St. Joan of Arc is one of the patron saints of Roman Catholic Women Priests, Vatican Issued Decree of Excommunication on Eve of Her Feast Day

On May 29, 2008, the eve of St. Joan of Arc's feast day, I received a phone call from a New York Times Reporter asking what was our response to the Vatican announcement of our excommunication! Since I thought their unjust punishment would have come closer to our first U.S. Ordination on July 31, 2006, I had been prepared .  

When I realized that this announcement came on the eve of St. Joan of Arc's feast, I wondered what message they were really sending. St. Joan of Arc is the patron saint of all who put primacy of conscience above obedience to ecclesiastical authority. She was burned at the stake for following her vision. Women priests were excommunicated for disobeying an unjust law and following our vision of inclusive ordained ministry.

 St. Joan of Arc, patron saint of women who don't know their place, but do know how to follow their consciences, we give thanks that you accompany us on our journey toward the full equality of women and all genders in ordained ministries in the Roman Catholic Church! 

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/news2008/05_06/2008_05_30_WJLA_FemalePriest.htm

 Our RCWP Response Regarding Excommunication Decree

Roman Catholic Womenpriests reject the penalty of excommunication issued by the
Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith on May 29, 2008 stating
that the “women priests and the bishops who ordain them would be excommunicated
latae sententiae.”
Roman Catholic Womenpriests are loyal members of the church who stand in the
prophetic tradition of holy obedience to the Spirit’s call to change an unjust law
that discriminates against women. Our movement is receiving enthusiastic
responses on the local, national and international level.
We will continue to serve our beloved church in a renewed priestly ministry that
welcomes
all to celebrate
the sacraments in inclusive, Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered communities wherever we are called.


Female Priest Excommunicated


WJLA
May 30, 2008

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0508/524380.html

A local woman was just kicked out of the Catholic Church because she broke what's become a strict rule.

She wanted to become a priest. But the Pope says that position is for men only.

For two years, Sister Bridget Mary Meehan has been saying mass at her Falls Church home as, she claims, a Roman Catholic priest.

On Friday, the Vatican decreed that women priests and those who ordain them incur in lah-tay senten-see-yay or automatic excommunication.

"I was wondering what took them so long," said Meehan.

Meehan was ordained on a boat in Pittsburgh by women bishops from Europe, part of a small but growing global movement.

She says the excommunication is in a way good news.

"Because we're really being recognized now as a movement within the church, even though they do not want to accept us quite yet," said Meehan.

The church holds that only men can be priests, citing the 12 male Apostles of Jesus. But meehan, who celebrates mass in her living room these days, argues women were priests in the early church--and says such drastic action isn't fair.

"Women are excommunicated. Priests, who are pedophiles, and bishops who covered it up, were not excommunicated. Now, does that really make sense?" She said.

But the church sees it differently.

"The excommunication will not stop us! In fact, it just encourages us to go forward, to continue to provide hope and to be good news to God's people," said Meehan.