After archdiocese's grant withdrawal, Cincinnati Catholic Worker raises more than $9500 and Debra Meyers, a woman priest led prayer

National Catholic Reporter 

by Nicholas Sciarappa

"Over $9,500 in donations flooded into a Catholic Worker house after the Cincinnati archdiocese withdrew $1,000 in GRANT MONEY following the house's announcement that Debra Meyers, a member of the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, would host a July 20 prayer service at the shelter.

The money promised by the archdiocese was supposed to go toward purchasing a new washer and dryer for the shelter, Lydia's House. The archdiocese said in a statement that the money would instead be given to an organization that supports the homeless, maintains Catholic teaching, and is congruent with the expectations of the archdiocese.

"The archdiocese seems to CARE a lot about what they are against," Mary Ellen Mitchell, a founder of Lydia's House, told NCR in a phone interview. "What we would like to figure out is what are we all for and work together on those things."

The archdiocese's retraction of funds was mentioned in multiple outlets, including NCR, an opinion piece in the Cincinnati Enquirer, a press release from ARCWP, and a post on Lydia's House's Facebook page...:

Bridget Mary's Response:

This is a modern day multiplication of the loaves and fishes story! The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests  (ARCWP) started the ball rolling with a donation of $1000 to replace the Cincinnati Archdiocesan withdrawal of funds. Catholics demonstrated their generosity to Lydia's House the homeless shelter for women, their displeasure with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and their support for women priests.  Bridget Mary Meehan,ARCWP, www.arcwp.org