Video of Pittsburgh : https://youtu.be/ytrzIFK5Jr8?si=VTs8_42HEoBu8bUU
Twenty years ago, a riverboat on Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers became holy ground as my lifelong dream of ordination was realized—and today, that moment continues to ripple through a worldwide movement for justice and equality in the Church.
On July 31, 2006, I was ordained a Roman Catholic Woman Priest aboard the riverboat Majestic on Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers. It was a day of profound joy and holy courage that changed my life forever.
Some memories remain as vivid today as they were then.
During the laying on of hands, my father, Jack, gently placed his hands on my shoulders. In that sacred moment, I felt connected to generations of my Irish ancestors and to my mother, Bridie, who had died eight years earlier and was present in love from the Communion of Saints. Heaven and earth seemed to meet.
Family, friends, Sisters for Christian Community, and companions in ministry surrounded us as the Spirit moved powerfully among us. As the Litany of the Saints was sung, it felt as though the great cloud of witnesses joined our celebration of God’s justice breaking through.
After Bishops Patricia Fresen, Gisela Forster, and Ida Raming laid hands on us in silence, the entire assembly was invited to do the same. A long line formed around the riverboat as people came forward to bless each ordinand. Some wept quietly as they prayed. Their presence affirmed what we had long known: God’s call cannot be contained by any law that seeks to deny it.
The twelve of us chose to follow conscience rather than an unjust law that excludes women from ordained ministry. Then—and even more deeply now—I believe the Spirit is calling the Church toward full equality in every dimension of its life.
Twenty years later, that conviction has taken visible form.
What began as a courageous act of faith has become a worldwide movement. Roman Catholic Women Priests now serve in many countries, forming inclusive communities where all are welcome at Christ’s table. We celebrate sacraments, accompany people through life’s transitions, and witness to a love that excludes no one. In these communities, shared ministry, equality, and an open Eucharistic table express the heart of a renewed Church and a world held in all- embracing divine love.
I have been privileged to serve as priest, bishop, teacher, author, spiritual director, and mentor, and to witness countless lives transformed where every person is welcomed, every voice is honored, and every gift is affirmed.
Recently, standing beside the Danube River in Passau, Germany—where the Danube Seven began this movement in 2002—I was reminded again of how the Spirit moved through seven courageous women.
The journey is not without challenge. Obstacles, misunderstandings, and resistance remain. Yet there is also growing recognition and support. Pope Francis’ Synod reminded us that “what comes from the Spirit cannot be stopped.” Our experience over twenty years bears witness to that truth.
As I celebrate this anniversary on vacation in Budapest, I hold deep gratitude for the Danube Seven, my fellow ordinands in Pittsburgh, our bishops, our inclusive communities, and all whose lives have been touched by this movement for full equality in ordained ministry in the Roman Catholic Church.
The Spirit is still moving.
And this holy shakeup in the Roman Catholic Church is far from over.
See article I wrote on 8th anniversary
http://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/2014/08/roman-catholic-women-priests-celebrate.html?m=1
Sources & Background
Video of Ordination produced by Bridget Mary Meehan : https://youtu.be/ytrzIFK5Jr8?si=VTs8_42HEoBu8bUU
Roman Catholic Women Priests (RCWP) movement history and mission: https://romancatholicwomenpriests.org
Danube Seven ordinations (2002) and movement origins: https://www.danube7.org
Gisela Forster, Ida Raming, and Patricia Fresen—early leadership in women’s ordination movement (see RCWP archives above)
Vatican II teaching on the People of God and baptismal equality: Lumen Gentium (1964)
Synod on Synodality (2021–2024), Final Document emphasizing listening, participation, and the movement of the Holy Spirit: https://www.synod.va
Chat GPT was used to retrieve my earlier article and include it in this update on the 20th anniversary of the first U.S. RCWP ordination on a riverboat.
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