ARCWP. A HOMILY AT HOME-CHURCH: I HAVE MADE A PRESBYTER TO ANNOUNCE EASTER. Olga Lucia Álvarez Benjumea

I have within me two very important reasons for my performance as a presbyter within the Roman Catholic Church: 1) My baptism, 2) Celebrate Easter.


By my baptism, I accept my priesthood, I enhance my dignity and I put myself at the service of the most needy: marginalized, deceived, raped, ignorant, excluded. Claiming inclusiveness for women and men in equity within the institution of Christian origin, as is our Roman Catholic Church.


By my baptism, I feel within me, a great energy, even in the midst of opposition.


It thrills me and makes the sense of being able to live my Baptism and Easter vibrate. I explain:


The Passover event is of great impact to us, both for Jews, our brothers, and Christians. To the Jews, because for them, it was to celebrate the way out of the oppression of the Hebrew people of Egypt. Celebration, that Jesus, despite being Jewish, did not manage to celebrate ... for them it was and is, to celebrate freedom, life. For the first Christians, the liberation of the Jewish people is united, with the testimony, of the life of Jesus, his execution without a trial, his resurrection and the suffering of the people during the Roman Empire. This is something to never forget. Meaning, the divine action of an entire Mother-Father God protector of his people, who did not miss him with the manna in the crossing of the desert towards his liberation, and today, through the Eucharist, a whole God, made bread and came, in the happening of the paschal process = change, he continues to watch over his people, in an inclusive universal dimension, on a par with history, announcing total liberation, for the oppressed, women, men, old people and children, in our society. His paschal message is not one of resignation or conformism, it is to open the eyes of the blind, to give dignity, to the marginalized and excluded. (Isaiah 61: 1)

Celebrating Easter commits us to realizing the change in equity and true justice, for those who suffer from abuse, oppression and manipulation, fear and violence, threats and intimidation, undervalued and humiliated.


To celebrate Easter, is to choose, think, decide in freedom, to be able to give an opinion without endangering life and friendship.


To celebrate Easter is to dream, to have hope, to hope, to live in PEACE! It is to be able to celebrate in community the filial reconciliation with God the Mother-Father, the fraternal reconciliation, between family and friends, the reconciliation with nature and the whole universe.


Celebrating Easter is rejection, corruption, sin and injustice.





You have been clean. Come and celebrate Easter with me.


To celebrate Easter is to recognize in the culture, society and ecclesiastical hierarchy, fairness and truth in the presence and decision-making of women within the Church.


To celebrate Easter is to abolish canon 1024 that marginalizes and leaves women outside the baptismal reality.


To celebrate Easter is to announce the gospel together with all creeds and religions.


Celebrate Easter is not late sentencing, women and presbyters, announcing the Gospel.


Celebrate Easter is transparency and recognize the abuses and errors asking forgiveness, the victims.


Celebrating Easter is announcing the Gospel without fear.





"And now, go and tell your disciples and Peter that Jesus is going to Galilee to get there before them. There they will be able to see him, just as he told them before he died. »Mark 16: 7


"So do not fear, because I am with you;
do not worry, because I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will sustain you with my victorious right hand. "


Isaiah 41:10






* Roman Catholic Presbyter.