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| Risen Christ and Mary Magdalene by artist Mary Jane Miller, https://www.millericons.com/ permission by Luis Gutierrez https://sanmiguelicons.com/ |
Bonjourno, Buenas Tardes, Bonjour!
Warm Greetings to you as we gather to celebrate the historic ordination in Rome of three women priests: Belen Repiso Carrillo from Spain, Anne Malloy La Tour and Mary Katherine Daniels from the United States and three deacons Loan Rocher from France, Maria Teresa Ribeiro Rosa and Txus Garcia Pascual from Spain.
We are members of the International Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.
We have come to Rome to ordain deacons and priests to foster gender equality in ordained ministry in a Church for everyone.
We have come to Rome to share the good news that Catholic women and all genders are now serving as deacons and priests in inclusive communities of equals that are widening the Church’s tent around the world.
We have come to Rome to engage in a “conversation in the Spirit” with Pope Francis and the Synodal delegates. We ask that Pope Francis removes all barriers that excommunicate those who answer the Spirit’s call to ordination.
On April 24, Pope Francis rejected the possibility of ordaining women deacons in an interview with CBS’ on “60 Minutes”. When asked if a little girl could ever have the opportunity to be a deacon. He said “no”, and offered this response.
“If it is deacons with Holy Orders, no. But women have always had, I would say, the function of deaconesses without being deacons, right? Women are of great service as women, not as ministers, as ministers in this regard, within the Holy Orders.”
At a Vatican press conference on July 9, Cardinal Mario Grech announced that the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) is studying “the women’s diaconate” within the context of its in-depth study of women’s participation and leadership in the Catholic Church, with the intent of publishing a document on the subject.”
If a little girl asked me if -sometime in the future- she could become a deacon, my answer would be:
Yes, Come and See!
While the Vatican may not yet be ready, our international Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement is ready!
Belen, Anne, Mary Katherine, Loan, Maria Teresa and Txtus are ready!
The studies have been done again and again!
In April 1976 the Pontifical Biblical Commission concluded unanimously that no valid case can be made against the ordination of women from the Scripture.
In other words, stop blaming Jesus. He did not ordain anyone-male or female at the last Supper!
Scripture scholars remind us that the gospel writers stated that women- many women- followed Jesus.
According to the Gospel of Luke (8:1-3) Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Suzanna and many other women followed Jesus, ministered alongside him, and supported him with their resources. The word used to describe their activity is diakoneo – the root word for deacon. These women engaged in diakoneo- basin and towel ministry. They accompanied him from Galilee to Jerusalem -through suffering, death to new life. When the going got tough and Jesus faced death, the male disciples deserted him, but the women stayed at his side.
In all four gospels, Mary Magdalene is named as a prime witness to the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. In the Gospel of John, the Risen Christ appears first to Mary Magdalene and sends her forth as the first Apostle to proclaim the Good News of the Resurrection.
The good news is that Jesus called the first disciples -women and men- to proclaim that the reign of God embraced everyone and that all were welcome at the Table!
In the Gospel of Mary, a second century text discovered in 1896 in Egypt, Mary Magdalene shares a vision of the Savior with the male disciples. Immediately, Peter and Andrew question her authority to teach them and express doubt that Jesus loved her more than them. Another disciple, Levi reproves Peter for his quick temper and affirms Mary Magdalene as a legitimate leader to be believed and respected.
Then as it is now, the belief that women were as worthy as men to teach and lead the church stirred controversy among the male hierarchy!
This discriminatory view contradicts our fundamental baptismal equality. in Christ, “there is neither male nor female… all are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:27-28)
The time has come to fulfill what is written in 1 Corinthians 12:13 “By their baptism in Christ, women and men receive equally of gifts of the Spirit.” The time for change is now!
Same baptism, same Spirit, same calling!
In Romans 16: 1-7, St. Paul describes Christian communities in which the gifts of women were affirmed in a variety of leadership roles. He identifies Phoebe as a “our sister” “and deacon” of the Church and sends her to deliver his letter to the Roman Christians. Commentators believe that Phoebe may have been the first interpreter of the Letter to the Romans. St. Paul also greets Junia and Andronicus as “outstanding apostles” and sends greetings to a long list of women leaders of house churches.
The ancient history of women in diaconal and priestly ministry is supported by numerous church documents and archeological sources including papal edicts and beautiful frescoes in St. Priscilla’s catacomb here in Rome. In 494, Pope Gelasius I wrote to bishops in southern Italy, complaining that “women are encouraged to serve at the sacred altars and to perform all the other tasks that are assigned only to the service of men. . . .” Another well-known example portraying women in ordained ministry in early Christianity is the mosaic of Theodo(ra) Episcopa in the Basilica of St. Praxedes, also in Rome. Inscriptions on tombstones and writings of Church Fathers demonstrate that thousands of women deacons served in communities of the Eastern, Greek-speaking part of the Church.
Roman Catholic Women Priests are walking in the footsteps of Apostle to the Apostles Mary Magdalene, Deacon Phoebe, Bishop Theodora and “many other women” who followed Jesus and who ministered in diaconal and priestly ministry in the first millennium of Christianity.
We claim our equal spiritual authority to ordain women for public ministry in apostolic succession.
As a matter of justice and faithfulness to the Gospel, I believe that the line of apostolic succession includes apostles Mary Magdalene and Junia and all the holy women who served the Church throughout history.
On June 29, 2002 seven courageous women were ordained on the Danube as Roman Catholic Women Priests by Bishop Romulo Braschi from Argentina. There is an unconfirmed story that Bishop X, a Roman Catholic bishop in apostolic succession, who was traveling to this Ordination was locked in a monastery. His car keys were taken from him and he did not make it on time.
However, on May 19, 2003, Bishop X did ordain Christine Mayr -Lumetzberger and Gisela Forster as our first Roman Catholic Women Bishops. I was ordained a bishop in 2009 and am one of the bishops who serve the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.
On one occasion, I was one of several women bishops who met with Bishop X and celebrated a liturgy in a private home. Bishop X remains anonymous to protect his identity.
Our ordinations are valid, but, in violation of Canon Law 1024, which prohibits the ordination of women. In prophetic obedience to the Spirit we disobey an unjust law in order to change it so that gender equality in Holy Orders may become a reality now. In our international movement, there are more than 270 persons located in 14 countries who have been ordained.
Our women bishops ordain deacons, priests and bishops around the world to foster a spirituality of divine inclusivity in a new paradigm of priestly ministry in renewed communities of equals.
Roman Catholic Women Priests have been enlarging the Church’s tent by serving inclusive communities of equals in which all, including the divorced and remarried, and LGBTQ+ persons, are invited to receive and celebrate sacraments.
Women Priests preside at celebrations of Eucharist, weddings, baptisms, and anointings of the sick in their local areas including online communities without walls.
We provide a vibrant experience of community and sacraments. We foster healing to those who have experienced physical, emotional and spiritual abuse and exclusion within the Church. We offer a renewed model of priestly ministry to accompany the people of God in their journey into the fullness of God’s all-embracing love.
Rooted in Catholic social justice teaching, our movement is not only about ordaining women priests. it is about challenging oppressive patriarchal culture and fostering economic and social justice for women, children, and marginalized genders throughout the world. We believe that all justice issues are interconnected and thus, support all human rights initiatives.
Because we understand how unjust structures marginalize people on the basis of class, race, gender, sexual orientation, and mental and physical challenges, we collaborate to create alternative structures that are inclusive of all and are deeply based in the traditions of social justice within our church”. (ARCWP Constitution)
As the Second Vatican Council states: “All forms of social or cultural discrimination in basic personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language or religion must be curbed or eradicated as in incompatible with God’s designs.” (Gaudium et Spes 29)
Today we are here on the Tiber in response to Spirit’s call to embody new life in the Roman Catholic Church that will heal centuries old misogyny
We are here in response to Spirit’s call to honor the sacred light that is present in all people.
We are here to serve ecclesial communities of equals that are widening the Church’s tent in a Synodal Church.
We are here in response to Spirit’s call to ordain Anne, Belen and Mary Katherine as priests and Loan, Maria Teresa and Txtus as deacons today,
Here we are! We come with the Risen Christ, Mary Magdalene and Mary, Mother of the Eucharist! We are ready!
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Mary, Mother of the Eucharist
Artist Mary Jane Miller
permission by Luis Gutierrez |
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