Dear Pax Christi Community,
I am deeply disappointed by your cancellation of my invitation to
preside at a liturgy at Dayspring Episcopal Retreat Center.
I understand the fear of punishment that Catholics face from
the institutional church when they participate in Roman Catholic Women Priests'
led liturgies. It takes great courage to stand on the margins with women
who are leading our church into a more open, inclusive, egalitarian and just
community.
Roman Catholic Women Priests are definitely on the margins of
our church. We are raising important questions between the institutional
church's discrimination against women in its own church and the violence women
suffer in society when religion justifies the subjugation of women.
Pax Christi has a record of courageous actions for peace. It is
precisely the courage that is needed to create peace within the church for
there can be no peace when over half of its people are unfairly treated. I am
both surprised and disappointed at the withdrawal of your invitation.
However, I see this as a tremendous moment of grace for an
examination of conscience for the members of Pax Christi and
for your organization. The social justice tradition is a seamless garment
rooted in the witness of Jesus who stood on the margins with the oppressed and
treated women as disciples and equals. Therefore, justice for all, justice for
the poor, justice for the marginalized, justice for women, and justice for
women in the church including ordination is constitutive to the Gospel.
I raise the following questions for reflection:
What steps can you now take to foster gender justice in the
church and world?
What will you do to stand in solidarity with women
priests and our communities to support the full equality of women in
our church ?
Do you agree with Martin Luther King that injustice anywhere is a
threat to justice everywhere?
In a letter to Cardinal O'Malley, Augustinian Priest and
theologian, John Shea pointed out that Ordinatio Sacerdotalis
which states that “women are not fully in the likeness of Jesus"
qualifying, as it does, as a theological explanation —is utterly and
demonstrably heretical. This teaching says that women are not fully redeemed by
Jesus. This teaching says that women are not made whole by the saving favor of
our God. This teaching says that the “catholic”church is only truly “catholic”
for males."
When you rescinded my invitation to preside at liturgy, you
are supporting the centuries old sexism in which spiritual power was invested
exclusively in men.
I pray that you will have a transformation of consciousness and
stand in solidarity with Roman Catholic Women Priests and our inclusive
communities who are faithful members of our church, working for renewal, justice
and peace.
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Bishop of the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
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