"Real change against abuse starts with church's clergy/lay structure" by Mary Hunt, National Catholic Reporter, My Response

https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/real-change-against-abuse-starts-churchs-clergylay-structure

My Response: I agree with Mary Hunt's excellent analysis of the clerical/lay structure at the root of the priests' sexual abuse crisis with its centuries-old system of power and privilege. We are all equals in the Community of the Baptized. 
The Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests is an egalitarian model, not a clerical model with decision-making by a circular process in our ARCWP community and in our faith communities. We are ordaining women in apostolic succession as a prophetic act of obedience to claim our spiritual authority as equals in the Community of the Baptized. ARCWP is on the edge of the margins, condemned by the Vatican.  Our mission to build a bridge between our present institutional model and a discipleship of equals by modeling a feminist vision of empowerment in our governance , faith communities and ministries. While the Vatican has placed our members in same category of serious crime according to Canon Law as pedophiles. we are leading the Roman Catholic Church into a new model of priestly ministry that is inclusive, egalitarian, and empowered. We are prophets on the margins, living our dream of Gospel equality now in vibrant, inclusive communities where all are welcome and all are equal. Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, https://arcwp.org

https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/sex-abuse-clericalism?utm_source=Main+Reader+List&utm_campaign=26f0ebeba2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_03_16_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_407bf353a2-26f0ebeba2-92444893