Dana Reynolds, Janice Sevre-Duszynska  Aug. 9, 2008
Ordination of Janice as a Roman Catholic Woman Priest