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Friday, August 9, 2024

Father Anne' sees signs of opening for Catholic women priests

 https://www.ncronline.org/news/father-anne-sees-signs-opening-catholic-women-priests?utm_source=NCR+List&utm_campaign=26174dc5d7-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_08_09_12_31&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6981ecb02e-26174dc5d7-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D


'Father Anne' sees signs of opening for Catholic women priests

Father Anne

Father Anne (Anne Tropeano), ordained a priest in 2021, is leading the God Says Now campaign to ensure that priesthood is included in the upcoming study that the Vatican has commissioned on "the role of women in the Church" as part of synod on synodality. (Nathaniel Tetsuro Paolinelli)

BY JEANNINE M. PITAS

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Anne Tropeano decided she could no longer wait.

Three years ago, inspired by her deep prayer and spiritual formation in the Ignatian tradition, she answered the call she'd been hearing for years to be ordained as a Roman Catholic priest — even though that meant breaking the church's ban on ordination of women and facing excommunication.

Today she goes by "Father Anne," after her ordination through the Association of Catholic Women Priests. Her vocation has led her not only to pursue priestly ministry, but to advocate for Catholic women who hear the same call. "I have a vocation to priesthood, but since the church is blocking my way to live out priesthood, I have a call within a call — to bring the church into alignment with God's desire for women's full participation," she said.

Father Anne's call may sometimes have seemed idealistic and unachievable. But she sees a special moment for the church, an opening for real progress. 

'The question has to be rephrased: "Is God calling women to ordained ministries?" Asking the question in this way makes the Holy Spirit the protagonist.'
—Father Anne

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Her focus now is on the upcoming study that the Vatican has commissioned on "the role of women in the Church" as part of the Synod of Bishops' synod on synodality. She is leading a campaign, God Says Now, to ensure that priesthood is included in this study, which will be completed by the Synod's fifth working group composed of members of the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith.

"Calls for women to be ordained came from around the world in the early stages of the ongoing synod on synodality," said Father Anne. "The call was for ordination of women at every level: deacons, priests and bishops. People are not free to speak openly about this, but the call is real." 

Father Anne cited the church's long and open intellectual tradition as a key reason for including women's priesthood in the study. "Whenever there is a question, we enter into dialogue. If parts of the world are calling for women's ordination and other places are saying 'no,' then what is the invitation from God? The only way to find that out is to enter into open, honest, free inquiry. This is our tradition."

Father Anne pointed to a preface that Pope Francis himself wrote to the book Women and Ministries in the Synodal Church, written in February by three theologians and two cardinals who participated in the meeting of the Council of Cardinals. "Throughout the modern era, particularly marked by the fascination for 'clear and distinct' ideas, the Church has also fallen, at times, into the trap of considering fidelity to ideas more important than attention to reality,"  Pope Francis wrote in the preface.

He added: "Reality, however, is always greater than the idea, and when our theology falls into the trap of clear and distinct ideas it inevitably turns into a Procrustean bed, which sacrifices reality, or part of it, on the altar of the idea."

College of Cardinals meeting

Pope Francis and his international Council of Cardinals continue their discussion of women's role in the church at the Vatican Feb. 3. Women who spoke to the group are Bishop Jo Bailey Wells, deputy secretary-general of the Anglican Communion, Salesian Sister Linda Pocher and Giuliva Di Berardino, a consecrated virgin from the Diocese of Verona. (CNS/Vatican Media)

For Father Anne, the reality is clear: Women throughout the world are being called to priesthood. She answered that call even at the cost of excommunication, but she insists that she is still a part of the church, loves it deeply and believes that it can change.

"Excommunication is the harshest punishment by canon law to be given to a member of the church," she said. She still attends Mass in the institutional church, wears her collar and receives a blessing rather than communion. "You can't receive sacraments, work for the church or volunteer for the church," she said. "But they can't remove me from the church; I will not be moved.”

She said that the God Says Now movement is working with great respect for the institutional church and the synodal process: "We are appealing to everyone's humanity in this historic movement … God Says Now is working in the church to advance women's participation at every level — deacon, priest and bishop."

Father Anne believes that one of the most problematic aspects of the discernment question is the way it has been framed. "To the question 'Can the Church ordain women?' many popes have given a clear answer: 'no.' The question has to be rephrased: 'Is God calling women to ordained ministries?' Asking the question in this way makes the Holy Spirit the protagonist. We ask, 'Where is God?' It also allows a more honest look at how women have been fighting for full participation for a long time."

Craig Ford Jr., assistant professor of theology and religious studies at St. Norbert College, researches gender, sexuality and race in theology. He said he believes that Father Anne's goal of getting priesthood into the upcoming study is modest and viable.

"As a theologian who tells groups of students every day to study, my understanding of the movement is to expand the scope of what this study group at the synod will look at," he told NCR. "I find nothing objectionable about this. There is nothing to be afraid of, especially when the question of gender is one of worldwide interest throughout the entire Catholic Church,"

Ford notes that there is a consensus in the church that women perform many leadership roles at all levels. The question is whether these roles should receive sacramental recognition.

"The documents coming out of the Vatican state that respecting women's leadership does not require any sacramental recognition," he says. "But some theologians raise the question that if women are performing the same leadership roles — if they are ministering to the sick as men are, bringing people into the life of the church as they are — then why is the sacramental recognition denied them?" Ford asked.

Father Anne (Anne Tropeano), right, poses with Javier Benavidez and his family. 

Father Anne (Anne Tropeano), right, poses with Javier Benavidez and his family.  Benavidez is a campaign organizer with Father Anne's God Says Now campaign, which is working to ensure that priesthood is included in the upcoming study that the Vatican has commissioned on "the role of women in the Church" as part of the Synod of Bishops' synod on synodality. (Javier Benavidez) 

One argument is historical, asking why, if women served in sacramental roles in the past, they cannot do so now. This is the approach of Discerning Deacons, a group that since 2020 has been advocating for discernment throughout the church about women in the diaconate.

Some theologians point to the idea of dignity before God: Are men and women truly equal if only men can serve in persona Christi? Ford and others note that people every day experience women acting on behalf of Christ through good works and care for the human condition.

"If people experience women bringing Christ to them in a unique way, similar to a male priest, that might be the place of experience from where discernment must come. That is what Father Anne is focusing on," Ford said. "It's one of the most theologically ancient messages we have — once people have an experience, how do we focus on this not only in our worship, but also in our doctrine?" Ford said.

Father Anne said she believes the church is in a pivotal moment. Full participation of women has always been God's desire, she said, but that desire can now be realized because the whole world — religious and secular — is moving toward gender equality in leadership.

"We've had male-only leadership everywhere for most of human history. Now we have war, poverty, global warming. It doesn't work," she said. "There's a massive dawning awareness in humanity of our relationships with one another and the earth."

Father Anne said we are living in a time of opportunity for the church to take a prophetic stance.

"The Roman Catholic Church has grown. It's one of the largest nongovernmental providers of education and health care in the world. It has a seat at the U.N.," she said "When the church comes into alignment with God's will for women's participation in the world, it will be a massive force of renewal."

Thursday, August 8, 2024

Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP- Presentation for North American Synodal Assembly- September 16, 2024


https://youtu.be/pBEsT4fTt9E


Text: Presentation for North American Synodal Assembly – September 16, 2024

By Bishop Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP


Brief History of Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement/Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests 

Greetings and blessings! I’m Bridget Mary Meehan, one of the bishops serving the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.

It is a joy to share with you our journey with the People of God in fostering a renewed model of priestly ministry in Spirit-filled, Christ-centered inclusive communities of equals around the world.

The Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement began June 29, 2002, with the Ordination of seven woman on the Danube River near Passau, Germany. Our first women bishops were ordained in 2003 by a male bishop with apostolic succession, therefore our ordinations are valid, but in violation of Canon Law. 

This international movement is within the Roman Catholic Church with a mission to prepare, ordain in apostolic succession, and support primarily women who are called to a renewed priestly ministry rooted in justice and faithfulness to the Gospel. 

Roman Catholic Women Priests are at the forefront of a model of service that offers Catholics a renewed priestly ministry in vibrant grassroots communities, where all are equal and all are welcome. 

There are 300+ members worldwide which includes bishops, priests, deacons, candidates, and a few support members. In the USA, women priests serve in 35 states and the RCWP international movement also includes members in Europe, Canada, Philippines, Central and South America, South Africa and in Taiwan. There are over 75 worshiping- communities and many have online zoom access. 

Similarities and Differences between ARCWP and RCWP- USA:
There are two Roman Catholic Women Priests organizations in the USA: Roman Catholic Womenpriests-USA and Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests Both organizations are part of the international Roman Catholic Women Priests Movement. They have the same prophetic mission of ordaining women in apostolic succession to create a renewed priestly ministry. The two major differences are that each organization has a different governing structure and formation program. The members of both ARCWP and RCWP-USA collaborate and work together in a variety of ways:
Members from both organizations work together in international conferences, retreats, and other ministerial activities in various locations. 



Our Hopes and Goals for the Synod:

Roman Catholic Women Priests and representatives from our Inclusive communities around the world discussed the Synthesis Report in 3 Forums sponsored by People’s Catholic Seminary from January- March 2024  

Our participants affirmed the image of bishops, priests and lay delegates seated around circular tables at the Synod engaging in an open dialogue as a powerful symbol of reciprocal listening and co-responsibility.

We believe that the Synodal Report recognizes that the Spirit is birthing something new and women priests and our communities are part of it when it states that  “many baptized Catholics are being drawn into emergent spiritual communities because “it was no longer possible to continue in the traditional Church due to conflicts of conscience, marginalization, and/or outright rejection of the Church’s hierarchical structures, policies, and clergy

The Synthesis Report’s discussion of pastoral needs such as the exclusion of marginalized groups including LGBTQ I+ and sexual abuse victims and the role of emergent spiritual communities described an area of  ministry in which women priests and our inclusive communities are engaged.  

Women priests and our emergent communities offer a circular model in which the gathered assembly is invited to participate more fully in liturgical rites such as dialogue homilies and the recitation of the Eucharistic Prayer. 

For 21 years, our mission has been to foster a Church for everyone, where all are equal and all are welcome to receive sacraments – no exceptions. In decision-making tour ARCWP community engages in a consensus, circular model and the bishop has one vote.


The obstacles we face  within the institutional Church are the following:


Exclusion from open dialogue

The challenge for women priests and our communities is that we have not been invited to an open dialogue about our ministries in the Church.  Pope Francis has said that the Synod must hear all voices on the margins. He has met with a woman bishop from another Christian denomination, but not with us. We agree with him that it is time to “look others in the eye and listen to what they have to say, to build rapport, to be sensitive to the questions of our sisters and brothers, to let ourselves be enriched by the variety of charisms, vocations and ministries.” 


Excommunication. 

If we could meet with Pope Francis and the Synodal delegates, we’d ask this unjust punishment be lifted. 

We reject the penalty of excommunication that was decreed in 2008. We are leading, not leaving the Church. By our Baptism, we are members of the Church and no Church law or official can cancel our baptism. 

We are disobeying an unjust law, so that women can follow their God-given call to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders in order to serve the people of God including those who are currently excluded such as the marginalized, LGBTQI and divorced and remarried Catholics without annulments. 

If  Pope Francis and the Synodal delegates would meet with us and the People of God we serve, I think they would have a deeper understanding of what our renewed priestly ministry is all about.


The Synthesis Report’s lists pastoral needs such as the exclusion of marginalized groups including LGBTQ I+ and sexual abuse victims as an area of ministry in which the Church should be engaged.  


 In our ministries and inclusive communities, all who are excluded for whatever reason are welcome to celebrate sacraments. There is a place at the table for everyone- no exceptions. Here people find healing from the wounds of physical, emotional and spiritual abuse and exclusion within the Church. 



Steps we are taking to move forward:


Women Priests will be in Rome from Oct 14-27. We come with open and loving hearts ready to engage in sacred listening and to share our inclusive ministries. On October 17th, we plan to ordain 3 deacons and 2 priests from Spain, France and the U.S. in Rome as an act of prophetic love for God’s People who believe women are truly equal in Christ, and as equally capable as men to minister to all Catholics as inclusive and welcoming priests. 

We want to build a bridge of hope and love in creating a Church for everyone by engaging in sacred listening and open dialogue!

And taking action by ordaining women to give worldwide Catholics hope that change is possible now. We don’t have to wait for another 10 years for more study on the Diaconate

Women are being ordained now in Catholic communities around the world in inclusive ministries where all are loved, all are equal and all are welcome.

Thank you so much and many blessings! 

Roman Catholic Women Priests Websites: romancatholicwomenpriests.org arcwp.org rcwpcanada.altervista.org