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| Roy Bourgeois with Roman Catholic Women Priests left to right: Ree Hudson RCWP, Janice Sevre Duszynska ARCWP and Donna Rougeux ARCWP in Rome Photo with appreciation from National Catholic Reporter |
"Pope Francis, God created women and men of equal worth and dignity. How can men say that their call to be priests is authentic, but God's call to women is not?
Let's face it, Pope Francis the problem is not with God, but with an all male clerical culture that views women as lesser than men. Sexism, like racism and homophobia is a sin."
(Roy Bourgeois, is a former Maryknoll priest who was dismissed from his religious order because of his support of women priests.)
Bridget Mary's Response: Time for a Conversation with Pope Francis
Popes have been wrong before and teachings have changed throughout history-- slavery is just one example.
St. John Paul 11's ban on ordination ignores
-Jesus' example of treating women and men as equals
-early church history when women ministered as deacons, priests and bishops and
-endorses sexism and a all male clerical culture.
The majority of Catholic theologians do not support the ban on women priests, neither do a growing number of Catholics in Europe, Canada, the United States and South America. Likewise, the world's bishops are not in agreement with this definitive teaching.
In fact, The Vatican' s own scholars, the Pontifical Biblical Commission concluded in 1976 that there is no valid evidence in scripture to exclude women priests.
So, Pope Francis could chart a new path to equality and justice for women including priestly ordination. It is time for a conversation about women priests with women priests. We are happy to share our experiences of serving God's people.
We are blessed by the courageous witness of Roy Bourgeois and many supporters who have been punished for their solidarity with our movement for justice and equality for women in the Catholic Church.
Roman Catholic Women Priests are a prophetic movement changing the church one ordained woman at a time and one inclusive community and ministry at a time.
Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP, www.arcwp.org, sofiabmm@aol.com
703-505-0004
1 comment:
Doesn't it make you wonder why Pope Francis did not inform himslef of the biblical resources of which you speak, amd of course refer to the signs of the times as presented by today's best theologians? Might it be that he is too close in time to his predecessors and perhaps ffearful
of rending the false garment created long after the biblical era and which has been sustained to the present.
Whatever the reasons, I would hope some real clarity could be gotten on this issue and addressed again and again until the church catholic
has a real grasp of its failures in acting against gender equality openly.
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