Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests to Ordain Two Grandmothers and Partners and a Latin American Songwriter, Musician and Poet on November 1, 2014

 From: The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests www.arcwp.org

 Contact: Janice Sevre-Duszynska, D.Min. (media) 859-684-4247, rhythmsofthedance@gmail.com

Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan, 703-505-0004, sofiabmm@aol.com

See: bridgetmarys.blogspot.com

 Partners called “to minister side by side”

On Sat. Nov 1, 2014, at 2 PM the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests will ordain a woman priest and two deacons at St. Andrew UCC 6908 Beneva Rd. Sarasota, Fl. 34238.  The presiding bishop is Bridget Mary Meehan of Sarasota, Fl. All are welcome. Judith Bautista will be ordained a priest and  local women, partners  Sally Brochu and Janet Blakeley, will be ordained deacons.

 There is good news in Sarasota! Two Catholic grandmothers and partners are going to be ordained deacons.  Janet Blakeley and Sally Brochu, partners for 20 years, co-preside regularly at Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community (MMOJ). They are shining forth love, emotional honesty, mutual partnership and the values of the Gospel.

Today one of the hot-button issues of our time is gay rights. In sacramental community we are healing the soul wound, the grave dishonesty that has been so damaging to gays and lesbians in our church. In the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests we are leading the church in  affirming the full equality of gay women by publicly ordaining Sally and Janet  as deacons.

The Vatican is considering a groundbreaking change in their attitude toward gays. In a recent document they stated that homosexuals had "gifts and qualities to offer" and raised the issue of greater acceptance of same sex couples.  http://www.aol.com/article/2014/10/13/vatican-document-challenges-church-to-change-attitude-to-gays/20977155/?icid=maing-grid7%7Clegacy%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D544776

 Now will the Vatican take the next step and let their gay priests out of the closet and accept them as they practice their priesthood? Will the Vatican give LGBT the public recognition of honoring  the holiness of their being and the gifts they bring to the people of God?

The Vatican must not only change its tone but also its teaching on homosexuality and welcome all to the Banquet Table of God's love. 

From South America, ministering to the caregivers of the vulnerable

To be ordained a  Priest:

Judith Bautista (senda.interior@gmail.com) of Colombia is an educator, popular song writer, musican, poet and therapist. She provides pastoral care for caregivers who live and face difficult situations in the areas of violence in her country. Judith is 47 years old. She has spent 27 years dedicated to spiritual direction and pastoral care.  As a religious for nine years, she ministered to women and youth. In the church of the poor, she continued nourishing her lifelong encounter with God through her studies in Bible, theology and human rights and by becoming close to the suffering and needs of those around her. “My call to the priesthood was always present. Now I’ve found through ARCWP that it can happen. God’s people can continue living fully and in joy. I can live my Baptism together with my brothers and sisters.”

To be ordained a deacon:

Janet Blakeley, 80, of Nokomis, a suburb of Sarasota, raised three children and a second family of grandchildren. Janet earned a Master’s degree in Clinical/Pastoral Counseling from Emmanuel College in Boston. In addition, she has graduate courses in Scripture and Theology from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, Lay Ministry Training Institute, Boston, Andover-Newton Seminary, Boston College and Boston University. She has spent a lifetime in various ministries – church musician, parochial school administrator, parish adult education leader, volunteer in Haiti and spiritual director. “Sally and I love our life at Mary, Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community and we look forward to serving there. We see it as a tremendous blessing to be moving toward full involvement with ARCWP. Thank you for holding onto the dream until we could be part of it.”

Sally Brochu, 73, of Nokomis has three children, 10 grandchildren and recently four great-grandchildren from a 32-year marriage. Involved in parish life, Sally was invited to attend the Center for Parish Ministry in Maine, a three-year commitment of learning and preparation for ministry. She earned a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling from Emmanuel College in Boston. After fulfilling Clinical Pastoral Counseling requirements, Sally became a Board Certified Chaplain through the National Association of Catholic Chaplains. She worked as the Director of Pastoral Care for a Catholic Regional Medical System in Maine for 10 years. “I loved working with a compassionate and professional chaplaincy team and our ministry to so many people at their times of need, but I also observed and experienced some of the inner workings of a hierarchical church that has lost its way. It became clear to me that there needed to be another model of church. To find it in ARCWP is remarkable and exciting as we work together to build a new model of Church with Jesus as the center and the Spirit guiding us forward.”

In ARCWP we embrace liberation theology, feminist and mujerista theology, Judith Bautista, our South American candidate for priesthood, lives in Columbia, a country whose people have endured much suffering.  Judith provides pastoral care to the caregivers who minister to people whose lives have been shattered by violence and trauma.

 “In Latin America indigenous people inhabiting land lying above oil and mineral deposits are killed or displaced; those organizing for a living wage and collective bargaining are killed and disappeared; anyone working to reduce poverty, ecological disruption and the violence and militarism essential to international and development agreement risks exile or assassination.” (www.soaw.org)