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

Majority of Irish Catholics Want Women and Married priests

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/majority-of-catholics-want-women-and-married-priests-3079737.html
THE vast majority of Irish Catholics want women and married priests... 
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Powerful-Association-of-Irish-Priests--warns-Vatican-over-heresy-hunting-146785045.html
"Fr Tony Flannery’s silencing by Vatican is condemned by 800-strong priest’s group" by Antoinette Kelly, Irish Central Staff Writer  "In a remarkable development, the 800-strong Association of Irish Priests told the Vatican they were deeply disturbed over the recent decision by the Holy See to silence one its members for his liberal views.The Irish group said in a statement: 'At this critical juncture in our history, the ACP believes that this form of intervention - what Archbishop Diarmuid Martin recently called 'heresy-hunting' - is of no service to the Irish Catholic Church and may have the unintended effect of exacerbating a growing perception of a significant 'disconnect' between the Irish Church and Rome."

More Vatican

• Powerful Association of Irish Priests warns Vatican over “heresy hunting”
• Irish Priest who supported Prime Minister’s Vatican criticism related to Fine Gael party strategist
• Pope Benedict confirms he will not attend Eucharistic Congress in Dublin
• Pope Benedict reaffirms no women ordination and continued celibacy in Catholic Church
• Hoover FBI tactics used against Irish priests by Vatican, claims superior

Read more: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Powerful-Association-of-Irish-Priests--warns-Vatican-over-heresy-hunting-146785045.html#ixzz1ri3ZyWtR

Media Coverage of Ordination of Miriam Picconi and Wanda Russell as Priests in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests

Bishop: Women's ordination 'a holy shake-up whose time has come'

By ANNIE MARTIN, Staff writer  

http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/flagler/2012/04/15/bishop-womens-ordination-a-holy-shake-up-whose-time-has-come.html

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

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

Roman Catholic Women Priests - A Revolution and Holy Shakeup/Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP

Women Priests Now- A Revolution in the Catholic Church/MSNBC: Lawrence O'Donnell/The Last Word/ Helmut Schuller/Austrian Priests Challenge Vatican on Women Priests

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45755883/vp/47000236#47000236

“I See You” - Catholic Women Priests Part 8 by Diana Milesko

           When you meet someone walking along a path in Sub-Sahara Africa you say, “Hello, how are you.” In the Western world we’d expect them to say, “I’m fine. How are you?” But in this “backward” country the answer is surprising and much more profound. When you say, “Hello, how are you?” they respond, “I see you.”  More than feigned concern about your health, “I see you,” means they recognize and respect you.

            Often we don’t “see” others because, from an early age, we are taught a prejudice based solely upon someone’s membership in a group--racial, gender, national or cultural. Such early teaching is powerful. It creates emotional attitudes that, for the rest of our lives, make it hard for us to “see” a different point of view. But prejudice is eroded when people are in a group where they share a common goal, equal status, interpersonal contact and equal promotions. There’s a lesson here for the Church.

            The Catholic Church can abrade prejudice against women by welcoming them into all levels of the clergy; by respecting their morality, wisdom and intelligence; by  “seeing” the historical truth of women clergy in the Catholic Church. (Archaeological evidence reveals the history of women as Church priests/presbyters, prophets and patrons. At least 114 well-documented references are recorded by Kevin Madigan and Carolyn Osiek. These are the tip of an iceberg, as more were suppressed by the selective writing of male historians.)

A LITTLE GIRL’S WISDOM

            A priest in Missouri asked sixth graders to write their description of God. One young girl wrote, “ God is a mirror.” This wise child knew that our behavior reflects our image of God. So too does the institutional Church’s behavior reflects it’s image of God. And it’s not flattering.

            The teachings of Jesus directs the Church mission and were reemphasized in Vatican II--that all people are made in the image of God and are worthy of respect, love, and justice. To “see” women according to these teachings, the Church must renounce it’s prejudices.

            “God wants a world where all brokenness is mended, all divisions reconciled, where shalom (unity and peace) prevail and every human person is loved, respected and honored as a son or daughter of God.” [Integrity in the Service of the Church. 2011. Australian Catholic Bishops.]

            Everything else is puffery. Catholic doctrines change; for example, that slavery is moral, that coeducation is against natural law, that the sun revolves around the earth, that anyone not Catholic and all the unbaptized--including newborn babies and everyone born before Jesus--go to hell because of original sin; that religious freedom is wrong, etc.

            Scour away such institutional balderdash and one teaching emerges: Jesus wants us to “see” each other with loving respect, not through the myopic glass of prejudice. Jesus said, ‘I give you a new commandment; love one another; by your love for one another everyone will recognize you as my disciples.’

            It’s as simple as that.

An Open Letter to Prof. Josef Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI Saturday, April 7, 2012 fromProfessor Leonard Swidler

Dear Joe,

Some years back when you were still the head of the Holy Office (“of the Sacred Inquisition” is, as you know, stilled chiseled in stone over its dark building immediately next to St. Peter’s square), I wrote you an open letter concerning the role of women in the Catholic Church. At that time I addressed you with a familiar “Dear Joe,” relying on our relationship from the late 60s/early 70s when I was frequently a Visiting Professor at the Catholic Theology Faculty of the University of Tübingen, and you were Professor Ordinarius there. I did so in the thought that this form of address would tell you that I seriously hoped you might open your mind and heart to hear what I wanted to say to you. I have no way of knowing what success I may have had, if any, in that regard. However, relying on our former “collegiality,” I am approaching you once again in this fraternal fashion.

I am disturbed that especially of late you have been giving signals that are in opposition to the words and spirit of Vatican Council II, during which you as a leading young theologian helped to move our beloved Catholic Church out of the Middle Ages into Modernity. Further, while a professor at our Alma Mater University of Tübingen, you, along with the rest of your colleagues of the Catholic Theology faculty, publicly advocated 1) the election of bishops by their constituents, and 2) limited term of office of bishops (see the book Democratic Bishops for the Roman Catholic Church).

Now you are publicly rebuking loyal Catholic priests for doing precisely what you earlier had so nobly advocated. They, and many, many others across the universal Catholic Church, are following your youthful example, trying desperately to move our beloved Mother Church further into Modernity. I deliberately use the word “desperately,” for in your own homeland, Germany, and elsewhere in Europe, the churches are empty, and also are so many Catholic hearts when they hear the chilling words coming from Rome and the “radically obedient” (read: “yes-men”) bishops. In my own homeland, America, the birthplace of modern freedom, human rights, and democracy, we have lost — in this generation alone! — one third of our Catholic population, 30,000,000, because the Vatican II promises of its five-fold Copernican Turn (the turn toward 1. freedom, 2. this world, 3. a sense of history, 4. internal reform, and above all, 5. dialogue) have all been so deliberately dashed by your predecessor, and now increasingly by you.

Joe, you were known as one of the Vatican II theologians who promoted Pope St. John XXIII’s call for aggiornamento (bringing up to date) by the reforming spirit of returning to the energizing original sources (resourcement!) of Christianity (ad fontes!—to the fountains!). Those democratic, freedom-loving sources of the Early Church were exactly the renewing “sources,” the “fountains,” of renewal that were spelled out in detail by you and your Tübingen colleagues.

I am urging you to return to that early reforming spirit of your youth. I am reminded of that spirit now in preparation for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies (JES), which my beloved wife Arlene and I launched in 1964. There in the very first issue of JES are articles by your friend and fellow Vatican II theologian Hans Küng, and yourself (!), looking to bridge over the isolating Counter-Reformation gulf that divided the Catholic Church from the rest of Christianity, and indeed the rest of the modern world.

Joe, in that spirit, I urge you to return to your reforming fountains: Return ad fontes!

Pax!

Len

Leonard Swidler, Ph.D., S.T.L. dialogue@temple.eduProfessor of Catholic Thought and Interreligious Dialogue, Temple University

Women Priests in Santa Barbara/ The Santa Barbara Independent

www.independent.com/news/2012/apr/05/women-priests-sb/
..."Perhaps in some prior century, Suzanne Dunn and Jeannette Love might have been burned at the stake as heretics. These two gray-haired women ​— ​both quick to smile, soft-spoken, and light of spirit ​— ​are exactly what the Pope and Vatican insist can never be: ordained women priests. Yet three years ago, Dunn ​— ​a one-time parish administrator at St. Joseph’s in Carpinteria ​— ​was ordained in Santa Barbara by female bishop Dana Reynolds, who claims she can trace her own ordination back to St. Peter, the first Pope..." The two have been saying Mass, giving out Communion, and tending to the sick for a small, slowly growing congregation throughout the South Coast...Late last Saturday evening, Dunn and Love co-celebrated Palm Sunday services in consecrated space they rent from the First Congregational Church in downtown Santa Barbara. The congregation of about 30, most of whom appeared to be in their sixties, were an enthusiastic group, singing together in vigorous, clear voices. As services go, it was decidedly unorthodox. To an exceptional degree, the laity took an active role in saying the Mass, going to the altar, for example, en masse to proclaim ​— ​along with the two priests ​— ​the Eucharistic prayer, the most sacred part of the Mass, when Catholics believe the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ."

"What Would Jesus do at the Masters?" by Maureen Dowd/New York times

"...Finally, in the perverse pantheon of reactionary men in robes, we have God’s Rottweiler, as Pope Benedict is known. He welcomed Easter by sitting on a golden throne and denouncing the “disobedience” of Catholic priests who want the decaying, ingrown institution that sheltered so many abusive priests to let in some fresh air and allow female and married priests, as well as Holy Communion for Catholics who have remarried without an annulment.

“It seemed like a bitter statement,” said Kenneth Briggs, the author of “Double Crossed: Uncovering the Catholic Church’s Betrayal of American Nuns.” “It further erodes, almost tragically, the respect for the papacy because it looks like what you want is institutional conformity rather than obedience to the Gospel.”

The message of Jesus, after all, is not about exclusion, but inclusion...

The Rev. Alberto Cutié, the handsome Miami priest who defected to become an Episcopal priest when he fell in love and married a woman from his parish, found the pope’s timing ironic.

“They say women can’t be priests because Jesus only called men to be apostles,” he said. “But the women close to Jesus were the first witnesses of the resurrection. When the men were afraid and hidden, the women went to the tomb and said, ‘Jesus is risen!’ If Easter is the most important part of Christianity, the first to proclaim the message were women. Who could make more effective preachers?” 

800 "Priests Warn Vatican over Gag Move"/ Justice is Rising Up

Irish Independent, Monday April 09 2012
http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/priests-warn-vatican-over-gag-move-3074830.html

"An 800-strong group of Irish priests has said it is disturbed over the Vatican's silencing of one of its members for his liberal views.
The Association of Catholic Priests has warned that forcing Father Tony Flannery to stop writing for a Redemptorist magazine will fuel belief of a disconnect between Irish Catholics and Rome.
"We believe that such an approach, in its individual focus on Fr Flannery and inevitably by implication on the members of the association, is an extremely ill-advised intervention in the present pastoral context in Ireland," the group said.
"We wish to make clear our profound view that this intervention is unfair, unwarranted and unwise."
Fr Flannery, a founder of the association, has had his monthly column with the religious publication Reality pulled on orders from Rome. A second priest, Father Gerard Moloney, the magazine's editor, has been ordered to stop writing on certain issues.
Both priests hold liberal views on contraception, celibacy and women priests. At least a dozen priests had already publicly declared support for Fr Flannery and Fr Moloney in messages on the association's website.
In a strongly worded statement, the group said Fr Flannery's writings should not be seen as an attack on or rejection of the fundamental teachings of the church but a reflection on issues surfacing in parishes nationwide. It said they also reject their portrayal in some circles as a "small coterie of radical priests with a radical agenda".
"At this critical juncture in our history, the ACP believes that this form of intervention - what Archbishop Diarmuid Martin recently called 'heresy-hunting' - is of no service to the Irish Catholic Church and may have the unintended effect of exacerbating a growing perception of a significant 'disconnect' between the Irish Church and Rome," the group said.
Fr Flannery, who has written on religious matters in the Redemptorist magazine for 14 years, is under investigation by the Vatican over his views. As well as expressing opposition to the church's ban on contraception and women priests, Fr Flannery publicly backed Taoiseach Enda Kenny's unprecedented attack on the Catholic hierarchy in the aftermath of the Cloyne Report last year.
In a Holy Thursday homily at St Peter's Basilica in Rome, Pope Benedict warned that the church will not tolerate priests speaking out against Catholic teaching."


Bridget Mary's Reflection
Hooray, justice is rising up! Kudos to the Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland for their prophetic witness to women's equality in our church. Your sister priests stand in solidarity with you and give thanks for your courage to speak truth to power. Faithful Catholics here in the United States are rejoicing that you display such boldness of spirit. 
Bridget Mary Meehan (bishop), born in County Laois, Ireland, 
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests in the United States. 
www.arcwp.org, sofiabmm@aol.com, 703-505-0004

Theologian claims there is 'ominous divide' in church by Patsy McGarry/Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0409/1224314549035.html


"AS CONTROVERSY over the silencing by the Vatican of Redemptorist priests Fr Tony Flannery and Fr Gerard Moloney grows, an Augustinian priest has written about “an ominous division” in the Catholic Church.
Theologian Fr Gabriel Daly has said “one party is now in control and is presenting its views as ‘the teaching of the church’.”
He continued: “Its more voluble members dismiss those who differ from it as ‘a la carte Catholics’ – a witless enough phrase in a legitimately diverse church.”
Fr Flannery, a founder of the Association of Catholic Priests, has had his monthly column with Reality, the Redemptorists’ monthly magazine, discontinued at Vatican direction, while Fr Moloney, the magazine’s editor, can no longer write on certain issues.
Both priests hold liberal views on contraception, celibacy and women priests.
Writing in the current issue of Doctrine Life magazine, Fr Daly said the secular press unwittingly encouraged such “bad theology” by identifying the Vatican’s Curia and even the bishops, with the Catholic church “thus failing to recognise the role of the people of God and legitimate differences in the church.”
He recalled how at the end of the second Vatican Council in 1965, “power once again devolved to the body which was most in need of reform, namely the Vatican Curia, which has slowly but inexorably been re-establishing its former authority.
“The control it exercises is systemic, structural and fiendishly difficult to reform.”
Aided “by secrecy and the unchallenged exercise of power, the Curia has established effective control over the whole church”. Fr Daly observed that “there is little or no concern for those faithful Catholics who are quietly appalled by what is happening. They are seen as simply wrong,” he said.
Most churches and religions had “a fundamentalist wing that sees itself as the sole possessor of authentic truth that has to be proclaimed and defended firmly against challenge. It would appear that there has to be an enemy that one can condemn to be assured of one’s own orthodoxy.”
Much fundamentalism “simply proclaims, as distinct from arguing a case. It counters opposition with a sort of contempt and regards it as self-evidently misguided: indeed it seems argument as unnecessary, since the matter concerned is already decided. It simply condemns, as the most efficient course of action, writings or publicly expressed views of which it disapproves,” he said.
Meanwhile a slew of priests have publicly asserted their support for Fr Flannery and Fr Moloney in comments on the Association of Catholic Priests website.
Included are Monaghan priest Fr Jimmy McPhillips, Redemptorist priests Fr Adrian Egan, Fr Tadhg Herbert (in Brazil), Fr Seán Duggan, Fr Ciarán Callaghan, Fr Michael Dempsey, Fr Brian Nolan, Fr Michael Forde; Dominican priest Fr Wilfrid Harrington, Dominican nun Sr Maeve McMahon, Canon Stephen Neill, Church of Ireland rector of Cloughjordan, Tipperary, and Co Galway parish priest Fr Declan Kelly.
As Fr Seán Duggan wrote on the website last Saturday: “First they came for Tony and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Flannery. Then they came for Reality and I didn’t speak out because I don’t read it. Then they came for Moloney and I didn’t speak out because he is well able to speak for himself. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

Easter Vigil at Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community on April 7, 2012 in Sarasota, Florida

Melinda Gates: Women Need Birth Control on Global Health Agenda

In an address with potentially far-reaching health care consequences, Melinda Gates today called upon governments to set as goals universal access to birth control for women who want it. She said the measure could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year.

"A Catholic, Gates is a co-chair and trustee of the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation, which distributes billions of dollars annually in the developing world to raise agricultural productivity, health care and education levels while it works to eradicate global diseases.
Speaking before a TEDxChange audience in Berlin, Gates stressed her Catholic identity and values, saying they have shaped her career at the Gates foundation, adding that it has been her Catholic education that led her to question her church’s official teaching that artificial birth control is sinful.
She said each year some 100,000 women who don’t want to be pregnant die in childbirth and some 600,000 women who don’t want to be pregnant give birth to infants who die in their first month of life.
She said the use of contraceptives is a broadly accepted idea, adding that couples use them because they want the power to plan their own lives and to raise healthier, better-educated, and more prosperous families.
“But for an idea that is broadly accepted in private, birth control generates a lot of opposition in public,” she said.
“Some people think contraceptives are code for abortion, which they’re not. Some people are uncomfortable because contraceptives have to do with sex. Some people worry that the real goal is to control populations. All these side issues have attached themselves to the core idea that men and women should be able to decide when to have a child. As a result, birth control has almost disappeared from the global health agenda.”
She wants to change this, adding the consequences of this disappearance has led to much suffering and death. The greatest victims, she said, have been in sub-Saharan Africa and the poorest parts of South Asia which contraceptives are frequently unavailable.
Gates contrasted modern contraceptive use in countries such as Germany where the proportion of people currently using modern devices is 66 percent (Thailand, 64 percent; El Salvador, 66 percent) with Nigeria, 10 percent (Chad, 2 percent; Uttar Pradesh, the biggest state in India, 29 percent).
Gates insisted that her call for a wider distribution of contraceptives has nothing to do with abortion or population control.
“We are talking about giving women the power to save their own lives and their children’s lives — and to give their families the best possible future...”

---

Source URL: http://ncronline.org/news/women/gates-women-need-birth-control-global-health-agenda

Links:
http://ncronline.org/users/thomas-c-fox
Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Three cheers for Melinda Gates for speaking out to save women and children's lives. The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests are in solidarity with giving women the power to make decisions of conscience about contraception.