Press Release: While the Vatican contemplates women deacons, SLC’s first woman priest to be ordained….

October 13, 2015

While the Vatican contemplates women deacons, Salt Lake City’s first woman priest to be ordained….

From: The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP) See: www.arcwp.org

Contact: Janice Sevre-Duszynska, 859-684-4247,rhythmsofthedance1@gmail.com

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

See bridgetmarys.blogspot.com

While the Vatican contemplates ordaining women deacons, the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests (ARCWP) will ordain Clare Julian Carbone the first Roman Catholic Woman Priest  in Salt Lake City, Utah. The ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 18, 2015 at the First United Methodist Church, 203 200 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.

 The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests congratulates Archbishop Durocher of Quebec, Canada who proposed a historic breakthrough for the Catholic Church by ordaining women deacons.

At the Synod on the Family that is currently taking place in Rome, he said that the Church should reflect on the possibility of allowing female deacons as it seeks ways to open up more opportunities for women in church life. "I think we should really start looking seriously at the possibility of ordaining women deacons because the diaconate in the church's tradition has been defined as not being ordered toward priesthood but toward ministry."

Archbishop Durocher proposed that the Synod “state that you cannot justify the domination of men over women -- certainly not violence -- through biblical interpretation, particularly incorrect interpretations of St. Paul's call for women to be submissive to their husbands.”

“Finally, a higher-ranking male cleric is getting it!” said Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan.  “The discrimination of women and their second-class status in the church is directly related to the abuse, violence and poverty of women and their dependent children in our world.”

The movement for Roman Catholic Women Priests began with the ordination of seven women on the Danube in 2002. Our first women bishops were ordained by a male bishop in apostolic succession. Therefore, our Holy Orders are valid.  In prophetic obedience to the Spirit, we are disobeying an unjust man-made Canon Law (1024) that discriminates against women in the Church. We are leading the Church not leaving the Church and we stand in solidarity with women of all faith traditions, including our Mormon sisters who are struggling for gender equality. Our non-hierarchal international movement is over 215.  We serve more than 75 inclusive faith communities where all are welcome to receive sacraments.