Roman Catholic Woman Priest, Debra Meyers Fights Inequity In and Out of Classroom

http://www.thenortherner.com/news/2013/10/10/priest-fights-inequity-in-and-out-of-classroom/

..."Meyers has a Ph.D. in history and women’s studies and a

master’s degree in religious studies.

She began teaching at NKU in 2001, and currently teaches

women’s studies and history.

 The potential inclusion of women in the Catholic priesthood is
raising controversy in the Catholic Church and the world at
large. On NKU’s campus, Meyers has
advocated for equality through both action and words...
 Meyers was ordained in May of 2013 as the first female
 Catholic priest in the Cincinnati area and the second in the state
 of Kentucky. Though the ordination — and other ordinations
like it — are opposed and not officially recognized by the Vatican,
those in favor of female ordination within the church are fighting
 for change. Even though they are not recognized by the
Roman Catholic Church, they are recognized by the
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.

 

Though her interest in both religious studies and gender inequity

 have been long-standing, Meyers began her higher education with a different goal in mind.

After graduating high school, she attended a community college

and earned a degree in mechanical engineering. She worked in

the field for several years before the birth of her children, after

which she went back to school and earned a bachelor’s degree

in history, initially planning to teach at the high school level.

She went on instead to earn a Ph.D in the field.

 

“I landed a position at Ohio State—or, the Ohio State, as

they insisted we call it, but I wasn’t really happy about the

 emphasis on sports and that kind of thing,” Meyers said.

 “When the job opened up here I jumped at the chance.”

 

Meyers said working in an environment in which feminism was

discussed, contributed to her current focus on inequity within the Catholic Church and the

world at large. She described her ministry as “inclusive” and

particularly concerned with social justice regarding women

and children.

“I came from a family that was on the border of poverty and

I know how hard it is for people to struggle to get out of that,”

Meyers said. She said these experiences influenced her

current goals centered on social justice for women and

children in particular.

“I know how important education is in that process of breaking

out of that cycle of poverty,” Meyers said. “I have always spent

much of my time helping women to do those kinds of things.”

 Meyers recently led a lecture and discussion entitled
“Breaking the Holy Glass Ceiling”, one of the Democracy Square
 Live discussions with the help of Roy Bourgeois, a laicized—
or withdrawn from his position— Roman Catholic priest.
 In addition to her job at NKU, she serves as a priest at the

Resurrection Community of Cincinnati.

She celebrates the Catholic mass at two main locations, Christ

Church in FortThomas and Our Lady of Peace in Cincinnati.

 Meyers said community reaction to her ordination has been
overwhelmingly positive. She described her first experience as a
priest celebrating mass as both “natural” in feeling
and an act she felt sure would serve the community well.
“It certainly wasn’t terrifying,” Meyers said. “Mostly because
 I’ve been preparing for this my whole life….I feel I am where
I’m meant to be.”
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